Consignment and brick & mortar shops

[Former_Member]

I just wanted to know other than selling on etsy, do any one sell through consignement or brick and mortar shops, if so how does the sales compare to selling on etsy?

[Former_Member]

During peak tourist season, the galleries I'm in do quite well. . .

[SugarAndPaint]

I sell my things in a few stores here in my town, and I sell a lot more in quantity but at half the price. On Etsy, my sales are a lot slower but at retail pricing. On Etsy, I make more for my time but sometimes its just nice to see your products moving out the door even if you are making a little less on them. Right now, those shops are having a bit of a sales lul too. I also sell larger items (painted furniture) and I was just offered the possibility of putting some pieces in a store on consignment. I haven't done that before so I'm wondering myself. They said that would be a 40% to them / 60% to me deal.
Hope that helps a little.

[ShyViolet]

I have had some bad experiences with consignment, but I know it can work well. I think it's easiest to have it work well when the galleries are local and you can go check out your items, make sure they're displayed the way you want, etc. At this point, I'm more interested in wholesale accounts though. For me and my work, I think that is most beneficial, but consignment can be a really good partnership if you find the right shop.

[Former_Member]

Thanks for the comments on consignment selling, as far as selling wholesale how do you go about getting these types of accounts and is a business license needed?

[SleepingKnight]

I live in a tourist town with a lot of art galleries. The problem around here is that commissions go from 40%/60% to 60%/40% So I have to price my items so high on consignment that it is cheaper for people to buy directly from my Etsy shop. When I sell wholesale I sell at 50% so why would I want to be in a gallery that is charging me up to 60% of my asking price just to put my work out? With Etsy and Paypal I am sitting at a consignment charge of 7%.

[Former_Member]

Thanks for the information, I have not really understood how consignments work. It sounds like the best solution is to really work at my etsy shop.