but it will be warm inside with the bargains galore next week at Tot Trade Charlotte’s Spring/Summer Sale! Doors open to the public on Friday, February 19 at 6:30PM-9:ooPM. Rest up this weekend, because you will want to shop till you drop next weekend! The forecast is clear and we are excited about this season! Spread the word…Tot Trade Charlotte is coming to town. Free Admission ALWAYS!
This season we have labeled our sale bathing suits and flip flops! Ah, warm sun and good times is what we all need with all this icky weather that we have been having! For the latest information please check our blog or or FACEBOOK page. One advantage of being a friend is that you will get the first sneak peak after drop off! Wow - it is like Christmas - we don’t know what to expect and then the dust settles and all the Tot Trade Charlotte volunteers and staff have put together this wonderful sale! Thank you so much for choosing Tot Trade Charlotte to kick off your consignmen sale season! Now, more than ever families are looking for ways to stretch their budgets. Whether you are a consignor, volunteer or shopper - we look forward to seeing you all - more posts to come this weekend - we will also start give aways off our blog…see you soon! Rhonda
Ok, I will admit I am not a fan of video games - but I rocked this weekend with my 8yr old and Guitar Hero (at least that is what the game said and I think reached cool status if only for a few minutes in the eyes of my son) How much fun we had together celebrating his 8th birthday! I would say if this is in our Game Trade section this season - great purchase!Well we are getting ready to get on a wild ride this season! We have our special events planned, consignors are tagging, first time mom and grandparents are registering in record numbers and we have added volunteer shifts! I feel the Pointer Sisters song…”I’m So Excited”
We are adding a new section this season, Homeschooling Resources! This will be the first time we have offered this section so tell your friends so we can make this a sought after resource!
I did the last walk through on Monday at the Arena and we hope you love the new floorplan as much as we do … I really don’t know why we didn’t do this before now? Practice makes perfect I guess! Make sure you check out our floorplan found under downloads …we have a new entrance this season!
I know we are busy and summer is winding down, but it’s not too late to get involved this season whether you are a consignor, volunteer or shopper! With our uncertain economy, think of the sale as your own little stimulus package..and who wants to pay retail when there are so many great buys!
Remember Tot Trade Charlotte does not limit the number of consignors we can register or items you can bring. (Consignor minimum 30 items) We cannot do it without you….come join us REGISTRATION IS OFFICIALLY OPEN THROUGH WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12, 2009
….let’s get it started in here…..
rhonda & jodi
clearshoppers.JPGI am spending more and more time at the computer which means that sale time is right around the corner! I am posting where I think moms will be looking, returning emails and tagging! This season our word is ORGANIZATION! You would think that some of the plans that we are using this season would be pretty simple and understood, but when you consider the size that the sale has grown to in only a few short seasons….well, like I say, we get two tries a year and try to make improvements each season.
Tot Trade Charlotte is truly your children’s consignment sale! It is your sale because most importantly we wouldn’t be here without your participation and we listen to your comments at the end of the season. Many say how organized we are, well a lot of that goes back to listening to the consignor! It takes a lot of people to put together an event of this size and it just keeps growing! Last season we filled over 65,000 sq ft and it was the Spring/Summer Sale. Fall/Winter sales tend to be LARGER due to the type of items being sold, if consignors have tried us with a few items they will typically bring in 500 for the next season! Then there is word of mouth, or tell a friend. We know that when moms like something they tell their friends about it! This season’s postcard distribution went from 80 last season to 150 this season! Yes!
Now we know we can’t make everyone happy, but it is our goal each season that whether you are a shopper, volunteer or consignor you walk away with a positive experience. I just sent my email to staff this week and I get so excited to hear from them all! I truly love my job! I get to work with a great group of women that make me laugh, my lil sis, charities in the communities and know that what we are doing is helping families near and far!
Ok, I will put away the kleenex for now, I just wanted to get this train started. It is the metaphor that I use each season. We start out at the station and then once loaded start chugging along to get to presale when we are European Bullet and hanging on for the ride! We have made improvements for a smoother ride this season including 16 registers for checkout with EXPRESS lanes clearly marked, a simple floorplan (check the download section of the website), 2 entrance drop off for consignors, shoe inspector, volunteer coordinator and more! All this talk gets me excited so I am off to tag a bit, some moms have already entered 500 items and we still have almost 3 weeks! Go Girls!
Jodi and I are excited to see you all - there is still time to register to be a part of this train that comes around each season! We will see you soon!
If you were trying to access myconsignmentmanager to register, volunteer or enter your items we just received word and tested the site, we are back up and running! Please continue to check our blog for the latest information about this season’s sale!
I am off to tag for a bit….
Shoppers Wanted this Season!
Consignors are busy tagging, I have a feeling we are going to fill more than 45,000 sq ft this season! What does this mean for you as a Tot Trade Charlotte shopper? Great Bargains! Everything you need in what I call a “one stop shop” at a fraction of the cost!
This season’s sale will be held in the Events Center at the Cabarrus Arena & Events Center. Admission is FREE. Please check the calendar on our website for the sale schedule. This season, Tot Trade Charlotte will feature a new floorplan, dressing rooms near maternity clothing, a new gaming section: Game Trade, and the boutique clothing and breastpumps will be more accessable, located near the big ticket items so staff can assist you.
This season we will feature easy check out with 12 registers. In addition, we will offer an EXPRESS LANE for customers with 10 items or less. Tot Trade Charlotte accepts MC/VISA/CASH. If you use American Express or Discovery Card, consider purchasing a Tot Trade Charlotte Gift Certificate prior to the sale. Please note that Gift Certificates must be used during the sale purchased, no cash back.
Make sure to bring your list, measurements and a basket tied with a belt to carry your goodies. Mark your calendars to come back on Sunday when select merchandise will be marked 50% off!
Wow, try saying that five times fast! We have had a lot of calls about the Armband pick-up. To ensure that everyone has the opportunity to register to attend either the First Time Mom or Grandparent presale Tot Trade Charlotte and the Cabarrus Arena & Events Center have partnered to offer Armband pick-up at the Arena’s Box Office, Monday, February 9-13 or until all bands are distributed.
Details for the presale are: First Time Moms are moms who are expecting, have a child 12 months or younger or are adopting a child. Grandparents are, well we all love our Nanas and Pepaws! So, once you have your Armband what do you do? Presale shopping is as follows:
Friday, February, 27
First Time Mom Presale / Doors Open at 6PM
Grandparent Presale / Doors Open at 7PM
You must have an ARMBAND or EMAIL to enter. Now what in the world is the email and where can I get it? That is an easy question to answer. Simply go to the www.TotTradeCharlotte.com website and click sign-up - there you will see either First Time Mom Tab or Grandparent Tab. Click the appropriate tab and register. Once you have registered, you will receive an email. If you don’t receive one immediately, please check your spam/junk file. The email is good for you and a guest to enter the presale.
PLEASE NOTE! You do not have to have BOTH an ARMBAND and an EMAIL. You only need one to one of the hottest ticket presales this season! So, ready, set, go……we’ll see you soon!
Rhonda & Jodi
I think I must have missed a season? I have found bags of clothes for a few seasons that Maggie has long outgrown! Has that ever happened to you? It takes me down memory lane and all I can think about was when she wore that and what happened when and those adorable hats!
I am finally ready to sell my boy things too. Jack was the third to make his way through what his brothers had “gently” worn. I think their clothes are the hardest because of three times the memories!
I feel like I am Spring cleaning and can breath so much better when I start the “pulling” process! How do I do it? I have the children’s clothes in bags from the previous the season and start pulling everything out and sorting dresses, outfits, shorts, swimwear, etc. Once I think I have everything together I start the “hanging” process then it is the coolest online tagging! Trust me, since we have started using myconsignmentmanager tagging has gotten a whole lot easier!
But the fun I had today was the crates I pulled of piled together “not so forgotten toys” to go through for the sale. “Mom I was looking for that!” “Oh, that is where that was!” It truly was like Christmas around here for about an hour! Trust me, please go through your playrooms, child’s rooms, attic FIRST! You will always get your clothes tagged, but you may start to become overwhelmed if you wait to get to your toys and accessories till the end! Making toys and accessories a priority will really add to your bottom line!
OK, tonight I have set aside time to start working on our tagging video and updated pictures for the website. Look for them to be loaded in the next few days! Registration is running about 3 weeks ahead of schedule! What does that mean? We will have lots of GREAT things this season! Can you help us fill over 45,000 sq ft of space? Oh, I know you can! Advertising will start soon and postcards are in the mail!
We are more excited than ever and have planned a GREAT time for all! Thank you for choosing Tot Trade and we will see you soon.
Dear Tot Trade Consignor, Volunteer and Shopper,
Jodi and I are writing to you in response to the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA). As many know, I am a mother of four children and my sister Jodi is their Aunt Jojo. With that said, neither of us would ever intentionally expose them or other children to the harmful effects of lead. Many of you, who have been with Tot Trade over the years, know that we truly do everything within our power to organize a safe and fair sale for our consignors and shoppers.
Last year, legislation was passed known as the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA) in order to protect children ages 12 and under against the effects of lead in products such as clothing, accessories, furniture and toys. Implementation of this law is to go into effect Tuesday, February 10, 2009. The intention of the Law was to increase greater regulation for manufactures and retailers and not the resale industry.
Over the past 72 hours, Jodi and I have worked diligently to seek clarification from Senators, officials in Washington, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, other sale organizers and our attorney to understand the implications of running our sale and what the law means for our consignors. So what does that mean for you as a consignor and shopper and for Tot Trade as a seasonal children’s consignment sale?
As of today, Thursday, January 8 we have received a press release from the Consumer Product Safety Commission stating:
Sellers of used children’s products, such as thrift stores and consignment stores, are not required to certify that those products meet the new lead limits, phthalates standard or new toy standards.
The new safety law does not require resellers to test children’s products in inventory for compliance with the lead limit before they are sold.
Based on this information/interpretation of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CSPIA) Tot Trade Charlotte will proceed with its scheduled Spring/Summer 2009 sales event February 28-March 1 at the Cabarrus Arena & Events Center. As we learn more information we will post both on our Blog and Facebook pages. In addition, if you are a consignor please be sure to check accepted and non-accepted items found on the consignor page of the Tot Trade Charlotte website.
Please know, the last 72 hours have been a very stressful and tense time for both Jodi and I. We both realize that during this economic climate, it is more important than ever that Tot Trade Charlotte and other area seasonal children’s consignment sales take place. We would like to thank the Cabarrus Arena & Events Center for working with us during this uncertain time. We appreciate your recent inquiries and hope that you will join us for truly the BEST season yet!
We are so excited to say that we will see you soon!
Sincerely,
Rhonda & Jodi
Hey Moms, Dads and Grandparents! Happy New Year! Seems like just yesterday we were talking about Thanksgiving and Holiday plans! The Spring/Summer Sale will be here before you know it! (about 9 weeks now) We are posting new updates to the site weekly including the promised updated consignor tagging photos and instruction video. It seems that with the economy there is a lot of uncertainty out there, one thing that I want you to be sure of is that Tot Trade Charlotte is working to ensure the best season yet!
To be honest, I can’t remember how I got started with consignment sales? It started seven years ago and now four children later…..What I have learned is that I can buy complete season’s wardrobe for my four children for a fraction of what I would have spent at retail…even Target! Lots of moms ask if I shop at Tot Trade? Well, this season’s Christmas card featured a beautiful boutique dress from one of our consignors who brings in some of the most gorgeous outfits (her 5 year picture was in another one of her dresses (only $8) and my boys, well they all were stunning! (From a mother’s perspective of course ) Sometimes when I look at them all together I think….that’s a lot stuff there…how could I do it without Tot Trade…then I do 20 loads of laundry a week and think….thank you moms for all of the cool jammies and favorite outfits!
Folks who have never tried consigning and consignment sales are looking to these options as a way to stretch the family dollar! Seasoned consignment participants and shoppers know that seasonal sales are the place to be more than ever! Tot Trade works every season to gain your trust and loyalty!
This season, I am asking moms, dads and grandparents alike to start with their toys! I know it is hard… you think “they will play with it” but guess what, they never do! To test my theory, try picking a few things out of their room or playrooms and see how long they miss it! I used to cycle tubs of toys every 2-3 weeks, but with 4 children…I had a lot of tubs and still a lot of unused toys! This past season Tot Trade toy tables were filled to the brim and we sold, sold and sold some toys!
Don’t forget your older children too. We have entered the Star Wars zone and video games. I thought I would never go this route, but Santa brought us a PlayStation 2 and V-Tech . After shopping at stores such as GameStop and Play -n- Trade, I thought we can do that at Tot Trade too! This season we will feature our first ever Game Trade section. This is an opportunity to sell your gaming systems that your children aren’t using since they have upgraded and I know you have a lot of games they don’t play anymore! It is another way to let your little ones get involved with the sale by registering and tagging their own items! This gives them a budget to buy what they want now when they start asking for the latest game! Help us build this section of the sale this season! It can only grow and prepare for the Fall/Winter season!
We are bringing back the First Time Mom presale and adding a special time for our Grandparent presale! This season Tot Trade is moving to Presale Armbands! If you are a First Time Mom or Grandparent you can either register online for your presale pass via email or pick-up your armbands from the Cabarrus Arena & Events Center. We will announce the pick up dates in February!
Look for email update including information about Tot Trade Charlotte’s Facebook page, (I am an addict) we hope that you will become a fan and pass the information a long to your friends. We are constantly looking for new ways to reach our moms, dads and grandparents.
Remember Tot Trade Charlotte is your children’s consignment sale. We cannot be successful without you! We have lots of great things planned this season to accomodate the growth and shopping from new checkout lanes and a new floorplan. If you have never participated with Tot Trade as a consignor or volunteer, try us out this season….once you try it…you will be hooked! I was! Talk to you all soon!
