25 Best Consignment Shop Business ideas You Can Start in 2024

Do you want to start a consignment shop but want to go niche and be unique? If YES, here are 25 best consignment related business ideas & opportunities.

A consignment shop is one where the owner of an item called the consignor, gives the item to a shop owner or seller called the consignee, with an agreement for commission after the item is sold. While the item is with the seller, the consignor still retains full ownership of the item, so if at any point the consignor feels the need to take back the item, they are free to.

This is different from a pawn shop were the owner uses the item to borrow money, he can only collect the item back upon the payment of the money borrowed with interest. These shops are also called second-hand shops, the terms are used interchangeably in different occasions. There are quite a number of business ideas within this industry and a few are listed below.

Best Consignment Shop Business ideas

1. Table of Content

   • ANTIQUES CONSIGNMENT SHOPS
   • MAGAZINES ON THE ENTIRE CONSIGNMENT BUSINESS INDUSTRY
   • CONSIGNMENT SHOP FOR ELECTRONICS
   • ONLINE CONSIGNMENT SHOP
   • FURNITURE CONSIGNMENT SHOP
   • BOOKS AND LITERATURE CONSIGNMENT SHOP
   • MUSIC CONSIGNMENT SHOP
   • VINTAGE AND COLLECTIBLES
   • CONSIGNMENT SHOP OWNERS NETWORK
   • CONSIGNMENT SHOP FOR FIREARMS
   • ATHLETIC EQUIPMENT CONSIGNMENT SHOP
   • CHILDREN’S CLOTHES CONSIGNMENT SHOP
   • TOYS CONSIGNMENT SHOP
   • WEDDING DRESS CONSIGNMENT SHOP
   • CONSIGNMENT SHOP FOR TOOLS
   • MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CONSIGNMENT SHOP
   • ACCESSORIES CONSIGNMENT SHOP
   • HOME DECOR CONSIGNMENT SHOP
   • ART CONSIGNMENT SHOP
   • AUTOMOBILE CONSIGNMENT STORE
   • CONSIGNMENT SHOPS FOR PHONES
   • A CONSIGNMENT SHOP BUSINESS CONSULTANT
   • CONSIGNMENT SHOP FOR MATERNITY CLOTHES
   • CONSIGNMENT SHOP FOR JEWELRY
   • CONSIGNMENT SHOP FOR COMPUTERS

   ANTIQUES CONSIGNMENT SHOPS

Antiques are by far the most popular kind of consignment shops you can find in the US. Antiques are items that have great value either because of their artistic designs, sentimental story lines, or how they came to be. More importantly, an item is not called an antique until it is at least one hundred years old.

I guess one of the reasons why such items may be so valuable is because of its longevity. Usually items would get missing or destroyed as the years go by, but for something to remain intact for more than a hundred years, that in itself is outstanding.

People who have these types of items in the present day may not have much use for them anymore. If they want a quick way to make cash, they can look for an antiques consignment shop to sell them. Some antiques are worth millions, but the total amount of worth will depend on those who analyze them.

2. MAGAZINES ON THE ENTIRE CONSIGNMENT BUSINESS INDUSTRY

Even if you may not be able to secure a location to store up used items for sale, you could still be part of the consignment business industry.

One way is to publish a magazine dedicated to the art of consignment shopping. In the magazine there would be features showing industry trends, new shops coming up and advice on how to pick the best set of items when buying second hand products.

The magazine could also address those who are already in the business, giving them tips on how to make the best out of what they have in their shops.

There could be a section with a more lighter tone and of course, advertisement. Advertisement is where you stand to make a lot of money in magazine publication. Inside of the magazine could also be tips on how to find the right consignment dealer for your items.

3. CONSIGNMENT SHOP FOR ELECTRONICS

We’ve all had that old VCR or HiFi system we would love to trade in for a another one, or simply sell it off to make a little money from it, either because we need the cash or because we have bought a new one and no longer have need for the present.

This actually goes beyond HiFi systems, it could be blenders, toasters, microwaves, washing machines and so on. Many people may not want to look for brand new items, they may prefer to buy those that are fairly used but still in great condition.

One of the major reasons behind people looking for used items is due to the present poor economic situation. It will be softer on the pocket to simply get used electronics from a shop that is known to have such items on sale. So, when looking to buy used electronic products, be sure to know if the item is in good shape.

In order for you as a consignee to have a good reputation with your customers, you too must ensure that the items you place in your shops are in good shape. They don’t have to be in the same shape as they were when they were bought, if they are, then it would be amazing, but if they are not then they must be useable at least for some time before they begin to develop problems.

4. ONLINE CONSIGNMENT SHOP

Many things are going online these days or should I say digital so having an online consignment shop is not such a bad idea in this present day.

You could choose to focus on particular item or make it a general theme type of deal. Payment could be done through electronic means of course, this means that the you would need to make sure your web developer has secured the payment procedures so that people’s information are safe when they shop with you.

However, many who intend to shop this way may want to actually see the item they are purchasing before they make payment. It’s used, so they may want to inspect the condition it is in before they part with their money, so you should expect that many would want to visit the place physically where the items are sold.

Of course, this does not necessarily force you to get a physical shop, you must have already spoken to the vendors, their shop addresses would be on the site, so after interest is shown, the interested person can begin to speak with the vendor. Your site is simply a meeting point for customer and vendor.

5. FURNITURE CONSIGNMENT SHOP

When a person comes into a home, one of the first things they pay attention to is the quality, style and arrangement of furniture in the house. The tables, sofa, chairs, stools are just a few of the items one can use to make the house seem more like a home.

Offices are also another set of people who would need furniture especially if they are just starting out in the business, they may not be looking for brand new items to buy as they would need to save cost.

So used furniture are great items to make a consignment shop out of, sometimes their value proceeds from the family that used to own it once; or the artisan who put it together in times past, one way or another the shop owner would know how to derive value from the items.

6. BOOKS AND LITERATURE CONSIGNMENT SHOP

It would amaze you but the united states is filled with people who love to read. Anything from fiction to self-help books can attract a large number of followers.

There are those who make a habit out of looking for special literature or books that have stopped being published or books that attract value due to various other factors. Then we also have the academic books. Some of these books can be bought at a cheaper price in a consignment shop.

In this type of trade, it would be easier to identify which books are still in good shape because they can be seen and handled on site, pages can be flipped over, the quality and strength of the paper can be felt. When buying a second-hand book, one does not have to worry about whether it would still work right.

Except of course it is a vintage, or an antique or even a very valuable piece of literature that has been through very harsh conditions and need to be restored, but there is a different kind of shop that deals with antiques or vintages. Books and literature are great items to develop a consignment store out of.

7. MUSIC CONSIGNMENT SHOP

This would appear to be more lucrative if the entire entertainment industry had not gotten digitized. Those who listen to the particular genre of the music or who are long-time followers of a musician may love to get their hands on some of their materials that may be scarce to find or even out of production.

However today, music has gone digital and a lot of the older songs can be bought online, because one way or another a group of people have digitized the sound.

However, there are still some music lovers who are dedicated to hearing the sound in the technology that was available when the songs were hits, some people still own vinyl record players, some still have cassette tape players and so on. And these enthusiasts would love to find a shop where they can get their hands on the format of music they love so much.

Due to copyright laws, it would be challenging to make your music consignment shop an Online business. Converting the songs into mp3 and posting it on the website for people to buy, would be against the law, except all you do is advertise on your website that such songs are available in CD, Cassette tapes or whatever other format you have it on in your store. Then that way those who are interested can come in and buy them personally.

8. VINTAGE AND COLLECTIBLES

There is a lot of money to be made selling vintage items that have gathered value. These would definitely be coming from owners who have probably had the item in their family for a longtime or through some other means have gained access to them.

Collectibles could be anything from baseball bats, comics, toys and so on. And some of these items that may seem valueless to some may actually rank up to hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Like the entire idea behind the consignment shop trade, the owner of the shop does not have to be the owner of these items, people who have these items and would like to sell them would know where to go to achieve this, and this would most likely be a consignment shop that deals in vintage and collectibles.

9. CONSIGNMENT SHOP OWNERS NETWORK

Building a standard network of consignment shop owners can do a lot for the industry. It will help shop owners meet and build relationships with other shop owners who may deal in complementary services.

When shop owners get items they are not too confident about, they should know who to call even within their community for advice on what price tag would be appropriate for such items so that their commission would be worthwhile.

The way money could be made from this group would be in fees or dues. This network will be in charge of organizing events that would bring more market to consignment businesses across the country. A network like this is going to make the trade a lot more interesting for consignment shop owners across the country.

10. CONSIGNMENT SHOP FOR FIREARMS

Guns and other kinds of firearms are also another set of items that are great for this type of business. One who intends to own such a shop must get all the licenses and permits that are associated with this type of venture.

Guns are a controversial issue in the US, so it takes a lot of meticulous investigation to make sure that those coming to sell their firearms to you, have all the legal papers for such transactions. If the owner of this kind of shop wants to be within the law, he would have to do a background check on the firearm that’s about to be showcased at his shop.

He would also have to be very particular about the people he makes business transactions with, so as to make sure that his business and his own life are not at risk.

11. ATHLETIC EQUIPMENT CONSIGNMENT SHOP

Most fitness enthusiasts love to have at least a treadmill and some weights at home. Going for used equipment may be the best option. As a fitness buff, you may not always have the opportunity to go to the gym, it would be nice to simply stay at home and work out. Another set of people who look for second hand athletic equipment are gym owners.

Believe it or not, when putting together a gym, it saves costs to simply buy used equipment to set up the gym. But whether it is for your own personal use or for a gym that serves others, this type of item must be tested to know if it is in a good condition.

12. CHILDREN’S CLOTHES CONSIGNMENT SHOP

We all grow out of the clothes we used while growing up and we wouldn’t want to just throw them away, especially if they are still in very good condition. Or some of us may have children that may have grown out of some clothes, which also could still be in very good condition.

Usually the practice would be to give them to a family member who may need them as well, but sometimes we can decide to make just a little about of money by setting them up in a children’s clothes consignment shop.

This even goes beyond individual families looking for how to sell their children’s clothes, there are wholesale suppliers of second hand children’s clothes. The supplier may not have a shop of his own but has a lot of these clothes in stock, he simply contacts a shop that deals in these items and sets up the consignor and consignee deal.

13. TOYS CONSIGNMENT SHOP

Many families who have had their children grow up or have outgrown some of their toys would definitely look for how to get rid of the items due to clutter. It wouldn’t be nice to simply throw the toys away, I guess they could give the toys to charity, but also making some money from them is also a very good idea.

If a shop sells toys that are already used by the owners, then the toys will definitely be priced cheaper than if the brand new one is being purchased. So, the consignment toy shop would be known for having toys cheaper, they may not have to advertise that the items there are used already, but that they are available at cheaper price.

In as much as used items are some of the most popular items present in a consignment shop, they all do not have to be used as such though. In any case, the toy consignment shop is a big hit in the United States of America, so this would be one of my very strong suggestions, should one want to enter into the consignment shop business.

14. WEDDING DRESS CONSIGNMENT SHOP

You only get married once right? Hopefully so I should imagine, so once the wedding is done, one may decide to make some money out of the wedding dress. Sometimes this could be the reason for buying such expensive wedding dress, because it could be sold afterwards.

Some people however may have sentimental attachment to the wedding dress and would love to keep them as a means of remembering the very enchanting day.

Or some ladies would have plans of giving them to their daughters someday, but other times, folks just look for opportunities to make money off of the wedding dress. Having a consignment shop that deals with wedding dresses can be very lucrative, seeing as many folks are getting married these days.

15. CONSIGNMENT SHOP FOR TOOLS

Households, construction companies, carpenters and so on need tools on a daily basis. And quite a number of people have tools they really don’t need anymore. Opening a consignment shop for tools is one of the best consignment shop ideas on the list. Tools are part of the everyday life of many and they are meant for a selected market.

16. MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CONSIGNMENT SHOP

Musical instruments are timeless items to lovers of sound. To own a consignment shop that deals in musical instruments, you too should be music lover. If you are a music lover, then you would really appreciate the items you receive for sale at your shop.

You would be able to know if the items are in good condition and when they may not be you would know how to correct the things that may be wrong with them. Most people that come to buy at your shop would be those just seeking to start their musical hobbies, those who are already deep in the musical world or music schools that need to purchase musical instruments.

Your location would also matter when it comes to making a success out of your shop. If your shop is in a good location, a lot of people will come in to buy your instruments, this will also mean that those who have musical instruments they want to sell will make you their number one choice.

17. ACCESSORIES CONSIGNMENT SHOP

Belts, watches, bracelets, ear rings and such are great items to focus on as your niche in setting up a consignment shop. This will definitely appeal to those who are fashionable in the society.

Knowing where to place your accessories on display so they can be sold is good for those who have quite a lot of these types of items and do not know what to do with them. It would surprise you that there are people with full closets of accessories cluttering their rooms and gathering dust. Making some money from them would be a welcome idea.

18. HOME DECOR CONSIGNMENT SHOP

Interior designers would love a place where they can get nice quality home decoration items for less than their original price. Nowadays a home is not just a place with chairs you can sit on, tables you can place things on and a bed you can sleep on.

Interior decoration has been a great way to make money for centuries, people like to feel at home in their houses. The comfortable appearance of our living quarters speaks a lot about how comfortable we would feel in such environments.

We usually want to have items that help communicate our style, items that show forth our taste in the quality of our lives. Some of the decorative items in our homes can be gotten from a consignment shop that specializes in home decorations.

19. ART CONSIGNMENT SHOP

Art could also fall into the vintage category, there are various art that have been around for many years and thus have accumulated in value. Those in the art world understand the meaning of certain portraits and are willing to make some money from them by making them available to an art consignment shop for sale.

Maybe someone who doesn’t really appreciate art may have inherited a few of their grandparent’s portraits and have decided to make some money off of them. Art could also be in the category of a collectible item, also worth much money depending on the values placed on them.

And of course, there is art that have been done in recent years but can still make lots of money if they are sold to the right kinds of people. An art consignment shop is a great idea.

20. AUTOMOBILE CONSIGNMENT STORE

Used cars as they are known in the US have become one of the oldest consignment businesses ever established in the country.

As far back as many citizens can remember, owners of certain types of automobiles have been making money out of their cars by making them available to buyers everywhere. One looking to sell their cars should not struggle so much to find a shop that will oblige their desires.

The only challenge would be looking for one who will be willing to collect a reasonable commission on the car once it is sold so that the owner can still have some dignity in the sale without losing much money. Setting up an automobile consignment store is a sure ticket to revenue generation if your prices are decent.

21. CONSIGNMENT SHOPS FOR PHONES

Once again it wouldn’t be right to mention consignment shop classics like Antiques, Jewry, Electronics and Computers if I do not mention phones. Used phones are a great item for this type of market. The phones could be old models or newer ones, it really doesn’t matter as long as they are in usable conditions.

Vintage phones could even be sold as a collectible within this type of shop, the decor of the entire establishment could communicate the history of the telecommunications development in the society.

22. A CONSIGNMENT SHOP BUSINESS CONSULTANT

Whether one decides to be the consignor or the consignee, sometimes you would need professional advice on how to go about the entire business of this industry.

One intending to set up a consignment shop will definitely need instructions on how to go about it, what kind of consignment shop would be more profitable for the person given their present locations, the demographic of the area and the purchasing power of the target market.

This consultant can offer their service in the area of research and feasibility studies, in order to give the intending business owner a more informed guide to setting up shop.

On the other hand, those intending to sell of their items also need proper guidance too, in properly calculating the value of the item that is about to be sold, how the value might even increase with refurbishing efforts, who would be the best person or company to refurbish the item and so on.

There’s a lot a business consultant can offer to any one, more especially one intending to interact with the world of consignment shopping and sale.

23. CONSIGNMENT SHOP FOR MATERNITY CLOTHES

After a lady is through with having children, the question arises as to what to do with the maternity clothes bought for the pregnancy period. Also, those who have become heavy with pregnancy would need a place to get appropriate clothes.

The consignment shop owner brings these parties together so that every person’s need is met and everyone goes home happy, consignor, consignee and customer.

24. CONSIGNMENT SHOP FOR JEWELRY

This article wouldn’t be complete if I didn’t mention one of the most famous items used for a consignment shop business. Jewelry is valuable to all parties and extra measures have to be taken as per the security of the items. Some of them may be antiques or vintage items and hence their sentimental value may rival new items.

There are professionals who specialize in gauging the correct value of any piece of jewelry, this helps the participating parties to price the item within the proper range to ensure that no side is being cheated.

25. CONSIGNMENT SHOP FOR COMPUTERS

Computers have always been a strong part of the consignment business industry. This may go from very old computers that still use floppy disks to the most advanced laptops we have today. The truth is that many are eager to sell computers they no longer need, and you will always find those who are willing to pay for used computers as long as they are still in very good shape.