What do YOU think? - I'm I overreacting?
Crystalina wrote: So I decided to rent a section of a local consignment shop and here's how it went:
I call the owner on the phone.
She tells me to rent a spot is $45 a month.
I walk in with Evan.
She shows me 2 spots.
I pick out the cutest one. The one more open and easy to see.
We chit-chat for about 15 minutes.
She realizes the store is getting busy.
We walk up to get the contract.
She's busy checking people out.
I'm busy fumbling for a pen in my purse and telling Evan he can have this but not that and to not touch things.
I fill out an index card with quick contact info.
Skim the contract....yes, only skim it. 
Sign it but do not fill out the section with my vendors license # because I explained to her that I was getting that the next day.
Not to worry she said, just bring it in when you get it.
So I get home and read down and in the 4th paragraph (the 4th!) it states that all vendors must work no less then 4 hours a month in the store. If you cannot make your 4 hours then you will get charged $25.
So I call. She's not there but I talk to a "working vendor" who tells me that yes, that is right. So then I ask her "If we get charged for NOT working then do we get paid when we DO?". The answer was no.  WTH is that about? Has anyone heard such a thing? Not only am I paying $45 for the spot, which I think is reasonable, but she's also taking 3% off of every item I sell....if someone pays with a credit card then she charges me for that. And I'm supposed to work for free in the store or get charged for it if I don't? What planet is this chic on?  She's making money hand over fist! I was fine with everything except the whole "working in the store" part. And I would even be ok with that if we got paid for working. Why doesn't she just say the that spot cost $70? That's what she's getting either way be it with charging me the $25 extra or the free labor I would provide. One of the girls working in there said alot of consignment shops are doing this now.
I called the same day I signed the contract and the girl that was there left her a note saying I wanted out. I have three days so... 
mom2my2cuties replied: A lot of consignment shops have been doing this for years. Some people say the working in the store is benificial because you can "direct" customers to your merchandise
Crystalina replied:
I understand that but I don't know why they don't say the spot is $70 instead of $45. That's very misleading. I had 2 conversations with her on the phone before even going in there. I would gladly work there and direct people wherever they needed to go but if I'm there I think I should get paid for it. If I can get charged for not being there...
mom2my2cuties replied: Don't get me wrong, I think she should have mentioned this little "requirement" when talking to you on the phone.  I think it's silly that places have these requirements, I was just saying what I had been told by other people who did work in the stores.
grandma replied: Well, it doesn't sound 'fair' but it is her shop. I guess you can shop around and try and find a shop that seems more fair to you.
I love second hand stores and here they have excellant merchandise, like new for a third of the original price, perfect for us grandmas!
luvmykids replied: My mom ran into the same thing....I think lots of them see it as a co-op type thing but if it was a true co-op, everyone would get their booth free in exchange for working 
lisar replied: WOW I didnt know they worked that way. I think its crazy also.
Crystalina replied:
No, I totally understand what you were saying. I was just venting further. 
Crystalina replied:
Yes, I'm going to continue shopping around.
I have a couple salons that will buy my lotions from me and they are going to raise the price so they can get their profit. Just starting out this business though I really don't want to take the chance of of having more money going out then coming in. I was willing to do the $45 but $70 is a bit much. 
CantWait replied: While it's crazy, and maybe it would have been nice if she mentioned it in her initial conversation with you, it is in the contract.
Kaitlin'smom replied: well its kinda like in a weird backwards way paying you 6.25 per hour, you dont really see the money or I guess you save 6.25 an hour....weird anyway guess no more skimming contracts huh?
Crystalina replied:
Yeah no doubt. No harm done though because I have the 3 days to undo it but I had just never heard of this before.
Calimama replied: I think it's just to insure that someone actually is there to sell, because lets say you set up shop and were NEVER there to sell any of it.. she isn't making any money. In fact she's LOSING money because she could be giving that spot to someone who would be there to sell. Kinda makes sense to me. 
|
