All photos by Lanie Wish
Once again, tag sale co-chairs Mila Nutter, pictured left, and Melody Chappel, pictured right, have organized another successful tag sale, which took place on Saturday, September 28 at The Fieldhouse in Sudbury.
Over 14,000 items were sold. If you’re not familiar with the semi-annual tag sales that we host in the Fall and the Spring, you owe it to yourself as a member to not only check it out, but to volunteer and eventually become a seller.
The tag sale began several years ago as a perk to our members. It was a way for us to offer gently used and quality merchandise to other members and the public for a very reasonable price. Given that we all have to have lots of items for at least two children, the tag sale is a great opportunity twice a year to find what you need for your kids, while also benefitting the club’s members.
What is the Tag Sale?
I’m sure everyone knows what a tag sale is, but MetroWest Parents of Multiples hosts this enormous event twice a year. Several members rely on the tag sale each year to sell items their children have outgrown.
What type of things can I sell?
Typical things being sold at the tag sale are baby equipment, books, shoes, clothing, hats, seasonal items, bikes, toy vehicles, sports equipment, toys, and room decor. As you can see by the photographs, every category is placed so it can be easily located by shoppers.
There are specific guidelines regarding the condition, brands, and suggested prices for various items, which can all be found in the Seller’s Guide. The condition of materials is extremely important. We maintain a consistency of quality because of our strict guidelines. We offer gently used merchandise which means no rips, no stains, and no missing pieces from toys or games.
Melody runs the “front of the house”, which is basically giving job assignments to all the volunteers and making sure everyone knows what their job is the day of the sale. Friday before the sale we all pitch in with helping to set up, and that’s the day you bring your items to sell and place them in appropriate areas.
Mila runs the “back of the house” otherwise known as the “accounting room”. She has a staff of people who are familiar with the software, who also have specific jobs. The accounting staff usually stay in a back room during the sale and help tally numbers as items are sold, in order to make the accounting job easier for Mila so she can get checks out to the sellers as soon as possible, usually by the October general meeting.
There is a Seller’s Guide that the Tag Sale Chairs update after each sale. Please contact Mila and Melody at tagsale@mwpom.org to find out where you can view the most current version of the Seller’s Guide.
How do you prepare for the Tag Sale?
The first thing you do is register. If you’re not a member of our members-only Facebook page, please join at www.facebook.com/groups.MWPOM. You will get all the latest updates and changes generated by our Admins on Facebook. Be sure to turn your Notifications on so you don’t miss any updates. Upon registering, there is a link in the Seller’s Guide booklet that will direct you to a “myconsignment” site where you will Sign up and register to be a new user. Make sure you remember your password (chances are you’ll only be logging in twice a year). Once registered, you’ll get an email thanking you for registering. Once registered, you can start tagging at any time.
What’s the best way to begin tagging?
Everyone has a different method, depending on space, time and schedules. Some members do their tagging together, and some members even recruit their children to help with the task. Experienced tag sale volunteers and/or committee members can offer their best advice.
What will I need?
Tagging supplies, like the tagging gun, are sold at certain general meetings. In addition to the tagging gun, the only other investment you will need to make is a package of cardstock-weight white paper to print your tags on. Make sure the Universal Product Code (UPC) can be seen; please double-check to ensure tape is not placed over it. The barcode is needed to scan your items, and you will benefit financially for following this simple guideline.
How do I benefit from the Tag Sale financially?
In order for the club to provide a necessary venue, software, tables and other supplies, we keep 12% of your sales. That means that you, as a Seller, earn 88%. As soon as Accounting tallies up what the tag sale has earned, checks are issued to the Sellers, and are usually available by the next General meeting. If you are not present at that meeting, your check will be dropped in the mailbox immediately after the meeting, using the address that was provided when you registered through "my consignment".
It’s that simple. Those of us who work tag sale, and have worked it for several years, are used to what is expected. We all work together for a common goal to get the job done. Having said that, if it’s your first tag sale, there are plenty of volunteers who can answer questions if Melody and Mila are busy - and most of the time, during a sale, they are.
VENDORS
One of the brilliant ideas that our tag sale chairs came up with, about five years ago, was to combine our Vendor Fair with the tag sale, which makes total sense, since everyone who attends wants to shop for fantastic deals. Our vendors have some of the best displays, and offer a wide variety of products. If you missed them at the fall tag sale, you can contact them through their websites, listed below.
We have always been a club in support of our members. We have a number of members who have their own businesses, either full-time or part-time. We are proud to be able to support our members who are also vendors, and showcase them at the tag sale, to generate more exposure and revenue for their businesses. We do have several vendors who are a constant staple at all of our sales, like Emmanuelle Flagg, who is an Independent Consultant for Usborne Books. https://m4374.myubam.com
Pictured above is member Brooke Noble’s Mary Kay Cosmetics dazzling display. She is a Senior Sales Director, and works out of a make-up studio in Hudson. Even though she has 3 year-old twins and a 19-month-old, she still manages to devote her time to our tag sales as a vendor. www.marykay.com/bbnoble
Shown above is the creative handiwork of Renee Drapeau’s company Blue Monkeey, which specializes in hair clips and accessories for girls. In addition to our tag sales, Drapeau also sells her unique accessories on Etsy. www.etsy.com/shop/bluemonkeey
Meredith Fitzgerald, club VP, is pictured above with the beautiful and festive wreaths she makes by hand. Meredith's Wreaths are one-of-a-kind and adored by many fellow members. www.meredithfitzgerald.com
Another consistent vendor is Realtor Kristin Baily DiCrescenzo of Keller Williams Realty. As a parent of twins, DiCrescenzo always has some fun goodies for the kids to enjoy, as well as a festive display. www.kristinbaily.com
Longtime member and twin parent, Danielle Jordan shares her love of cosmetics with LipSense. A colorful and fun display, Jordan's table is hard to walk by without sampling a few lip colors.
Facebook Group: fb.com/glossnglowing
Email: glossnglowing@gmail.com
Folie Kids are handmade designs and apparel for children and moms by designer Angela Lee. www.foliekids.com
The creative display of Norwex products is the work of Tracy Bazegian, an independent Sales Consultant. www.tracybazegian.norwex.biz
Nathan's Candle Shop is the work of Nathan Meszaros-Phaneuf, featuring some unique candle designs. www.etsy.com/shop/NathansCandleShopCo
Custom Designs by Cara features some unique jewelry and handbags by owner and designer, Erica Casale. Casale's colorful and artistic designs were a wonderful addition to the tag sale this year. www.etsy.com/shop/CustomDesignsByCara