Consign Couture — Local services in Portland

I've worked with consignment shops and sold online for decades, and this is the absolute worst experience I've had. Anyone would be better off selling on eBay, Poshmark, or another online marketplace. And if you want to avoid the hassle of listing items, donate and take a tax write-off.

I brought four items into this consignment location: two contemporary boutique brands with tags still attached and two high-quality vintage items. The owner was ecstatic when she saw my items. I know pricing since I've been selling for years and have worked in the styling industry. If I had sold on eBay or Poshmark, the items would have fetched about $400-600; minus fees, I would have received about $300-$480. How much did I get from this shop? Less than $72. I would rather have my lovely items than the measly $72. The only reason I decided to sell here was due to a move, and I thought it would be easier. It was not easier (see below), and to get such a dismal amount, it is a hard pass on recommending this place.

As some others have noted, this establishment's business practices are dodgy. Although paperwork is sent in advance, the contract must be completed in person. Instead, it must be reviewed and signed in person, which is odd since the prices for the items need to be included. Although reviewing every detail would be time-consuming, for someone with ADHD, it is overwhelming. And yes, I made these comments at the time and received a blank stare. That should have been a red flag to grab my items and walk out. Here are some highlights of the contract and store policies: •The owner refuses to mail payments or make a direct deposit, claiming it's too risky. The IRS can send checks or direct deposit, but is it too dangerous for a consignment shop? Consigners are expecting to come in to pick up checks, of which multiple trips may be needed. The fuel to pick up the check will likely be more than the check. But there is also a time limit. So if you move or go out of town, too bad. All of this feels like just a means of trying to cheat customers. •One of the most glaring issues is the owner's lack of transparency in pricing. She refuses to disclose the selling prices, which is highly unusual. Instead, she lowers prices to cycle items through quickly. In most places I've worked with, the pricing is a collaborative process, allowing you to set the minimum selling price. This is what I call honesty and transparency, which is clearly lacking in this shop.

Lesson learned. I'll go back to selling online or donating. But I do wish I had those fantastic vintage shoes back! The $16 bucks I got for them makes me feel queasy.

To the owner: you seem to give the same reply to all complaints. You can't find the name, you never met the person. Yes, I was a customer who consigned items, as my review states. And...

Deceptive pricing, unprofessional behavior — avoid at all costs!

We had a deeply disappointing experience here that made it clear this business cannot be trusted. On my wife's birthday, we visited the store and she found a handbag she liked. The clerk looked up the price in their system, confirmed it as accurate, and we agreed to return right after breakfast to purchase it.

When we came back less than an hour later, suddenly the story changed. We were told they needed to "verify" the price with the manager. After waiting over 45 minutes, the owner finally arrived and launched into a condescending lecture about how small businesses work — as if that justified raising the price of a $200 handbag to $800 because they failed to recognize the item's value earlier.

The original price was confirmed by their staff and system, yet they refused to honor it. Instead, we were subjected to a long-winded explanation about keeping consignment partners happy — apparently more important than treating customers fairly.

Having owned a small business ourselves for over 25 years, I can say with certainty: this is not how ethical businesses operate. Changing prices after a sale is agreed upon is deceptive and unacceptable.

This was bait-and-switch behavior, plain and simple. We will never return, and I strongly encourage others to take their business elsewhere. This store has proven it does not value honesty, integrity, or its customers.

UPDATE:

I am absolutely a real person and a real customer — not a “fake account.” The fact that the owner dismisses criticism by claiming I don’t exist is exactly the kind of dishonesty and condescension we experienced in person. Our visit was not a matter of “not getting what they wanted,” but about being told one price by staff (confirmed in their own system) and then having the price raised by hundreds of dollars after the fact.

Also to be clear, we were nothing but pleasant and professional to both the staff and the owner and the staff was quite nice; however, the owner was rude, condescending, deceptive and acted fraudulently.

Instead of taking responsibility for their mistake and honoring the confirmed price, the owner used it as an opportunity to lecture us about small business ownership — something I have over 25 years of experience with myself. The owner made it clear that keeping consignors happy was more important than treating paying customers fairly. Something that she stated in response to an honest review of her business, she would do again.

My experience was deceptive, unprofessional, and unpleasant from start to finish. I stand by my original review and strongly recommend that others take their...

The prices are too high for me. Might as well shop for something new. Not designed for people middle class or on the lower end of the socioeconomic scale. All the clothing I offered, many of which were bare used were rejected. FYI: skinny pant styles are out and only designer labels seem to be accepted. For a real bargain, but limited choices check out the little second hand clothing store at the Multnomah Center senior center. I got an adorable linen off-white and gray pencil striped skirt for $1. I will try another consignment shop and then plan to donate what doesn't get accepted to the senior center store. As far as the Consign Couture place goes, it's great that this option is available for those with a lot of money. But it is only good for those in the smaller community of folks with big bucks to spend on used items. The store cited that it is community oriented. I had a lot more fun shopping at the community oriented senior center store last listening to the conversations of others shopping there and being amazed by the 90 + year old woman who ran the shop. It's open for limited hours so check online or call before you go. I want to add that the staff at Consign Couture were very friendly and I agree that anytime we can buy used versus new is better for the environment. Clothing manufacturing takes a terrible toll on the environment with...