How Your Consignment Store Compares: Benchmarks from High-Performing Resale Businesses
One of the biggest challenges consignment store owners face is context. Is your store performing well—or just “okay”?
Benchmarks provide that clarity. By comparing your performance to other resale businesses, you can identify blind spots, prioritize improvements, and scale with confidence.
The rapid growth of the resale economy, documented in resale market insights from ThredUp, has raised the performance bar for consignment stores across the board.
Below are benchmarks commonly seen in high-performing consignment stores and how to interpret them.
Sell-Through Benchmarks
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Strong stores often sell 50–70% of accepted inventory within the first 60–90 days.
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Underperforming stores frequently fall below 40%.
If your sell-through is low, the issue is rarely foot traffic—it’s intake standards, pricing, or visibility.
Inventory Turnover
High-performing stores turn inventory 4–6 times per year.
Slow turnover indicates:
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Over-acceptance
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Weak category performance
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Lack of automated markdown rules
Revenue per Square Foot
Revenue per square foot remains one of the most widely used benchmarks in retail performance analysis, including those published by the National Retail Federation.
This metric reveals how efficiently your space generates income.
Top-tier consignment stores optimize layout using sales data—not guesswork—moving high-velocity items to premium placement.
Consignor Engagement
Stores with strong consignor portals see:
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Higher repeat consignments
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Fewer support emails
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More predictable intake cycles
Transparency is now a baseline expectation, not a premium feature.
Admin Time per Week
Owners at scale spend 30–50% less time on admin due to automation.
If you’re buried in spreadsheets, the opportunity cost is enormous.
Using Benchmarks Strategically
Benchmarks aren’t about perfection—they’re about direction. The most successful owners review them monthly and adjust intake, pricing, and marketing accordingly.
Do you know where your store stands—or are you flying blind?