“Eight out of ten,” she said, frowning at the side table she wanted to consign with FCG. “It’s well-made, but not perfect.” She gestured underneath the table, pointing out it hadn’t been stained and polished quite as flawlessly as the table’s visible areas.
Okay, so maybe she was a little OCD. But her honesty was in sharp contrast — and a welcome relief — to the fluffing we often see from potential consignors.
We’ve gotten used to a very familiar series of sales pitches by consignors. “No one ever sat in that chair!” “The sofa is in perfect condition!” “We just cut the tags off that sectional.” “Yes, we have a cat, but its never allowed on the furniture.”
Their photos typically contradict these exaggerations. We regularly get photos of droopy cushions with evident stains. Toys are tucked between the cushions of that supposedly new sofa. Quite often the cat that never goes on the furniture is photographed perched on the chair. Or we’ll see a dog’s paw print on a pillow.
Before we accept any item for consignment, we first survey with a critical eye. We ask for digital pictures of the furniture. Consignors email them to us at info@furnitureconsignment.com. We’re also in the process of updating our website to allow folks to upload photos for our furniture evaluation team.
With photos, we can see whether a dining table has been damaged by sun exposure. Our sleuths can spot an upholstered chair that’s been pilled by cat claws. We realize our consignors aren't trying to con us, its just that our keen eye is set to meet the high standards of our buyers.
At FCG, we’re always on the hunt for the best pre-owned home furnishings in New England. One lesson we’ve learned is that our evaluation can be markedly different from that of our consignors. Maybe they’re fibbing… or maybe after years of living with a piece, they don’t see the flaws. (We always give them the benefit of the doubt.)
We may not be as fussy as the aforementioned lady who fretted about the unfinished underside of her table. But we hold fast to our promise to bring our shoppers only the very best of the region’s pre-owned furniture. Our customers have come to trust us and we treasure that. So, consignors, no fibbing or fluffing about the furniture!