Sale Fail

Today Lynnette, Molly, and I went to a consignment sale, one that was advertised as being "the biggest in Middle Tennessee." Yesterday afternoon we studied the sale's website, reading all the rules and regs for attending.

For instance, there were strict hours for who could come when. There were rules about what you could put in if you wanted to sell your stuff. There were rules about what and who you could bring into the sale. In other words, we really had high expectations about the quality of items in this sale.

We arrived about 20 minutes before opening time and joined the line of people that began to stretch around the shopping center. We noticed people bringing laundry baskets, shopping baskets, and shopping bags. We began to wonder how we would hold all our "treasures." We needn't have wondered.

We also noticed the people in line who had diaper bags and shoulder bags that were clearly listed in the rules as things that would not be allowed in the sale. We noticed strollers that were against the rules. We noticed the scads of kids under 10 who were supposed to be at home with babysitters, because they were not to be allowed in the sale. In other words, we should have realized that the rules were a joke, clearly not be be followed since they weren't going to be enforced. This lack of rule following should have been our first clue that this was not the sale we were expecting.

When we finally entered the large building where all our "treasures" were waiting for our purchase, we still had hopes of locating some good buys. However, instead of the "restricted brands" of items that consignees were supposed to follow, we found brands that were on the "not accepted" list. Instead of "high quality" items, we found stuff that had seen better days, even mediocre days, before it was dumped in this sale. We found stuff that, for only a few dollars more, could be bought new - and in much better condition. In other words, our expected consignment sale was a total fail. We left after a relatively short time having bought nothing.

Maybe we wouldn't have been so disappointed if they had said, "Bunch of crap at so-so prices." Instead, they seemed to promise more than they delivered. I know three buyers that will certainly beware the next time!

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Things that make today great: Sale fail with Lynnette and Molly, followed by Dippin Dots and BabiesRUs consolation; Lindley time; Frosty delivery via Steve