How do I assess a consignment shop’s online listings and photography workload?

Start by watching the process once from start to finish. Sit with whoever handles it and follow an item from the intake table to a finished online listing. Note how long photographing takes, how long the description takes, and how often items must be relisted or corrected. Ask to see the photo setup, the editing tools and the accounts where listings live, and confirm those accounts will transfer to you.

Next, look at the numbers behind the effort. Ask for sales split by channel, so you can see what the online work actually brings in compared with the counter. Ask how many items are listed but unsold, how old the oldest ones are, and how returns and questions from online buyers are handled. A large backlog of unphotographed stock tells you the workload is heavier than the staff can carry.

Finally, ask who owns the photographs and the written descriptions. If a part-timer or family member took them, make sure you are allowed to keep using them. Ask whether consignors have agreed to online selling in writing. Ask, too, how returns of unsold items to consignors are handled, because that adds handling time that never shows up in the sales.

Key takeaways

• Shadow one item from intake to live listing and time each step.
• Compare online sales with the hours spent producing them.
• Confirm the accounts, photos and consignor permissions all pass to you.