The short answer
Most consignment stores pay consignors 40–60% of the final sale price and keep the rest. Where a store lands inside (or outside) that range depends mostly on what it sells:
| Category | Consignor typically gets | Store typically keeps |
|---|---|---|
| Everyday clothing & accessories | 40–50% | 50–60% |
| Kids' clothing, toys & gear | 40–50% | 50–60% |
| Furniture & home décor | 50–60% | 40–50% |
| Designer & luxury goods | 55–80% (tiered by price) | 20–45% |
| Jewelry & watches | 50–70% | 30–50% |
| Art & galleries | 50–60% | 40–50% |
| Sporting goods & instruments | 40–60% | 40–60% |
A note on direction: splits get quoted both ways. When a shop says "we do 60/40," ask which side is whose. In this guide the consignor's share is always listed first in prose. Want to see the dollar amounts for any split? Use our free consignment split calculator.
Why the ranges differ so much
Item value
The higher the ticket, the more leverage the consignor has. A $2,000 handbag will find a store willing to take 25–30%; a $12 blouse won't. That's why luxury consignment runs tiered rates where the consignor's percentage climbs with the price.
Who does the work
Splits track effort. A clothing boutique inspects, steams, tags, merchandises, markets, and handles every transaction — so it earns a bigger share. A furniture store where the consignor delivers the piece and it sells itself keeps less.
Turn rate and floor space
Slow-turning categories (furniture, art) tie up floor space longer, but each sale is larger. Fast-turning categories (clothing) need a bigger store share per item to cover the volume of handling.
Local competition
If the shop across town pays consignors 50% and you pay 40%, your best suppliers will notice. Consignors talk to each other — your split is part of your reputation.
How to set the split at your store
- Start from your costs, not from a vibe. Add up rent, staff, utilities, software, and payment fees per month, divide by your realistic monthly sales, and you'll know the minimum store share that keeps the lights on.
- Check the market. Call or visit the three nearest comparable shops as a prospective consignor and ask their terms. You want to be within shouting distance of them, or have a clear story for why you're not.
- Pick a simple standard rate. One number everyone can remember — 40%, 45%, or 50% to the consignor. You can always negotiate exceptions; you can't easily walk back a complicated public rate card.
- Decide your exceptions policy in advance. Who gets a better rate — high-volume suppliers? Premium brands? Items over a price threshold? Write it down so every staff member gives the same answer.
- Put it in the agreement. The split, the consignment period, the markdown schedule, and what happens to unsold items. Signed, one page, no surprises.
The levers beyond the headline number
Two stores can both say "we pay 45%" and produce very different consignor payouts. The fine print matters as much as the split:
- Markdown schedule. If items drop 25% at 30 days and 50% at 60 days, and splits are calculated on the discounted price (the standard), the effective payout falls with time on the floor.
- Consignment period. 60, 90, or 120 days changes how many items actually sell before expiring back to the consignor. 90 days is the most common default.
- Store-credit bonus. Offering ~10 points more in store credit (e.g., 40% cash / 50% credit) is a cheap, popular lever — it pays consignors more while keeping the margin in your inventory.
- Fees. Some stores charge item-prep, listing, or buyer's-premium fees that shift the real economics without touching the split. Consignors increasingly compare on the all-in number, so be transparent.
Communicating splits without the arguments
Nearly every consignor dispute reduces to one of two sentences: "I thought I was getting more" or "I can't tell if this is right." The fix is the same for both: transparency. When a consignor can see, itemized, what sold, at what price, at what rate, and what they're owed — the argument usually never starts.
That's a big part of why stores adopt software with a consignor portal. Consignloop gives every consignor an optional private login showing exactly what sold, what's still on the floor, and their current balance, calculated at their own rate — so the split conversation happens once, at signup, instead of at every payout.
Run your splits automatically — at every consignor's own rate
Consignloop stores each consignor's rate once and applies it to every sale, payout, and statement automatically. Free for 21 days — no card required.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage do consignment shops usually take?
Most keep 40–60% of the sale price and pay the consignor the rest. Everyday clothing shops commonly keep 50–60%; luxury and furniture stores keep less because high-value consignors have more negotiating power.
Is 40% a good rate for a consignor?
For everyday clothing, yes — 40–50% to the consignor is the typical market range. For designer or luxury goods, consignors can often get 55–80%, especially on higher-priced pieces.
Who sets the consignment percentage?
The store sets its standard rate, but it's a negotiation — consignors with desirable inventory can and do get better terms. Most established stores run a standard rate with documented exceptions.
Do percentages change with the item's price?
Often. Tiered splits, where the consignor's share rises with price, are standard in luxury and furniture consignment — for example 40% under $100, 50% to $500, 60%+ above.