Consignor Software No Forever Fees

Retail, Resale (Buy Outright), Consignment and Layaways

Consignor

Consignor, consignee, and consignment can be confusing terms. 'Consignor' actually refers to the person or entity placing merchandise in the hands of a 'consignee' who is tasked with selling and delivering the consigned merchandise to recipients and purchasers. A search for 'consignor software' will return websites offering programs for delivery and for selling.

Consignor Software

For our purposes, 'consignor software' is better labeled as 'consignment store software' used for the tracking of consignors and their inventory, selling the inventory, and settling with consignors for items that sell.

Consignor Software Cost

Most consignment startups are burdened with expenses, so the cost of a software system is vitally important and does range from ridiculous to affordable amounts.

In recent years, software developers/vendors have fallen in love with the concept of forever payments for the use of the software offerings. Any 'web-based' program will be accompanied by never-ending and ever-increasing monthly payments. Don't be fooled by the 'low monthly payment' bait. If you need mobility ('work from anywhere'), use a laptop or leave the shop computer running and use a free remote-pc program to access it.

Over the years, software vendors have honed their skills at hiding the true costs of owning their programs. Websites are used so much to disclose costs as to hide them, the thought being 'we disclosed (buried) the fees on a sub-sub-sub webpage so CYA'. If you're into avoiding price trapping, walk away from any software vendor who even hints at an 'annual support plan'. It's there for a reason - to get you to pay it, and when 'he' says 'his' support plan is "optional", better ask what happens when the annual fee isn't paid. (There won't be a fix for your software issue - and there will be issues - and software updates (free elsewhere) will be withheld. Plans are in place to force you to pay that 'optional annual support fee'.

Best Consignment Shop Software is one of the few (if not the only) professional software available for a one-time cost with no prepayment for support and no ongoing forever payments for support. A free setup/demo is provided, and after that if you never need help, money will not be wasted on something that wasn't wanted or needed: support. On the other hand, BCSS stands by to freely provide help when needed, just not 'for free'. Rates are half that of typical local IT services.

Consignor Software Features

Most programs have one (big) price and no options for removing unwanted features and lowering the price. Some require that buyers of their software use the credit-card processing integrated with their software (so they can get a kickback on every one of your sales).

BCSS ranges in price, from a simple POS program at $295 to a fully-developed program with online features (consignors viewing their account information online and adding inventory online).

To help with 'customization', separate modules are available for passing credit-card charges on to patrons and hiding unneeded columns on batch-enter screens.

Add a New Consignor

To add a new consignor, select 'New Consignor' from the Consignor's Menu (or press F2). Use the Consignor's last name (and initials if necessary) for the Consignor ID (to make sorting of Consignor Records logical and to make ownership of inventory items easy to determine). Complete as much information as desired. Check whether to send mailings and/or sales reports. Set a different Consignor % if applicable (in decimal form, 1 = 100%; .4 = 40%) and choose how to dispose of unsold items. Multiple copies of the Consignment Agreement may be printed. Click OK to enter the new Consignor into the database. If entering more than one consignor, use the Save and Continue button.

User Text

Any 'string of characters' may be entered as 'User Text' to uniquely identify (and later find) a consignor or group consignors. Spaces are ok but commas and apostrophes will be removed by BCSS. For example, enter 'best' in the User-Text field for your 'best Consignors'. Later on, create a Report and use 'best' as the 'search word'. Only one 'string of characters' may be used per Consignor Record. It is possible to create more than one Consignor Record for the same person to use more than one User-Text identifier.

User Date

Enter a date in the consignor record and use the date in the same way to tag (flag, mark) customers' records. For example, if you want to contact 6 people on September 1st, enter that date in the User-Date Field in each customer's record, then create a report on or before that date using September 1st in the User-Date search.

Requested Space relates to Mall Floor Space Rental. (See Manual, F1) Edit a Consignor Double-click on a Consignor to open the Consignor Edit Screen. Make changes and Click OK.