CONSIGNMENT POLICY
Consignment is a way for local and independent creators to sell items in Boneshaker’s space. In exchange for using the space, Boneshaker takes a cut of each sale. The split is 75% to the client, 25% to Boneshaker. Clients receive their payout after items are sold, not in advance. Payouts are calculated every quarter, and consignors will be notified only if they are owed money.
If items don’t sell after at least twelve months, Boneshaker may ask the client to pick up their unsold inventory. Any items that clients fail to retrieve within 30 days from the date of notification may be given away or recycled. If consignors do not reply to emails about payment after more than a year, all profits will become donations to the store. If a consignor does not reply to email questions about inventory, Boneshaker has the right to pull items from the shelf. If pulled items are not collected within 30 days from the date of notification they may be given away or recycled. If items are lost or stolen, we can offer up to 75% of the price of the lost goods (e.g., we can compensate $7.50 for a missing $10 item.) Boneshaker requires the client to initiate this process.
Anyone can consign items at Boneshaker. Volunteers can use their discretion to determine if the items are a good fit for Boneshaker and its customers. If the items seem ill-suited for our store, volunteers reserve the right to reject them for consignment and ask the client to try a different location. If currently in-stock items are discovered to be ill-suited for Boneshaker, volunteers can raise concerns with the larger group and discuss how to proceed. Items may be pulled from the store’s shelves and inventory and returned to the client, along with any owed payout, as a result of these discussions.
We only accept books on consignment after they have been reviewed by the Consignment Committee. If you’re an author and have a book you would like to consign, please email consignment@boneshakerbooks.com with a digital copy or a webpage link with an explanation of the book’s content.
Boneshaker volunteers do not, as a rule, provide additional publicity or marketing services on behalf of consignment clients. Individual volunteers may recommend consigned items to customers based on personal opinion, or post about consigned items on our social media channels, but they are not expected to try to sell consignment items as a priority as these services are outside the scope of regular volunteer duties. Consignment clients, however, should feel free to advertise that their items are for sale at Boneshaker and do any other publicity they want.
Boneshaker does not require items to be in any specific packaging (though philosophically, we encourage minimal or sustainable options.) However, understand that items will be picked up, handled, and will experience some wear. Consignors should consider whether their items are hardy enough to stand up to regular bookstore traffic or if they need to be protected; this is especially true for prints. Boneshaker will not compensate consignors for items that have been damaged during everyday browsing or storage in the bookstore. Additionally, to prevent items becoming lost or misplaced, all individual items (including individual stickers, patches, and the like) should be labeled with a price and the consignor’s name.
How to get started:
Bring your items to Boneshaker during our open hours. Make sure each item is clearly labeled with your name/business name and the price. At the store, a volunteer will look over your items and determine if they’re a good fit for the space. If they are, your information (name, email/phone number, and preferred payout method) will be recorded and your items will be added to the system. Payouts will be made quarterly via PayPal or cash (if you request cash as your payout method, please note that you must email us in advance of pickup).
If you have any questions about consignment, shoot us a message at consignment@boneshakerbooks.com!