DISCOURAGING to ENCOURAGING

To a small business, community should be everything.  Community should support any Ma/Pa small business due to the fact we are here for you, not the Big Box stores with all the long lines, no customer service, high prices, etc....There is nothing more discouraging than reading a comment on the business Facebook page or Google review that states...this business has such high prices!  You could buy new at that price...LOL  You have to laugh but it is discouraging.  Do customers not understand that we are not a thrift store?  We are a consignment, we sell items for consignors and they get 40% of the price an item sells for....take an item sells for $10 they get $4 the store gets $6.  Our prices haven't changed in a few years, but are overhead has.  But as you know prices for groceries, gas and even employee wages have gone up.  TQ cannot compete with Walmart/Dollar General items at their low costs.  But we don't carry their items in our store.  We try not to, but something might just slip by our receiving department.  We are not perfect, some stains might slip by us, but if you see it, then it should  go for $1 just to pay for the processing tag.  But "top quality" items price  higher than $10, maybe $12-$20 depending on the item.  Let's think Under Armour, Maurices, Talbots, Chico's and Miss Me just to name a few.  They price new anywhere from $30 or higher.  If they go on sale for 50% OFF, then the lowest price is $15 or higher.  So if you buy a Talbot shirt NEW for $50, then it goes 1/2 at their store $25, but at our store it's only $14 in great shape, that's a bargain!  And then the consignor gets $5.60 , the store $8.40.  TQ has to sell many items in order to pay the overhead, with the largest expense payroll.  I believe our employees deserve a livable wage, don't you?  TQ expenses have gone up just like everything else, but the prices have stayed the same.    
The encouragement I receive is from the employees.  I do everything I can to push sales, and we have many of those!  Daily with 10% off for paying cash, our senior discount and our Veteran's!  There is 30% off right there everyday if you qualify for all 3 discounts.  Anything I do to increase the sales, is pushing toward a goal of paying them a better wage.  Even with the wage they receive, they earn every penny of it, and they work hard for you!,
whether it's in receiving going through your drop off items or at the register.  We laugh, play and work hard all day long.  I enjoy my job the most at the moments when I can give back not just to my community, but also to TQ employees.  LOVE each and everyone of them!  God bless and remember, SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES