Buying stock
What should a jewellery shop agree before selling on consignment?
Agree the terms before the piece goes into your window. Record who owns it, what the owner will receive and how preparation, price changes and collection will be handled.
A regular customer leaves a watch for your shop to sell. You agree an amount they will receive if it sells, but the watch also needs attention before it can be advertised. Unless that work and its cost are discussed now, a successful sale can still end with an uncomfortable conversation.
Separate the selling price from the agreement
The amount shown to a buyer and the amount due to the owner are different decisions. Write both down, along with any agreed deductions or expenses. If your shop changes the asking price later, staff need to know whether that also changes the owner's return.
A gives the transaction a clear place in your records. Keep the owner's contact details and the identity of the piece with the agreement. Photograph the condition and list the accessories received, rather than relying on a broad description such as “complete set”.
- Identify the owner and the item they have left.
- Record the agreed amount due when the piece sells.
- Discuss preparation costs and who approves the work.
- Agree how changes, withdrawal and collection will be handled.
Have the discussion while the owner can answer questions. A colleague taking over on another day should be able to understand the arrangement without having to reconstruct it from a message thread.
See it in Stockbox
The consignment recording selects Sale Or Return as the payment method, records the amount due to the owner and produces an agreement for signature before publishing the stock.
Keep changes attached to the agreement
Use the as the reference when someone requests a price change or extra work. Record what changed, when it was agreed and who approved it. The original conversation should not disappear behind a revised selling price.
Take care when editing the product cost. The walkthrough states that this also changes the associated buy-in amount. Check the owner's agreement before making that edit, and explain the effect to anyone responsible for settling the sale.
For example, if a proposed reduction means the owner would receive less than expected, settle that question before accepting the buyer's offer. Do not leave a colleague to discover the difference when they arrange payment.
Before completing a consignment sale
- Check the current agreement and any approved changes.
- Confirm the amount due and the intended payment method.
- Match the sold piece and accessories to the owner's record.
- Record the settlement and tell the owner what has happened.
Clear consignment records protect the working relationship as well as the transaction. They let your team sell confidently while keeping somebody else's stock and expectations properly accounted for.
