Optional, and for consignors with large amounts of items (5+ bins) ONLY! Drop-off signup opens a few weeks before the sale; check the dates near the middle of our Upcoming Sale page.
Click to log in and sign up (or just join us for check-in by using the standard lines, anytime during check-in. See hours on our Upcoming Sale page)
Item Drop-Off
Do I need an appointment?
You do not need an appointment to drop off, no matter how much you have. The optional drop-off appointments are for consignors with large amounts of items (5+ bins) ONLY. If you bring less than this, you will be directed back to the general consignor lines to wait for a check-in. Only take an appointment if you KNOW that you have enough bins to qualify. After the deadline, all scheduling is done manually and is hard for everyone involved to manage; if you take an appointment and then decide not to use it, it makes it more difficult for consignors who need a spot, and for us as organizers of the sale. Please note that if you schedule a time and then do not show up, you may be barred from registering for drop-off appointments in the future. Thanks for your help!
Check our Upcoming Sale Information page for drop-off times, as well as dates that drop-off scheduling will be open.
When should I come?
All registered consignors that do not have an appointment, regardless of the number of bins you have, are welcome to bring their items anytime during the time scheduled for general consignor drop-off. All consignors should be in line no later than 30 minutes before the end of check-in time. You may need to wait, as the time of drop off will depend on the length of the lines when you arrive, the number of volunteers that signed up, and how many items people have.
If you have an appointment, please come on time! If you are late, we will pull someone from the regular lines to take your space. If we are behind, we will work to flex someone to help get us back on track.
Where do I drive/drop-off/park?
For consignors with appointments, please follow the orange line. You should pull off E Expo Mall next to the side of the building (at the orange star) to unload your items. Then, continue driving around the Coliseum to park in the Arena’s main lot, walking along the sidewalk to get back to your items in the building. You should check in your big gear at this door as well.
For consignors without appointments, you can either head straight to the parking lot, unload there, and walk to the front of the building, OR, follow the blue line in your car. You can pull off Alliant Energy Center Way at the front of the building (at the blue star) to unload your items. As soon as you are done unloading, continue driving around the Coliseum to park in the Arena’s main lot, walking across the grass to get back to your items in the building OR turn left and park across the street. If you have big gear, make a second stop at the orange star before heading to the parking lot. We recommend you get your big gear fully checked in before heading to park – feel free to do Big Gear first and drive that loop as many times as needed. Pro tip: bringing a wagon to haul your items from the car to the door is helpful!
What to Expect
If you have 1-4 bins/boxes of items or are not scheduled for a Drop-Off Appointment, the easiest system is to bring a wagon, dolly, or cart with you and wheel your items up to the entrance. You may also drop items near the entrance while you park. All large items will go in the Big Gear Load-In door and be checked in separately by a volunteer. After checking in your items, you will be responsible for putting them out onto the sales floor. We spend a lot of time after check-in ends rearranging things on the floor, so don’t worry about trying to display your item just so. Everything is moved, and some items (think bedding, big gear, books, footwear) get dropped off in bins or piles that they will not be displayed in, just to make the final sorting process easier.
If you are scheduled for a Drop-Off Appointment, you may need to wait for the person in front of you to finish for a volunteer to start checking in your items. After your check-in is complete (or before if volunteers are busy), you can go drop off any large items. Each appointment is scheduled for a half-hour, however, this time represents just the time you will spend with the volunteer who is checking-in your items, and the process may not start until 15 minutes into that time frame. After this process is complete, you will be responsible for putting your items out onto the sales floor, so please plan accordingly. We spend a lot of time after check-in ends rearranging things on the floor, so don’t worry about trying to display your item just so. Everything is moved, and some items (think bedding, big gear, books, footwear) get dropped off in bins or piles that they will not be displayed in, just to make the final sorting process easier. Drop-off appointments full? Just come through the regular lines at anytime!
First time consigning and wondering if you are a 5+ bin consignor? You’ll know you might be a 5+ bin consignor because you can’t (even with difficulty) bring all of your items in without a helper, a large wheeled cart, or a several load drop-off. Use your best judgement! If you aren’t sure, go ahead and plan to go through the general lines.
What is a large item/Big Gear? Nursery furniture, bouncers, big toys, pack and plays, high-chairs, safety gates, ride-on toys, bikes. If you’ve shopped the sale before, it’s all of that stuff that is right by the sale entrance. A good rule of thumb is that if you wouldn’t want to carry it around while shopping, it goes in Big Gear. Don’t worry – if you bring your item to the wrong place, we’ll help you make sure it gets to the right area. The point of the special large item drop off is to make it easier for you (no dragging big items with you in line) and easier for us (putting it on the floor approximately where it will end up post sale). Large items will be checked for working batteries and proper tagging.
At the check-in table
- You will be asked to confirm your consignor number.
- Coming back Sunday to pick-up items? You must leave a bin that we will use to help make the sale run smoothly. Bins must include your consignor number, written near the top on both of the short ends. Writing with sharpie directly on masking tape is preferred – paper signs are easily torn during the sale. Please, NO LIDS.
- The volunteer will then start to sort through your items. They will be checking to make sure all items are appropriate for the sale and meet the guidelines (tags are fully filled out and filled out correctly, items are hung correctly on the hangers, items are not stained, out of season, out of date, recalled, or on our not-sellable list, etc – watch our tutorials on the dos and don’ts of consigning!). Please be aware that during this process, some of your items are likely to be rejected. In order to keep the quality of the sale exceedingly high (thus bringing in lots of happy shoppers ready to spend money on your items!) we try very hard to be strict about items coming in. Thanks for understanding!
- As the volunteer checks in the items, you can start putting your items on the sales floor. Once all of your items are checked in, you may be asked to move your items to another location so that another consignor can be checked-in as you continue to hang your items on racks and put your items on tables.
- After this process is complete, you are free to leave!
Helpful Note!
BRING SOMETHING WITH WHEELS! Unless you have a smaller amount of items, bringing something to roll around the sales floor is helpful – a dolly, cart, wagon, rolling suitcase, etc.
Below is a map of how the sale is planned to be set up, to help you find the area you will need to put your items. It was made in Excel to help measure out the space, so forgive the boxy nature of the graphics. This is a drop-off map; some locations will change as we shift the floor from check-in to sales. Note that this plan may also change as items fill up the sale and we find we have more or less of something than anticipated. Bear with us!
