Consignment Partners and Commissions
Do you sell things for other people? That's called consignment, and RelistKit can keep track of it for you: whose items are whose, what each person gets when something sells, and what you owe them. This article explains how consignment works, how to set someone up, and how RelistKit works out their share. Consignment is part of the Growth and Pro plans.
What is consignment?
Consignment means selling things on someone else's behalf. They give you their items, you list and sell them, and when an item sells, you keep part of the money and pay them the rest.
The person who owns the items is called a consignor. It might be a client who brings you their closet, a friend who finds things for you, or a family member clearing out. The items stay theirs until they sell.
The part of each sale they get is their share. You might also hear it called their commission or their split. It's a percentage you agree on together, like 40% of each sale.
RelistKit doesn't pay anyone for you. It keeps a running record of what each consignor is owed, so you can pay them your usual way, like an e-Transfer or cash, and then record the payment.
Turn consignors on
Consignors stay hidden until you need them, so they don't get in the way if you only sell your own things.
- Click Trackers in the top menu, then the Consignors tab.
- Click Turn on consignors.
The tab now lists your consignors, with each one's share, how many of their items you're holding, how many have sold, and what you owe them.
If you ever want consignors gone again, open Settings and switch off Track consignors paid on a split in the Consignors card. Everything about consignors is hidden, and nothing is deleted.
Add a consignor
- On the Consignors tab, click Add consignor.
- Type their name, and the percentage they get from each sale.
- Under Share is calculated on, choose Net or Gross (more on that below).
- Add a note if you like, such as how they like to be paid.
- Click Add consignor. They now appear in your list with their split, for example "40% of net profit".
Net or gross?
- Net is your profit on the sale: the price after any tax you collected, the marketplace's fees, the shipping label, and any cost recorded on the item (a consigned item usually has none, because you didn't pay for it). Example: "you get 40% of what I actually clear."
- Gross is the item price: what it sold for, not counting the shipping the buyer paid or tax. Example: "you get 30% of what it sells for."
Not sure which to choose? Use whatever you agreed with your consignor. Most consignment deals use net, because the fees and the shipping label come out before the split.
Link their items
Next, tell RelistKit which items belong to them. You can link a whole batch at once, or one item at a time.
A whole batch at once
This works if your items already say whose they are, either in their SKU (the short code you give each item to keep track of it) or in their Other info (a private note on each item that only you see). Lots of sellers start each SKU with the owner's name or initials, like JANE-014, for exactly this reason.
- On the Consignors tab, scroll down to Link existing inventory to a consignor.
- Choose a rule, such as SKU starts with or Other info contains, and type the text to match.
- Under Belongs to, choose the consignor, then click Preview.
- Check the list. It shows every item that matches and who it belongs to now. Nothing changes until you confirm.
- Click the Link button. It says how many items, like Link 21 items.
Items that already belong to another consignor are left alone, unless you tick Also move items already linked to another consignor.
One item at a time
- Open the item from Inventory → Items.
- Under Source (consignor), change Your own item to the consignor's name.
- Click Save details.
Agreed on a different split for just this one item? Enter it in Their share for this item. Leave it empty and their usual share applies.
When their item sells
As soon as the sale is recorded, whether from a sale email or by hand, RelistKit works out the consignor's share and adds it to what you owe them. A refund lowers it, and a cancelled sale removes it. Shares you've already paid never change.
On a net share, the shipping label comes out before the split. Add the label cost when you buy the label, and the consignor's share updates to match.
To see everything of theirs that's sold, click their Items sold number on the Consignors tab. Sales opens with just their sales and a Consignor's share column beside each one.
When it's time to pay them, see Paying Your Consignment Partners.
Common questions
Can one consignor have different splits for different items?
Yes. Enter a share on the item's page, in Their share for this item. Items without one use the consignor's usual percentage.
Do consignors get their own RelistKit account?
No. This is your own record of what you owe. When you pay them, you can send a receipt or a statement.
I changed a consignor's percentage. What happens to sales I've already made?
Nothing. The new percentage applies to sales from now on, and shares already worked out stay as they were.
I don't sell for anyone else. Do I need any of this?
No. Leave consignors off and you won't see them anywhere in RelistKit.