FAQ
How long should I plan on this taking?
We do our best to service you within 20 to 30 minutes. Factors that contribute to our estimate include how many things you brought, how busy the store is, and how many purchases we have already in process. At peak times or if we are handling multiple purchases wait times can stretch to 60 minutes or more. If your schedule is tight, we suggest bringing your items on less busy days (Monday’s, Friday’s and especially Saturday’s are generally the busiest) or consider dropping your items off and coming back after you run a few other errands. We try to make it convenient for you so that you can come in when it is best for you, but it can be a little unpredictable for us!
Are all the stores buying hours the same? How about their buy policies?
Each store has their own buy hours and preferences so be sure spend some time at the store’s specific page. Just click on the “Find a store” link to search by location. Once you find a store you want to visit, click on that store name to see their specific hours and policies.
Can you explain why some of my expensive items get low buy prices?
The standardized prices and software we use prices your articles based on the specific category, demand and condition. We are always walking the line so that our selling families benefit from the highest price possible and our buying families benefit from getting a quality item at a low price. If our offer is too low for you, we understand perfectly that you may want to take your items back with you to try something else. We are even ‘OK’ if you try something else. If it doesn’t work out the way you hoped, please come back again! We do understand that you paid perhaps high-prices for your items originally and want ‘the most you can get for them’. We also understand that when you buy from us, you want your items to not be anywhere close to ‘new prices’. We are as reasonable as we can be based on the collective experience we have as store owners.
Why do some like-new items not get offers?
The best articles can sometimes not get purchased by us when we have a good inventory of that type of article already in our stock. Or it could be that what you have to sell is not the type of thing that works for our customer base. Our buyers are always glad to answer questions about their decisions, so please feel free to ask.
Will I get a donation receipt if I leave my un-excepted items?
Some charities that the Other Mothers stores donate to, give receipts and others don’t. If you call your store ahead of time, you can get a definite answer as to whether their charity will be giving donation receipts.
What are ways I can maximize the money or credit I get for my things?
For clothing, sort through your freshly laundered items before you bring them in. If they are faded, fuzzy, too worn, have ‘bits on them’, or just a little too ‘loved’, then we are not going to be able to take them. They must also be ‘smoke-free’. If you just want those items out or your house, just bag them separately and let your buyer know you just want to ‘donate’ them. Match your two piece outfits up according to their size and brand-names. Make sure you take off all safety-pins or price stickers you may have put on them if you tried to sell them first at a garage sale. Try to keep your trade-in down to one big tote size per day. Furniture should be clean and in working order. Toys and baby items, clean and all the parts assembled. Leave batteries in for testing (if you don’t have them, don’t worry, we can test them with ours)
Is there a maximum number of things I can bring in for a buy?
Each Other Mothers store has their own policy on buying but most do not have a maximum. We would only advise you to prepare for a longer buying time if you bring in a lot of articles in one visit.
What happens in the case of safety recalls?
Other Mothers is diligent about following the latest safety recalls. We cull our inventory regularly to make sure that we only sell things that have not been recalled or meet today’s safety standards.
What is your policy about buying back items I bought at Other Mothers?
As long the product you are selling is in good condition, is something we need in our inventory, and meets all the current safety standards, we will buy the item back from you.
If a store turns down my item, can I try to sell it at another location?
You can, of course, but our reasons for buying items, or not buying items are generally are standardized at all locations. We recommend that you ask the buyer why the item was not purchased. In some cases, it could be a matter of overload at one store and your article will be perfect for that store.