TurnGoods Blog

tl;dr: The best consignment software should include inventory tracking, cross-listing, AI pricing, consignor management, GST/BAS compliance, payout automation, authentication tracking, laybuy management, accounting integration, and a free plan to start. Australian stores need all of these to run efficiently — missing even one creates manual workarounds. Last updated: June 2026 What to look for in consignment software The right consignment software does more than track inventory. It replaces spreadsheets, eliminates double-handling, and automates the workflows that consume the most time in a consignment store — listing items, calculating commissions, managing consignors, and reporting for tax. ...

tl;dr: Starting a consignment business in Australia takes 4–6 weeks: register an ABN, choose your niche, set commission rates (50/50 standard), find consignors through social media and local networks, track everything in consignment software, and sort out GST and TPAR compliance from day one. Most new consignment stores start from home or a small retail space with under $2,000 in upfront costs beyond software and shelving. Last updated: June 2026 ...

If you’re listing the same item across multiple platforms, the difference in fees can cost you hundreds of dollars a month. A $500 handbag will net you $432 on Vinted but only $415 on Depop. A $2,000 watch varies by more than $100 depending on where you list it. Most AU resellers check their main platform’s fee structure once, then never revisit it. That’s a mistake. Here’s exactly what each marketplace charges — and how to compare them in seconds before you decide where to list. ...

If you’re paying every consignor the same commission rate, you’re leaving money on the table with your high-volume sellers and probably undercharging for the overhead that casual drop-offs create. The standard 50/50 split works as a starting point. But once you’re managing 20 or more consignors, a one-size-fits-all rate stops making sense. Your best consignor — the one who drops off 40 items a month, sells fast, and never disputes a payout — is worth a better deal than the person who brings in three overpriced t-shirts twice a year and emails you weekly asking about them. ...

Every multi-marketplace seller has had the moment. You listed a rare jacket on eBay, Depop, and Gumtree. It sold on Depop at 11pm. By the time you checked your phone in the morning, it had also sold on eBay. Now you have two buyers, one item, and a cancellation to manage. That’s not a minor inconvenience — it’s a damaged seller rating, a refund, a wasted postage label, and a buyer who might never come back. Multiply it across 50 active listings on 4 platforms and it becomes a permanent source of anxiety. ...

If your consignment store still uses paper intake forms, you’re one disputed item away from a problem you can’t prove your way out of. The consignor says their commission was 65%. You’re sure it was 50%. The agreement form is in a filing cabinet somewhere — assuming it wasn’t lost, illegible, or never collected in the first place. This scenario plays out in Australian consignment stores more often than anyone wants to admit. ...

End of financial year is looming for Australian consignment stores. If you dread the bookkeeping catch-up — unpicking marketplace payouts, calculating GST on consignor commissions, reconciling bank deposits with eBay statements — you’re not alone. Consignment accounting is uniquely messy. Most small business software treats every dollar the same. But in consignment, not all dollars are equal: the full sale price includes GST, while the consignor payout is a cost of sale — not taxable. ...

Last updated: May 2026 tl;dr: Consignment software automates payout calculation using configurable commission models (flat-rate, tiered, or per-item). When an item is marked as sold, the software calculates the consignor's share based on the agreed commission rate, tracks the payment through pending → paid → disputed statuses, and generates itemised monthly statements. Consignors can view their earnings and pending payouts through a self-service portal. For accounting, payout data exports to Xero and MYOB via CSV. Consignment stores deal with a fundamental tension: you hold someone else’s inventory, sell it, and need to get them paid — accurately, quickly, and without disputes. Do it wrong and you burn trust with your consignors. Do it manually and you burn hours every month reconciling spreadsheets. ...

Running a consignment store means making hundreds of inventory decisions a month: what to price this handbag at, how long to wait before marking it down, which consignors to take more stock from, which categories to focus on. Most store owners make these decisions on gut feel. “This brand usually sells fast.” “That colour never moves.” Sometimes gut feel is right. Sometimes it costs you weeks of dead stock. A sales analytics dashboard replaces guesses with numbers. ...

If you’re listing the same item on eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree, Depop, and Trade Me — each one individually, typing the same description five times — you already know how much time that burns. Five to ten hours a week, depending on how many items you’re moving. Now add the cost of a double-sell: an item sells on eBay while your Facebook listing is still live. A buyer puts in an order, you have to cancel, apologise, refund. It erodes trust, and it costs time and fees. ...