Strategic Buying and Selling
By Luke Dixon
TL;DR? Quick summary chart at the bottom!
At Colchuck Consignment, we operate on a 2-season model. At the end of winter we accept spring and summer goods, and as summer winds down we accept fall and winter items. This seasonal model helps us keep the store fresh and stocked with what people are looking to buy. Unfortunately, right after the season ends is not the time to offload your gear as people are done shopping for the season. Leading up to a season tends to be the best time to sell gear for the best profit. Gear is priced cheaper later in the season and tends to get auto-discounted more often the later it comes in. (Pro-Tip: when storing your gear for the end of the season, store what you did not use that season in a box labeled Colchuck Consignment and the month you want to consign them for the best sell-through rate.)
This blog is simply about when to bring specific types of gear, you can find what we accept in detail on our website.
Ski and Snowboard Gear
Our biggest seller, by far, is ski and snowboard equipment and apparel. We only take good quality and serviceable equipment that is modern enough to last at least one more season. We are lucky to be exactly equidistant from Mission Ridge and Stevens Pass, as well as near endless nordic and backcountry opportunities. We get people looking for all kinds of winter gear through the season.
Even though backcountry touring gear tends to be associated with spring, we still only accept it in the fall/winter timeline as that seems to be when most people are looking for snow-related gear.
When to sell: We start accepting ski and snowboard gear in the late summer and fall, typically around September-October. People start getting excited about the ski season and the first weekend it snows in the mountains is usually one of our biggest ski-sales weekends, usually sometime in late October or early November. Ski sales stay consistent through the holidays and start to die off in January. You may still have success in the mid season with high demand items, but most people have what they need by the time March rolls around. We stop accepting any skis at the end of February.
When to buy: There are two approaches here. Do you want the most selection or the most savings? In order to look for some pretty dang nice setups and have a greater chance of us having what you need, shop in the early season. November-January will produce the best results. By the time March rolls around, things start to get discounted steeply and you may be able to score some unbelievable deals in the end of season sale or after. By the time we reach mid April, we are pretty cleaned out and only odds and ends remain, soon to be donated to local charities.
Hiking and Camping Gear
The Wenatchee Valley is lucky to have some of the most beautiful and sought after trail systems in the world. We have all kinds of hikers and backpackers coming through the shop throughout the summer, even the occasional PCT hiker!
When to sell: most of the major trail systems are covered in snow until mid April-May, and in June and July camping and backpacking season really takes off. It is best to bring your item in during April-June for the best sell through rate. Backpacking in the Wenatchee mountains extends well into September, and we get lots of backpacking tourism, so you can have luck selling gear all the way through our end of season sale.
When to buy: The most selection will tend to swell up in June and July, and as always the best deals can be snatched at the end of season sale in September. If smoke enters the valley, our supply starts to become a little more stagnant as people are much less excited to hang out outside.
An optimal camping spot in the enchantments during the larch march.
Paddling Gear
Paddling has a short and action packed season here in the Wenatchee Valley, so timing your consignment here is highly recommended if you want your items to sell! Colchuck gets a variety of recreationalist water-goers looking to hang out at the beach on lake Wenatchee, test their skills in Tumwater Canyon, or take a guided trip (or guide a trip) down the playrun on the Wenatchee River.
When to sell: Every April, the upper valley gets flooded with seasonal rafting guides who are about to start their guide training. Colchuck Consignment is located right at a nexus of major takeouts and launch points for guiding companies and recreationalists alike. Paddlers are looking for anything and everything from the beginning of April (especially things to stay warm in the cold water). Come July and the rapids start to calm down and demand dies off significantly. However, SUP and tubing season in Leavenworth stretches into September and demand for swimming items stays high when the temperatures soar. We stop accepting any water-related gear at the end of August.
When to buy: We bring the paddling gear out in April and supply tends to grow until June. After that we become stricter on what we accept and we dwindle down our supply. The demand for paddling gear is usually higher than the supply we receive, so it never hurts to call and ask if you are looking for a specific item.
Climbing Gear
Climbing is a year-round sport in the Wenatchee valley, and we can sell many types of gear any time of the year. We get people coming from all over the PNW and beyond for the granite bouldering in Leavenworth and the alpine granite in the Enchantments. Ice climbing is pretty hit or miss, but sometimes we get some masochists looking for the right tools.
When to sell: The bulk of our climbing sales go towards boulders, gym climbers (shoutout RRG!), and trad climbers that are traveling to Leavenworth. Climbers are on the hunt as early as February for gear as soon as the rock dries in the Icicle. It is best to bring in climbing gear any time from February into July. Once it starts getting smoky and hot down low, summer sales dwindle. Alpine climbers are still getting up high late into September, so alpine and mountaineering gear gets sold year-round.
When to buy: Climbing gear sits around all year long, mostly in the summers. The largest supply of hardgoods and shoes is typically sometime in June-July. The demand for most climbing gear is usually higher than our supply, so it never hurts to call and ask if we have what you're looking for.
Looking up the first pitch on Prusik Peak
Mountain and Gravel Bike Gear
Mountain Bike season is somewhat short here in the Wenatchee Valley itself, so timing is key! Folks looking for high alpine rides may be looking for gear later in the season. There are Mountain Bike trails scattering the hills all over from the Stevens Pass Bike Park down through Leavenworth and into the complex trail systems of the Wenatchee foothills. We also have a vibrant bike packing community and get folks planning epic rides throughout the summer.
When to sell: Most mountain bikers are looking for gear when days start getting warmer, usually sometime in early April. Once the dirt dries to moondust and the days crest 90+ degrees, demand drops. Your best bet on selling mountain bike gear is to bring things in late March-late May. Come August and most people will be done looking for bike gear.
When to buy: The largest supply of mountain bike gear tends to swell around May and June, and by the end of the season our selection can be pretty sparse. Since bike gear can be very specific, it is best to shop bags, clothes, and other non-bike component style gear used. We do try to stock a good selection of modern bike components, so be sure to ask before buying something new, we may just have what you need!
