Open Shelf · Free cheat sheet · read it before you sign
Consignment split cheat sheet
What 50/50 and 60/40 really mean, who pays for what, and the red flags.
On consignment you lend a shop your stock and get paid only when it sells, minus the shop’s cut. Of the 142 shops in Open Shelf that publish a split, the most common is 60% to the maker (52 shops), then 50/50 (37 shops). The split is only half the deal. Fees and fine print can matter more.
What you take home on a $40 item
Deal
You get
Shop keeps
When you’re paid
50/50 consignment
$20
$20
After it sells
60/40 (60 to you)
$24
$16
After it sells
70/30 (70 to you)
$28
$12
After it sells
Wholesale (keystone)
$20
$20 markup
Up front, on your invoice
“60/40” doesn’t say whose 60 it is. Ask: “Is that 60 to me or 60 to you?” Get the answer in writing.
Who pays for what (ask about every row)
Cost
Usually
Ask
Getting stock to the shop
You
Drop-off or ship? Any delivery window?
Setting the retail price
You, agreed together
Can they mark down or discount without asking?
Card processing fees
Varies
Taken off the top, before the split?
Monthly or up-front fees
Some shops
How much, and is it on top of the split?
Payout fees
Some shops
One shop deducts $2.50 per ACH payout.
Theft or damage in the store
Often unclear
Who covers it? Very few shops in our list say.
Unsold stock
You pick it up
How long is the term? What happens after?
Red flags
No written agreement, or one that doesn’t name the split.
No inventory list signed when you drop off stock.
No monthly sales report, or payouts later than about 30 days after month end.
Monthly fees bigger than what you’re likely to sell. Do the math: a $35/month fee at 50% needs $70 in sales before you earn a cent.
“Abandoned stock” or expiry clauses. One agreement in our list treats goods unchecked for 6+ months as abandoned; another won’t pay out sales older than a year.
Discounts or markdowns taken from your share without your OK.
No way to get your stock back before the term ends.
Consignment can be a good first step into a shop. I’d rather try a new maker on consignment than say no.
Splits and fees are from shops’ own published terms in the Open Shelf directory (625 shops, checked Oct 2026). Not legal advice; read the agreement.
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