Running a consignment shop means managing dozens of consignor accounts, tracking who owns what, splitting payments, and ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.
Without the right software, consignment becomes a nightmare: spreadsheets, lost payments, angry consignors, and missed sales.
Shopify research shows that shops using consignment management software experience 40% faster payment processing and 30% fewer inventory errors.
In this guide, we'll review 20 of the best consignment software platforms, explain key features, and help you pick the right one for your shop.
What Is Consignment Software?
Consignment software manages the entire consignment workflow:
1. Consignor accounts: Track each consignor, their contact info, payment preferences
2. Item tracking: When an item is consigned, who owns it, its status (for sale, sold, returned)
3. Split payments: Automate calculations of what consignor gets (typically 40–60% of sale price)
4. Inventory sync:Track what's in the physical store, what sold, what needs to be returned
5. Reporting: See which consignors bring in the most revenue, which items sell fastest
6. POS integration: Sync with your point-of-sale system for automatic inventory updates
Top 20 Consignment Platforms
1. SECND — Best Overall for Multi-Channel Consignment
Price: $99–$299/month | For: Consignment + online multi-channel selling
SECND manages consignment inventory and syncs it to online channels (Poshmark, Depop, Etsy, Shopify). When someone buys on Poshmark, the consignment item auto-delists from your store and Etsy. Consignor split payments are automatic.
Standout: The only platform that combines consignment + online cross-listing. Perfect for shops selling both in-store and online.
2. Consignment Pro — Dedicated Consignment Platform
Price: $50–$150/month | For: In-store consignment only
Built specifically for consignment shops. Consignor account management, payment splitting, item tracking, barcode support. Clean interface, good support.
3. RetailStudio — Consignment + POS
Price: $60–$200/month | For: Shops needing POS + consignment
All-in-one: point-of-sale, consignment tracking, inventory, payments. Works on iPad/tablet. Good for checkout + backoffice workflow.
4. iVend — Retail POS with Consignment
Price: $100–$300/month | For: Multi-location shops
Enterprise-grade POS with consignment module. Inventory sync across locations, centralized reporting. More complex setup.
5. Simple Consignment — Lightweight, Low-Cost
Price: $20–$50/month | For: Small consignment operations
Minimal feature set, but covers basics: consignor tracking, item management, payment reports. Good for budgets under $100/month.
6–20. Other Platforms
6. Traitmill (consignment + compliance reporting)
7. Lightspeed (POS with consignment module)
8. TouchBistro (iPad POS with add-ons)
9. Thrive (inventory + consignment for boutiques)
10. Clover (free POS with consignment apps)
11. Square (POS + basic consignment via third-party)
12. Toast (restaurant/retail POS)
13. Shopify (e-commerce, consignment via apps)
14. Etsy (online only, no physical store)
15. Wix (website builder with inventory)
16. Magento (enterprise e-commerce)
17. BigCommerce (mid-market e-commerce)
18. Sellfy (dropship + inventory)
19. Pencil (small business POS)
20. Toast (multi-location retail)
Key Features to Look For
Not all consignment software is created equal. Focus on these features:
1. Consignor Account Management
Can you store consignor contact info, payment preferences, agreement terms? Can you set custom split percentages per consignor?
2. Barcode Support
Does the system generate barcodes for items? Can you scan barcodes at checkout? Critical for speed and accuracy.
3. Automatic Payment Splitting
When an item sells, does the system automatically calculate splits and generate a payment report? Or do you do math manually?
4. POS Integration
Does it have a built-in POS, or integrate with Square/Shopify/Lightspeed? Do sales sync automatically?
5. Online Sync (Optional)
If you sell online, does the system sync consignment inventory to Shopify/Etsy? This is rare but powerful.
6. Reporting & Analytics
Can you see which consignors are most profitable? Which items sell fastest? Inventory aging reports?
7. Mobile/Tablet Support
Does it work on iPad? Can you check inventory or process returns from your sales floor?
8. Returned Item Tracking
How do you handle items that don't sell and get returned to the consignor? Is it automated or manual?
Quick Platform Comparison
SECND: $99–$299/mo | ✅ Consignment | ✅ Online sync | ✅ POS-friendly | ✅ Splits | ✅ Reporting
Consignment Pro: $50–$150/mo | ✅ Consignment | ❌ Online | ⚠️ Basic POS | ✅ Splits | ✅ Reporting
RetailStudio: $60–$200/mo | ✅ Consignment | ❌ Online | ✅ POS | ✅ Splits | ✅ Reporting
iVend: $100–$300/mo | ✅ Consignment | ❌ Online | ✅ POS | ✅ Splits | ✅ Reporting
Simple Consignment: $20–$50/mo | ✅ Consignment | ❌ Online | ❌ POS | ✅ Splits | ⚠️ Basic Reporting
How to Choose the Right Platform
If You Only Sell In-Store
Pick Consignment Pro or RetailStudio. Focus on ease of use and payment splitting accuracy.
If You Sell In-Store + Online
Pick SECND. Only platform that syncs consignment inventory to online channels. Eliminates overselling and double-work.
If You Have Multiple Locations
Pick iVend or SECND. Centralized inventory and reporting across locations.
If Budget Is Tight (<$50/month)
Pick Simple Consignment or Clover free tier. Trade-off: fewer features, more manual work.
If You Need Fast Setup
Pick RetailStudio or Simple Consignment. Setup in 1 day. Others take 1–2 weeks.
Getting Started with Consignment Software
Step 1: Audit Your Current System
How many consignors do you have? How often do you pay them? What split percentage do you use? Document this before switching systems.
Step 2: Choose Your Platform
Use the guide above. Most offer free trials (7–14 days). Test with 5–10 fake consignors and items.
Step 3: Import Existing Consignors
Most systems accept CSV imports. Create a spreadsheet with consignor names, contact info, split percentage. Import in bulk.
Step 4: Set Up Item Types & Categories
Define how you categorize items (clothing, furniture, books, etc.). This helps with reporting and filtering.
Step 5: Generate Barcodes
Print barcodes for consignment items. Apply to tags. Scan at checkout to auto-update inventory.
Step 6: Test Payment Splitting
Create a test consignor. Simulate a sale. Verify the payment split is calculated correctly. Adjust if needed.
Step 7: Train Your Team
Walk through checkout, inventory lookup, consignor management with your staff. Most systems need 30–60 mins of training.
Step 8: Go Live
Switch from old system to new. Monitor for 2 weeks. If issues, revert and troubleshoot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use consignment software if I have a Shopify store?
Some platforms (SECND) integrate with Shopify natively. Others don't. Check before buying if Shopify sync is critical.
Q: How often should I pay consignors?
Industry standard is 30–60 days after a sale. Monthly payments are common. Set your terms upfront and automate with software.
Q: What split percentage should I use?
Industry average is 50/50 or 60/40 (you get 60%). Higher-end consignment shops pay 40/60. Set based on your costs and market.
Q: What if an item doesn't sell?
Most shops have a hold period (60–90 days). After that, return the item to the consignor or mark it donated. Software should track this.
Q: Can I use multiple split percentages?
Yes. Good software lets you set per-consignor splits. Example: High-volume consignors get 50%, others get 60%.
Q: Do I need a separate POS system?
Some consignment software includes POS (RetailStudio, iVend, SECND). Others require you to add Square or Shopify. Check before buying.
Consignment software is the backbone of a profitable consignment shop. It eliminates manual payment calculations, tracks inventory accurately, and keeps consignors happy with on-time payments.
Start with a free trial. Test with your real data. If it saves you 5 hours/month on accounting, it pays for itself.
Ready to scale? Pick a platform, import your consignors, and go live. Most shops see ROI within 60 days.
Next step: Learn how to scale your resale business from solo to team as you grow.