Consigning Your Gear
Give your quality outdoor gear a second adventure — and earn cash or consignment credit along the way. Our consignment program is a simple, sustainable way to keep great gear in use and out of storage. We accept consignment daily at either Traverse City location until one hour before closing.
Here’s how it works:
1. Assess Your Gear & Get It Ready
Before bringing in your items, please make sure they are clean, and be sure to check for wear, damage, or missing parts. We accept outdoor gear, apparel, and equipment that’s in good or better condition. We are looking for:
Brand Requirements:
Items made by reputable outdoor brands known for performance and quality, such as Patagonia, Arc’teryx, The North Face, Osprey, etc. We are not accepting any fashion or non-outdoor-specific brands.
Condition Requirements:
Gently used, clean, and odor-free (no exceptions). Items need to be fully functional (zippers, snaps, buckles, poles, etc.) must work. No damage such as excessive wear, holes, matting, fraying, or missing components.
Complete the Worksheet:
If you’d like to prepare ahead, you may fill out the Consignor Worksheet (below) to bring with you. If you are unable to fill this out in advance, we are happy to provide you with a copy to fill out when you arrive. This worksheet asks that you to record each item, to include the following information:
- Brand
- Description
- Original retail price (MSRP)
- Your preferred or acceptable selling price range
2. Bring In Your Gear
Once you have prepared your items, bring them to either store location (along with the Consignor Worksheet), preferably in bags or boxes that do not need to be returned. Once items are dropped off, we will:
- Create or update your consignment account using your name, email, and phone number
- Review your items and determine what we’re able to accept
- Price your items based on our standard pricing structure, which considers brand, condition, and original MSRP
- Contact you by email regarding declined items (you can pick them up within 5 days, or choose for us to donate them)
3. Sell Your Gear
Once your items have been accepted, received, and priced by us, they will be stocked in the consignment section at our US-31 store location. From there, your items will have four months to find a happy new home.
Selling Timeline:
- Newly consigned items will be listed for 90 days at full resale price.
- If unsold after 90 days, the item will be discounted 20% and listed for an additional 30 days.
- If unsold after 120 days, you will be notified to pick up unsold items.
What We Are Accepting
All items brought in must be clean, functional (with no broken or missing parts), and without holes, rips, or stains. As always, the acceptance of items is subject to seasonality, available inventory, and staff evaluation. If you have questions about a specific items, feel free to reach out to us before your visit!
Currently Accepting
- Outdoor Apparel
- Seasonally relevant outerwear, fleece, pants, baselayer, etc
- Headwear & Handwear
- Sunglasses, gaiters, seasonally appropriate hats, gloves
- Backpacks & Bags
- Technical backpacks, luggage, daypacks, slings, purses, hip packs
- Sleeping Bags
- Both synthetic and down, ideally with stuff sack
- Tents & Shelters
- Tents, bivys, hammocks
- Lighting
- Battery-operated headlamps, lanterns
- Trekking Poles
- Camp Seating
Not Accepting
- Footwear
- Stoves & Water Filtration
- Fashion/Casual Brands
- GAP, Old Navy, Abercrombie, American Eagle
- Inflatable Gear
- Sleeping pads, inflatable pillows
- Technical Electronics/Devices
- GPS, watches, fish finders
- Intimate Apparel
- Underwear, ladies close-fitting swim bottoms
- Watercraft, Paddling Equipment & Lifejackets
- Climbing Equipment & Helmets
- Bikes & Biking Gear
- Ski & Snowboard Equipment
- Roof Rack Components
Pricing & Payment Options
Pricing is determined by our team based on brand, condition, and original MSRP. Once your item sells, you’ll receive a percentage of the final sale price – as either consignment credit or check payout.
1. Pricing
Accepted items will be priced by Backcountry North using our internal pricing program, based on original retail price (MSRP), brand, item category, and condition. If you would like to be more involved in the pricing process, you will want to use the Consignor Worksheet that details your preferred listing price.
Pricing Considerations: If you choose to fill out a Consignor Worksheet, we will reference it throughout our pricing process to ensure we do not list items for less than your preference. Please note however, that your pricing parameters will not change our pricing formula – instead, we will politely decline any items where your minimum price cannot be met.
2. Payout Options
This is the fun part! You decide how you’d like to earn — you can choose a check in hand, or credit towards new gear.
- 50% via Check
- Issued once per month (for items sold in the previous month), mailed directly to your address
- 65% via Consignment Credit
- Issued and available to use bi-monthly. You will receive an email notification when you’ve been issued a credit.
Payout Examples
| Amount Your Gear Sold For | Consignment Credit Payout (65%) | Cash Payout (50%) |
|---|---|---|
| $75.00 | $48.75 | $37.50 |
| $289.00 | $187.85 | $144.50 |
| $19.00 | $12.35 | $9.50 |
