A local consignment store is celebrating 10 years serving the community, and has acquired some recognition.
In conjunction with the anniversary, they are hosting the Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Coffee at 8 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 8.
To learn more about the special deals/discounts:
Angela Simon opened Bids and Dibs on December 3, 2012 inside 19 S. National Ave.
On Halloween day 2018, Jason and Angela Simon purchased 108 S. Scott Ave.
Bids and Dibs opened its doors at the Scott Avenue building in January 2019.
“Bids and Dibs started as a local online auction platform,” Simon said. “That original business model evolved into full-service resale. Our services include: transparent consignment- where every consignor has access to their account online and their account balances never expire. Balances can be used as cash or credit at anytime.”
Bids and Dibs offers full consignment services, outright buys, and estate liquidation services to the community.
“Outright buys are where people can bring items in for sale and receive a cash offer based on brand, condition and current needs of the store. “
“Customized Estate liquidation… (is another) service,” she said. “No two situations are the same. People will contract with us to help them downsize the family home, moving out of town, or cleaning out the personal effects of a loved one that has passed. This service is especially popular with families that live outside the Bourbon county area who need to downsize or clear out things for a loved one who can no longer do it for themselves.”
Bids & Dibs, Inc. employs on average 10-14 people at any given time.
“We have plans to add an additional two full-time employees during 2023 to handle the expansion of our online sales,” Simon said.
Upgrading Technology in January 2023
“When we started 10 years ago we purchased the best consignment software in the industry,” she said. “Unfortunately that company did not keep pace with available technologies and we have now outgrown that point-of-sale service. In January 2023, we will be upgrading our systems to a cloud based service that will allow our consignors 24-hour access to their accounts that update instantaneously.”
“We have always offered online access to consignors, but our current system needs to be backed up and restarted before it shows current reliable data to the consignor. It is not always possible for us to do that as frequently as some users would like.”
“Our new system will allow them to watch in live time as we process and sell their items. It will also grant us the ability to add inventory offsite. That feature will make processing estates much faster. It will also allow multiple family members to follow along in the process. This is very valuable tool to families who live outside the local area. “
“Even in the most tight knit of families, contentions can arise when you’re dealing with estate items. Our service helps families work through these issues by being a neutral and transparent third party.”
Distinction in Business
Bids and Dibs received the small business of the year award from the Fort Scott area Chamber of Commerce in 2019.
“Besides the local Chamber, we are members of the National Association of Resale and Thrift Stores (NARTS) and NextLevel Resale. Due in large part to the resources and mentorship these groups provide, Bids & Dibs has become the largest resale boutique in Kansas that offers consignment, outright buys and estate liquidation.”
“Bids & Dibs will start leaning into this distinction in our marketing efforts for 2023 and beyond. Resale has became one of the largest growing industries in the world. The popularity of buying sustainably in North America has made destinations out of resale stores. Our marketing goal is to bring more outside dollars into the Bourbon County community, thus putting more money directly into the pockets of our consignors.”
