Frequently Asked Questions
Employment
-
Interested in working at Artifact? Send a resume and cover letter to hello@artifactpdx.com and be sure to follow @artifactpdx and @artifactpdxlocal to stay in the loop for hiring opportunities!
About Artifact
We work with our employees and hundreds of consignors to provide contemporary and vintage clothing, accessories, furniture, and home décor to our community at a reasonable price.
Since our founding, Artifact has been a proud and active member of our southeast Portland community, investing and giving back to the community in a variety of ways. This has included helping to raise thousands of dollars for community non-profits through our popular Funday Flea markets where all items are sold for just $1. Artifact is also a monthly contributor to local non-profits working to make Portland a more just and sustainable place for all.
While we are a small business with a staff size of less than 20 people, our goal has been to provide good wages; continual raises; a safe, productive, and enjoyable workplace; and healthcare benefits for employees.
We also serve as a resource for hundreds of consignors wanting to make their goods available to the public, earn extra income and support their well-being.
How we support employees now and into the future
Our current benefit package includes:
Employer sponsored medical and dental
Up to 2 weeks of PTO
5 hours per month of volunteered paid time off
Matched 401K retirement plan
Employee perks like a store discount and special consignment %
Selling
-
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT OR WALK-IN. Make an Appointment through our website to schedule an exact day and time in the future, or join our virtual waitlist on the day you'd like to sell. If you make an appointment online you'll receive an SMS/email notification that you have successfully booked your appointment. Appointments are available two weeks in advance and limit one appointment per customer per day.
BRING YOUR ITEMS IN. If you have a scheduled appointment bring your items into the store at the specified appointment time. If you are on our virtual waitlist, bring your items to the store when you receive your "second in line" text notification. If you arrive early to your appointment we have complimentary shelves to hold your items until it is your appointment time.
CHECK IN. At the time of your appointment, approach the Buy Counter and check in with a buyer.
- Have your photo ID ready.
- If you are late to your appointment, we will sort through what we can in the allotted appointment time. If you are late (past the 20min window) to arrive to the buy room for the waitlist, you will be bumped down to the bottom of the list waitlist.
GRAB A COFFEE. While you are waiting for your buy to be completed, you can shop, grab a coffee, or run errands. If you walk around the neighborhood, we recommend that you stay close by (10 mins away), so that you can return to the buy counter in time to pickup your returns.
GET A TEXT NOTIFICATION. When your buy is finished you will receive a text notification. Please return to the Buy Counter within 10 minutes of receiving this text message.
PICK UP YOUR RETURNS. You will check-in with your buyer and go over the items that we are taking in and their prices. Any items we are not going to buy can be picked up or donated at this time. All items not picked up immediately will be stored on our in-store shelving. Note that we are not responsible for lost, stolen, or misplaced items once they are stored on the communal in-store shelving. All items left with us past the end of the business day will be donated to local charities.
THE FINE PRINT. Store trade balances expire for accounts that are inactive for more than 1 year. Sellers need to choose between cash or trade, we can not do partial cash or partial trade in the same selling transaction. All store trade remains as store trade and can not be switched to cash at a later date.
-
Unfortunately, no. As of now, you’re required to bring all items you wish to sell into the store. If you have a large item please text or email photos to us, so we can gauge if it’s worth bringing the item in.
Do you have a house full of items ready to sell? We do make house calls on a case by case basis. If you think this may be the best option for you please email the store to get the ball rolling.
-
No, we do not. But we do highly recommend some competitive App services called TooBigForMyCar.com and Lugg. These services are both cost-effective and time-efficient.
-
Yes! We love furniture. We always look at all styles, makes, and models, but in general, our best sellers are modern, mid-century, vintage, bohemian, and unique items. We sell everything: couches, credenzas, nightstands and shelving, lamps, art, ottomans, pillows, textiles, and rugs! To get a good sense of what we take in the store, please visit us in person. Everything you see in the store is the type of item we take.
-
For larger furniture items, we recommend first texting or emailing a photo(s) of the item before bringing it directly to the store. We cannot guarantee that we will take an item via a photo — since we need to check the condition and wear of the item — but a photo gives a good sense of whether it’s worth bringing down to the store for a closer look.
-
We will always take a look at any items you are selling! But in general, we don’t do kid’s items, garden tools, or farm tools. In general we do a wide array of items and categories- so long as they have a "style and design" element to them that fits with what we sell.
-
Consistent best-sellers are: turquoise and silver jewelry, modern brass jewelry, rugs from around the world, vintage denim and Levi’s, overalls, jumpsuits, leather boots, designer labels, Gunne Sax style dresses, mid-century modern and modern furniture, night stands, small chest of drawers, and in general, “studio apartment”-sized furniture. Always know that when in doubt, we want to check it out! You can also check out our Pinterest mood board of what's currently trending to stay in the know!
Consignment
-
Consignment is awesome! It’s a great choice for all items, but especially for higher end, more expensive pieces. Although you have to wait for items to sell, you do make more money. On items priced $100 and under, you receive 50% of the sale, and on items priced over $100, you make 60% of the sale.
Here are some key policies related to consignment you need to know:
You’re responsible for finding out if your items have sold. You can utilize our free consignor access online service, call, email, or come into the store.
For anyone living outside (and inside!) the Portland Metro area we offer a direct deposit option called SimplePay that is accessible through the Consignor Access portal.
All items priced $100 and under, and in the store for 60 days or longer, are eligible for donation without contacting the consignor.
When taking items off the floor that have not been in the store for the full 60 days or are priced over $100, the consignor will be contacted, and have two weeks to pick up their items.
We are not responsible for lost, stolen, or broken merchandise. In the unfortunate event that an item breaks, the item will be marked as ‘damaged’ on the account, and the item will be disposed of properly.
-
Artifact carries a select number of local and international artisan made goods. Handmade items receive a special 60/40 consignment split, where the artisan receives 60% of the sale — but to receive the 60/40 split, items must be 100% handmade.
Please email us a line sheet and link to your work for further inquiry. Our ability to sell your product depends on our current line-up, what we've had success selling previously in the store, space availability, and price points.
-
Consignor access is a free online platform that allows you to see in real time, every day from home, what has sold on your account. Access happens via email — so when you start consigning, you’ll receive an introduction email, giving you instructions for login and access to your account.
-
If you’re having trouble accessing your consigner access, please contact the store via email or phone. We can help troubleshoot the problem, and send you new login credentials as many times as necessary, so you can get your account set up!
-
Through your Consignor Access portal we offer a direct deposit option called SimplePay. Once you are signed up for SimplePay through your Consignor Access portal, email the store at hello@artifactpdx.com requesting a payout. In your email please include your consignor ID number. Once we receive this email we will process a payment to you. There is a $3 transaction fee per direct deposit payment.
READ & Download the ARTIFACT CONSIGNMENT Contract
Donations
-
Yes! All of our donations go into our $1 Funday Flea sale, which is the last Sunday of the month during the spring and summer. All profits from this sale go to local nonprofits. During the winter, all donations are donated to a local non-profit that offers a donation pick-up service, like the ARC and VOA. During the winter we are only able to accept clothing and shoe donations.
We only accept donations from people who have sold with us. We are not a general donation drop off site.
-
Please send an email to hello@artifactpdx.com with your request and your 501c3 information attached. We will do our best to respond to you within 7 business days. Artifact loves supporting the work of Portland area non-profits, and focuses on giving that aligns with our mission.
-
If a customer leaves furniture at Artifact to be picked up at a later date they agree to the following. All items must be picked up within 2 days of purchase. If not picked up within 2 days of purchase, the items will be returned for store credit and returned onto the sales floor. Store credit is good for 1 year. To redeem store credit simply show your photo identification at the point of sale.
-
We accept returns within 7 business days of purchase with a receipt, for store credit only. The items must be returned in the original condition that they were purchased. If an item breaks after purchase, it is non-refundable. No returns on sale, discounted, or items marked “as-is” or "final sale".
Pick Up & Returns
Funday Flea
-
During the spring and summer, we host a flea market style garage sale in the alleyway next to the store where every item — no matter if it’s a table, rug, or pair of shoes — is $1. Then we donate all the profits of the sale to a different local non-profit. It’s a win-win-win for everyone! The customer scores amazing finds for just $1, the local non-profit receives funding for their community work, and we clear out old merchandise, and get to offer the service of taking donations to our sellers.
-
All Funday Flea merchandise comes from the donations of our sellers, consignor returns that haven’t been picked up within the agreed-upon time frame, and expired store merchandise.
-
As of July 2021, we have donated over $21,000 to Call To Safety, Brown Girl Rise, United We Dream, Rahab Sisters, Girls Build, Xerces Society, Naya, Brown Hope, Project Lemonade, Lines for Life, and the list will keep on growing!
-
Yes! Please send an email to artifactpdx@gmail.com with the subject line “Funday Flea Recipient,” and include information about what the nonprofit does, and contact information.
Social Media
-
We love working with our community! Please drop us a line, or DM us, and share your idea.
-
We do not offer rentals of our merchandise, but we do offer our normal return policy of store credit within 7 days of purchase with proof of receipt. So if you shop at Artifact often, or do photoshoots often, this could be a way to use items for photoshoots and recycle the investment.