Consignment contract: the document that prevents 90% of conflicts (and how to sign it without a printer)

In consignment selling, almost every conflict has the same origin: nothing was written down. "We said 50%… — no, 40"; "I want my clothes back — which ones, exactly?"; "that jacket was mine — prove it". A one-page contract and a dated deposit slip defuse 90% of these situations. Here is what they should contain.

The clauses that really matter

• Ownership. The consignor remains the owner of their clothes until the sale. This clause drives everything else: who bears the risks, who gets the unsold items back, and what you declare for tax (your income is the commission — not the full price).
• Commission on final sales only. A return or a buyer dispute cancels the sale: no share is due. Write it down — it's the surprise that causes fallouts.
• Who sets prices — and who lowers them. The number-one daily friction point. A simple formula: you set the prices, with reductions allowed up to an agreed percentage without asking again.
• Bundles pro-rata. If an item sells in a bundle, its share is calculated pro-rata to its price. Without this line, every bundle sale becomes a negotiation.
• Collecting unsold items. A clear deadline (6 months is a reasonable standard), then a written reminder before any decision about uncollected items. Keep proof of that reminder — it's what makes the clause defensible.
• Inbound shipping costs. If the consignor ships you their goods, say who pays — and deduct it from the first payout rather than claiming it separately.

The deposit slip: proof of handover

The contract sets the rules; the deposit slip freezes what was handed over on a given date: the list of items, the date, two signatures. It is your proof in a disagreement about "what I entrusted to you". One slip per handover, kept, never replaced — that's what makes it evidence.

Signing, without a printer

A contract signed on screen (finger or mouse) with a timestamp is a simple electronic signature: admissible as evidence, largely sufficient for consignment between individuals, and infinitely more practical than print-sign-scan — especially when the consignor lives 200 km away.

What Fripilot automates

Everything above exists in one click in Fripilot (Pro plan): a full consignor record (identity, commission, collection deadline, attachments), a generated contract from your terms, a dated deposit slip with the day's inventory, electronic signature in person or remotely by email link, and each consignor's share calculated automatically on every sale — bundles and returns included. Free 30-day trial, no card required.

This article is management information, not legal advice: for a sizeable operation, have your documents reviewed by a legal professional.