Parents How does your gym handle "clothing swaps"

[momto2js]

It is time to order new competition gear. I happen to have the smallest kid in the gym and I am friendly with most of the other parents. I have arranged to obtain an outgrown singlet from one of them for my DS. Today, HC (who is also the gym owner) tells me she want's me to turn in DS singlet so she can resell it??

I bought it for about $100 and as far as I am concerned it is mine to do with what I please. Is this a normal practice? I would understand if the gym bought them and then "rented" them each year. But that is not the case. I am happy to give it away to a younger kid but, they don't need to pay for it through the gym. I know sometime unusual things are done in the gym world, but this just doesn't make sense.

 

[3gymgirls]

Our gym stays out of it as much as possible. I think we have about 100 in our competition program, and the only way the gym is involved is that they recommend a size and place the order and handle the money. Once you pay for the leo it is yours to do with as you please. I have one of the smallest on the team, but will need a bigger size for her this year. I haven't begun finding a leo yet, but I wouldn't be opposed to buying a used one in like new condition.

 

[bogwoppit]

I would ask her how much she will pay you for it.

 

[wnl256]

Do you get to keep the entire proceeds of the sale?

You paid for it. It is your to do with as you see fit. Gym owner has no claim to it whatsoever. Sounds odd to me.

Our gym facilitates used clothes sales but does not take a cut. There's a rack where you can put items you want to sell: you pin a piece of paper to it with a price and a name. If someone wants to buy it they leave the money at the front desk and our awesome receptionist makes sure it gets to you (usually by placing it in your folder).

 

[bookworm]

if I bought it, it's mine to do as I please...if the gym wants it, they can buy it from me...

 

[lovemygymnast]

Our gym gives us the opportunity to do a swap. Like we bring our DD's competition stuff they've grown out of and we even swap for a larger size. If someone needs my DD's size but there's not a size I need for my DD, they give us money toward buying new. It's completely optional though, not something mandatory. So, we have never done that with our Leo's, she keeps them all. Actually, we've never done it at all (she's a hoarder! Lol) but we know it's an option we have. I'd ask if they plan to give you money toward buying his new size or toward meet fees or what the plan is? They wouldn't get it for free!

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

The gym tries to pair up "needs" with "selling" parents/gymnasts. The parents handle the actual money exchange and all that themselves, and the kids HAVE to purchase the sizes we have sized them in. We keep a database of what sizes the kids are in for the comp gear, so we if little Susie's mom comes and tells us she would like to purchase the used sz Medium comp Leo that little Annie is selling because she has outgrown it, and little Suzie was sized in a Small, she may NOT buy the Medium. The parents have to run it by us and the assumption is that unless we specifically know that you have been able to purchase a used one in the correct size, we are ordering one for you and you will be responsible for that. Clear as mud? The gym doesn't trade anything in, but we make it easier for the buyers to hook up with the sellers.

 

[Pea'sMom]

While Pea's gym drives me nuts sometimes, sometimes I love them when I hear these crazy things! How does our gym handle it? They give us a box so the girls can throw their used stuff in it, and dig for anything new they might like!

My humble opinion? You bought it, it's yours...They want it? They pay for it...

 

[my4buffaloes]

Can you tell the coach that you will handle the selling of the singlet? I imagine you know the other boy parents, I would ask around to find out who needs it and sell it yourself. Very odd for her to expect you to give it to her to sell. Unless of course she was going to give you the money...

 

[momto2js]

I am not under the impression that I would get the money. I will give it to another kid, no problem, it is useless for me to keep it. However, I will hand it to the family and ask they do the same if it is in good shape when they are done. Just as others have done for me. I would live to arrange a hand me down chain where everyone put in 20 to cover the cost of the largest kid, but that hasn't happened so far. I guess ill ask about her wanting to sell them, and coordinate my gift.

 

[gymdog]

Normal if you get the money or do some sort of swap, but if you bought it it should be your choice and your proceeds.

 

[MyBoysFlip]

We can choose to turn in our too small stuff. We price it and on the uniform order form parents can check if they would like used uniforms and the gym matches them up. Usually parents charge about 1/2 of the new price. I kept the first singlet bc I wanted too. That's perfectly acceptable. But everything else I'm willing to pass on. I even gave some away to new kids who really needed it. We also did quite a bit of swapping through a group text.

 

[curlymop]

Surely there's some sort of miscommunication there, and she means she'll sell it for you and credit you the money? Either way, if you bought it, it's yours to do with as you wish. We had uniform sizing recently, and the coach borrowed DS's singlet to try on some of the new L4s, but he gave it right back. I intend to use it for my youngest DS when he competes next year.

 

[happychaos]

I would explain to the HC exactly what you've stated here. That you'd like to pass it along to another family, just the way they've been passed to you.

Does your gym mark-up the uniforms they order for you? Maybe HC is used to making a little $ off uniform orders?

 

[Flossyduck]

The way it works in a couple of gyms I know is that you give team kit in - they sell it and keep a small percentage and give the rest as a credit off fees (or cash if you request it).

As new team members know that the club sells second hand kit, they tend to ask there first, so you get a captive audience for your stuff and the gym makes a few pennies off each sale. I guess some people operate a 'black market' outside this system and that's their choice.

No way I'd hand it in, if they're going to sell it but not pay you anything. There's a name I have for people who just demand that I hand over stuff I bought myself - muggers!

 

[bookworm]

You could always just give it away and tell the gym that you no longer have it....

 

[IreneKa]

We are allowed to resell it to each other for half price. We have a shared web site, where the parents can post if they have a leo\warmup for sale, or if they are looking to buy. The re-sale is managed between the parents, the gym is not involved.

 

[JBS]

50% of original cost (gym sets prices)...gym must approve the item and the size.

All of our athletes are free to sell anything that they own...we cannot control that. However...we can control what they wear to the competitions and if they purchased a new uniform.

In other words...the gym controls it all.

We have had to move to this system as the parents created issues in the past.

 

[Anna's_Mom]

Our team has a parent-maintained Shutterfly account. One of the pages there is for listing used stuff that people want to sell/give to others. I would be really annoyed if our gym resold something that I had paid that much for! Unless it was disclosed at the point where you were buying the uniform, I suppose. Still seems wrong to me.

 

[3LittleGymmies]

At our gym, the parents organization helps connect you with people selling and you do the swap directly, but they do require a set price for all used leotards ($100, new is $183).