Black Friday Isn’t the Only Way to Save: Shopping Resale for the Holidays Gains Popularity

For Immediate ReleaseContact: Diane WhiteEmail: DianeWhite@JBFSale.comPhone: 918-770-3905Recent Survey from North America’s Largest Consignment Event Franchise System Shows More Than 90% of Families Shop Resale & Secondhand for Holiday ItemsTips to Find the Best Resale Deals this Holiday Season Tulsa, Okla. – As consumers prepare to shop for the holiday season, a recent survey finds that Black Friday & Cyber Monday aren’t the only ways to save money. More than 90% of shoppers who responded to the survey said they plan to shop resale stores or events for holiday clothing, gifts, toys and decorations. Just Between Friends (JBF) is North America’s leading children’s and maternity consignment event and has been helping families save money for nearly 20 years. JBF is a leading expert in the resale industry. The company recently surveyed more than 1500 shoppers and the results show that shopping resale at consignment stores and events, thrift stores, flea markets and online for holiday items is not a new trend. It is a popular way of shopping that grows each year and is paying off for consumers. Survey Highlights:

• More than 90% of respondents plan to shop resale this holiday season
• More than 50% have been shopping resale for the holidays for more than five years
• More than 50% said they save 25 to 50% shopping resale

Shannon Wilburn is Co-founder and CEO of JBF. For nearly 20 years, JBF has helped millions of families save money on items for their families. Wilburn has been a bargain shopper most of her life, born out of necessity as a teen when her father’s multiple sclerosis diagnosis had a devastating effect on her family’s finances. Wilburn has been a frugal shopper ever since and that was a driving force behind starting her company. There are more than 150 JBF consignment events across the U.S. and Canada, operated by local families. They collectively help nearly a million families save & earn money each year. Wilburn and her JBF team recommend researching online to find out the retail prices before hitting resale shops so you know how much you are saving when shopping resale. You can find substantial discounts on holiday clothing and shows. She advises also looking for toys for small children under age 7; cars and dolls such as Barbie and American Girl Dolls and electronics such as PlayStation and Wii. For more information or to set up an interview, photos or video, please contact Diane White at 918-770-3905 or by email, DianeWhite@Jbfsale.comJust Between Friends Holiday Resale Shopping Tips SheetSix Tips & Five Gift Ideas to Find the Best Resale Deals this Holiday Season Plus How to Put Safety First When Shopping ResaleWHO: Just Between Friends (JBF) is North America’s Leading Children’s and Maternity Consignment Event, with more than 150 kids consignment events in the US and Canada. The team behind JBF are leading experts in the resale industry. Their holiday shopping survey found 90% of families plan to shop resale for holiday items. You can use these tips in an article or blog but please credit Just Between Friends Franchise System, Inc., www.jbfsale.com

• Research pricing online so you know whether or not you are getting a good deal.
• When shopping a consignment event or store, make a list and if possible take a friend.
• One of the best deals you can find shopping resale is holiday clothing because it is usually worn once or twice.
• Look for toys with a theme and package them together in a nice bag – kids will never know.
• Find out when the resale shop is having a sale and save even more.
• Shop online – but if using a service where you meet the seller, follow safety guidelines.

Here are some of the top gifts JBF recommends buying resale – and no one needs to know it isn’t new.

1. Dolls, Doll Clothes and Accessories: Clean them up and package them with clothing and accessories and create a “Barbie Gift Bag” or an “American Girl Gift Pack”.
2. Electronics: There are homes across the country with unused Wii systems, Play Stations, games and accessories. Make sure they all work and package it all in a nice box or gift bag.
3. Costume jewelry: If it is in good condition and in style find a nice jewelry box or pouch and you’re good to go.
4. Books: New or used, books make great gifts.  An avid reader may love a used book with its own story behind it.
5. Instruments: This is one of the top “re-gifted” items and one that you can find “like new” In fact, there are likely guitars and drum sets sitting in attics across the U.S.

Just Between Friends also places a priority on safety. Kami Snowbarger is JBF’s product & recall specialist and trains with the Consumer Product Safety Commission. She is also the “Resale Market Safety Expert” with the International Consumer Product Health and Safety Organization. Snowbarger offers these safety tips when shopping resale.

• Make sure items you are purchasing have all of the parts and are in good, working condition.
• If you are unsure about an item, you can easily check it out with the recall app found at wemakeitsafer.com.
• Shop sales that put safety first. At Just Between Friends we check for recalled items and provide up-to-date recall lists for shoppers to view at all JBF sales events.

Media Contact: Diane White, 918-770-3905, DianeWhite@Jbfsale.com Please feel free to use these tips in an article or a blog, but please credit Shannon Wilburn, CEO and Co-founder of Just Between Friends Franchise or Kami Snowbarger, Product & Recall Specialist, for the safety tips. For more information or to set up an interview, please contact Diane White at 918-770-3905 or by email, DianeWhite@Jbfsale.com.About Just Between Friends  In 1997, Just Between Friends was created in a living room in Tulsa, Oklahoma when Shannon Wilburn, a mother of two young children, and her friend Daven Tackett hosted a sale with 17 friends as consignors and had gross sales of $2000.  In 2015, that same sale hosted two events and grossed nearly 1 million dollars.  The sales caught on with families and grew, so in 2003, they formed Just Between Friends Franchise Systems, Inc.  Wilburn is now sole owner and CEO of Just Between Friends Franchise Systems, Inc., which has 150 franchises in 29 states and one in Canada.  System wide sales in 2015 topped 27 million and they expect to top 30 million in 2016. In May 2016, Just Between Friends was named a top low-cost franchise by CNBC. In June 2016, Forbes Magazine named Just Between Friends a top ten franchise in the United States for the third straight year. JBF was also named one of Entrepreneur Magazine’s Top 500 Franchises in 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.  In 2012, Just Between Friends was one of only 75 companies to receive the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Blue Ribbon Award.  Just Between Friends Franchise Systems Inc. also received a “Franchisee Satisfaction Award” and was named in the Top 50 franchises by “Franchise Business Review” for the past 7 years. Wilburn was also named one of Oklahoma’s “50 Women Making a Difference” by Journal Record Newspapers, was awarded the Small Business Administration’s “Women in Business Champion” for Tulsa,  and was part of the Tulsa Business Journal’s 40 under 40.   JBF has been featured on numerous national television shows including  The Today Show, Good Morning America, Real Biz with Rebecca Jarvis, Fox News , CBS Early Show, ABC News, CNN , Headline News, Inside Edition and CNBC’s  The Big Idea. They have also been featured in Entrepreneur Magazine, Wall Street Journal, Inc.com as well as many top markets including New York City, Seattle, Denver, Dallas, Houston, San Francisco and Philadelphia and on popular websites Huffington Post, www.yahoo.com,  www.sheknows.com and Disney website  www.family.com.