Rose Garden Resident
Cover Story
Out with the Old
Residents turn 'discards' into cash at Tozeero
By Mary Gottschalk
The holidays often result in a flurry of "out with the old" and "in with the new."
What to do with the "old" clothing, appliances, accessories and more is where Tozeero comes in.
Tozeero is a new consignment store with a different approach to selling.
Co-owners and cousins Heather Pham and Rudy Klemencic have trademarked the phrase "garage-less sale" and are promoting their store as an easy alternative to weekend garage sales and online marketplaces such as eBay and Craigslist.
"We realized how difficult it is to sell items you've accumulated over time and no longer want," Pham says.
She points out that holding a garage sale takes a lot of time to organize and usually attracts only a limited number of people.
Selling online also requires time to photograph and list the item, as well as arranging for delivery or pickup once it sells, she says.
Garage sales and local listings on Craigslist mean inviting strangers to your home, something Pham says many people, particularly women, are reluctant to do.
Klemencic and Pham are calling the first of what they hope will be many stores Tozeero, because items are automatically marked down each week until they sell or reach the zero point.
This first Tozeero is at 1040 Park Ave., in a building owned by Pham's family.
Right now they are using the 5,000-square-foot ground floor for display space and some storage. As they expand, they will open up the second floor.
In addition to the actual store, Tozeero is also online at www.tozeero.com, and almost every item in the store is also listed on the website.
This allows people to browse through the offerings from home and to watch prices.
Although the name implies every item can theoretically reach zero, making it free, Pham says they will accommodate people who don't want their items marked down.
They will also let sellers set a price minimum.
If the item doesn't sell, owners have the option of taking it back.
While some customers might be tempted to wait for a price to drop, Pham says she's seen customers buy an item as soon as they see it, not wanting to take the chance someone else will buy it.
For those who are unsure, Pham says they also allow people who consign an item and then change their mind to take it back if it's still in the store.
Those who consign receive 50 percent of the selling price of anything that sells for under $50. Items selling above $50 result in a higher commission, up to 75 percent.
"Basically, the higher the price sold, the larger percentage the seller takes. This gives sellers a better way to make money," Pham says.
With designer labels, Pham says she's leaving it up to the buyer to decide if it's authentic or not.
"Hopefully people will be honest," she says.
"We have one Louis Vuitton we know is real and one that isn't, so it's priced really low. I think the price kind of says it."
To guard against stolen items, they require and record state identification.
The store has already attracted customers from throughout the Peninsula.
Lea Do heard about Tozeero from a friend and decided to take some items there to sell.
"I sold a purse and a jacket," Do says. "It's fun because I get to clean out my closet. I'm sending a lot of my clothes there.
"When we shop, we buy things we don't need, and there are things you don't wear anymore sitting there wasting space and money."
Do says she likes that Tozeero "is pretty flexible on things they accept. It's good.
"At Crossroads they are very picky, and the service is not very good," she says of Crossroads Trading Co., a consignment chain.
Do says she finds eBay "a little too complicated" and Craigslist has so many postings that things quickly drop to the bottom of the listings.
Julie McFarland, who lives in Los Altos, says she heard about Tozeero from a friend who lives in Campbell.
"She's a foster parent, and one of the problems they have is Goodwill and Salvation Army are too expensive," McFarland says.
"When they get kids, the kids need everything. They have nothing.
"We're big garage sale shoppers for these kids. Tozeero is lower priced than Goodwill and Salvation Army, and the price goes down each week.
"I'm thrilled about the place. Even though I could theoretically afford to buy at all the stores, why would you? Especially transitional clothing."
UPS driver Craig Young discovered Tozeero when he made a delivery there.
"I thought it was a great idea," Young says.
"It's nice to have a consignment store for items that people don't want to keep around the house anymore."
Young says he's taken in some clothes and sporting goods and sold one item almost immediately.
"Within a day or two of taking something in, it's up on their website. It's kind of cool. You can look on the website, and you don't even have to leave the house to buy something," he says.
The website also shows how many people have looked at a specific item.
Young is particularly impressed with Tozeero's owners.
"The first time I met Heather and Rudy, they were friendly and smiling. I see them greet others the same way," he says.
"It's important for people in the retail or service industry to be friendly to customers and potential customers, and with them, it's really sincere.
"I think they're going to do well once people find them."
Tozeero, 1040 Park Ave., www.tozeero.com, 408.971.4948. Open from noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday, except Tuesdays when it's closed and from noon to 5 p.m. on Sundays.
