FAQ

No! You do not need a ticket to attend our general sale on Saturday. You may come by anytime between 8am and 5pm. 

If you’d like to shop at our Pre-sale and Party on Friday night, you will need to purchase a ticket. Volunteers will be checking for tickets at the door that evening. Your ticket purchase includes entry for one adult and one accompanied child, as well as one canned beverage from our alcohol sponsor for those 21 and older.

The large majority of items provided by consignors from the general public are used. Items sold by local and regional retailers are usually new or gently used. The new and gently used items are generally from a previous season or were used as demos, and are often sold for below wholesale prices.

Due to the large number of items submitted by the general public, MBSEF cannot guarantee the quality of every item put forth on the sale floor. However, we will have experienced coaches and knowledgeable retail staff available to help each buyer. It is ultimately up to the buyer to assess the quality of the item and whether or not items fit each buyer’s individual needs.

We very rarely accept returns and issue refunds for gear purchased at Swap. If we do, it is due to quality or safety concerns and is most often while our sale is still operating. It is in every buyer’s best interest to be certain of their items and decisions prior to checking out at Swap.

On Saturday, at 3pm, the Swap enters “discount hours” until the end of the sale at 5pm. At this time many consigned items will be discounted by a predetermined percentage. You may want to come back to see if that jacket you liked so much is still available – you may be able to purchase it at 50% off!

MBSEF does NOT charge any fee to register and drop-off your items to be consigned at Swap. However, we do retain 25% commission on all items sold at swap. This commission may be tax deductible-consult your personal tax preparer.

Thank you for your support of our programs and athletes by selling your gear at Swap!

Our management system for consignment and sales is entirely digital.  To include your gear in our sale you must register all items online prior to dropping items off.

During the online registration process you will categorize your items by type, enter name brand or model information. If model is unknown or not applicable be sure to include color/design notes.  You’ll also set your price for both the general sale, as well as any discount you’d like to offer during “Discount Hours” which occur on Saturday from 3-5pm. We highly recommend uploading a picture of each item during the registration process as sometimes tags fall off and a photo is by far the most sure way we can identify an item as yours and sell it for the correct price.  

You may access our online gear registration portal by clicking the “Gear Registration” button at the top of our website. Online gear registration will open on September 1st and remain open through the Monday prior to Swap.

Please consider that Swap customers come to our sale looking for a great deal. The lower you price your items, the more likely they will sell. As a frame of reference, our more expensive items (alpine boots, skis) are often priced between $50-$200, depending on condition.

For items that don’t sell during the pre-sale or regular public sale, they will automatically be reduced by your predetermined percentage once “discounted hours” start at 3pm on Saturday. You will be asked to select a discount percentage when you register your items online. Your options are: 0%, 10%, 20%, 50% off your original price.

Volunteers and MBSEF staff will be on hand at drop-off to assist you with tagging and labeling your gear. There are a few things you can do prior to drop-off to prepare, however.

1. Make sure all your items are clean: clothing is washed, hardware is dusted or wiped down.
2. Please keep in mind that buyers will want to inspect your gear. Do not tape skis together or boxes shut. Instead, use rubber bands that can be removed and reattached.
3. You may use tape to secure poles together – this doesn’t hinder inspection of poles.
4. Be sure all items that come in sets or pairs are complete. We will provide twine to secure pairs, but if you’d like to do so ahead of time, be sure that the length of twine used is enough so that boots can still be tried on and walked in.

After you register your gear in our online registration system, you will receive communication with tips about how to prepare your gear for drop off. Consignors are expected to bring their gear to our designated drop-off hours at the Pavilion, Thursday and Friday before Swap. Volunteers will help you tag and check-in your items. Afterwards, items for consignment will be organized by staff and volunteers on the sale floor. We ask that all consigned gear be registered online prior to the deadline.

We are rarely able to accommodate last-minute registrations during drop-off hours. If we do, it is because someone is available to assist you, the consignor has already set up an account, and the items are in very good condition and well priced (likely to sell).

At the end of the sale you will be emailed an itemized list that outlines your items that sold, and the items that did not sell. Be sure to check your spam folder of your inbox if you do not see anything from us by Sunday morning. 

If you’d like to receive live updates on items sold, be sure to provide your cell phone number during gear registration and opt-in to text messages.

After the sale has closed, consignors will receive an itemized list via email that shows the gear that was sold or was left unsold. Consignors must come to pick-up any unsold gear on Sunday morning after Swap. Any items left unclaimed by 11am will be considered a donation to MBSEF and other local non-profits.

MBSEF does not have the capacity to store or transport left over items, so consignors MUST arrange a proxy to pick up their items, if they are not able to pick them up on Sunday morning. 

MBSEF has several measures in place to mitigate items being lost or stolen. For example, we have professional security on site overnight, as well as during the sale. However, items do go missing from time to time. Unfortunately, MBSEF cannot guarantee the return of unsold items to each consignor. 

Consignors acknowledge that by leaving items with MBSEF, they accept the inherent risks associated with the ski swap. While MBSEF staff uses commercially reasonable efforts, including hiring security to safeguard consigned items, there is still a possibility of loss or theft, and payment for such items may not be received. By dropping off their items, consignors agree to these risks and release MBSEF from any liability in the event of lost or stolen items.

Please help us keep track of your items by including a picture during online registration and ensuring that your items are well secured, labeled and tagged to the best of your ability during drop-off.

MBSEF will issue a check for the total value of your items sold minus the 25% commission. Checks will be mailed within 10 days of the sale. Please be sure we have your correct mailing address on file when you register your gear online. If you’d like to pick up your check at our office, please be sure to contact us ahead of time and we’ll do our best to hold your check for you once it’s ready.