Sims 3: Difference between "drag here to sell" and consignment store selling?

Question

What is the difference—if any—between selling a Sim's items, like fish or paintings, in a consignment store, like the Landgraab Sell n' Swap store, and selling them instantly in the inventory using the "drag here to sell" functionality?

I understand that I have to wait a bit for my Sim's items to sell at the consignment store, while inventory selling is instant, but is there any other difference? Can they sell for more at the consignment store, for example? Because if they don't, then the instant selling in the inventory pretty much makes consignment stores redundant and perhaps counter-productive, especially with the waiting and the trip to the store and making sure it is open, right?

Answer 1

The advantage of the consignment store is the possiblity of gaining reputation, completing challenges and having significant discount on random items. Moreover good or bad sales can have an effect on the mood of you sim.

According to this wiki : http://sims.wikia.com/wiki/Consignment_store

Sims are able to sell things like fruit, fish, inventions, paintings, and sculptures to the shop and put them on display for other Sims to buy. Sims can build a reputation at the store, making sales more profitable. If a Sim's reputation is high, more Sims will buy his or her stuff. The store sells items every day at 5 PM / 17:00. Similar to collections, the consignment store is in a Sim's skill journal and comes with its own unique challenges to achieve. A chart of all the items sold by the Sim is given. In addition to selling, the consignment store will randomly change its inventory, which may include a variety of items such as gems, inventions, paintings, books, music boxes, cameras, incense holders and Magic Gnomes. Objects that can otherwise be found in Buy Mode can often be obtained at a significant discount at the consignment store should they be available. Sims may receive a positive moodlet from making a good sale as well as a negative moodlet for paying too much for an item.

Answer 2

The difference is that many selfmade items get sold for higher money. Like the one before me said, you get Reputation wich let you often sell more for a higher price and give you more discount on other items in the Shop.

good items for the consignment shop are:

Paintings, Inventions!, and Jewells. The more the items are worth, the higher is the selling rate and the Money you get. But don´t just sell the same thing over time. then it get less money and often won´t be sold. (just take it back for free and sell it another time)

But keep in mind! Items get cheaper every day until they got selled. if it doesent got selled in a week. take it back and then new in for max Profit;)

New inventions and Rare items are often sold in less then 4 ingame ours.

I often played as Inventor and dug around the City and got big and rare Jewells to confirm that. + I often have a second sim for the household and Painting/Writing.

Edit: theres a Lifetime perk wich let you get easier Reputation and better and more often Sales to get big profit from the consignment store.

Answer 3

Consignment can potentially sell for a lot more then drag and sell, but it just depends on how soon it sells. Drag and sell is a flat value that isn't modified by anything, but consignments do get modifiers based on your reputation and traits.