I went to the Campbell location of this store last week. This was my experience.
1. Furniture
I was looking for various pieces of furniture for my house. To say that I was hugely disappointed is a major understatement. The prices are ASTRONOMICAL and completely out of whack in relation to what they are selling.
They don't seem to understand that they are selling U-S-E-D furniture and that once a buyer purchases furniture, as soon as it hits their home, it is now worth HALF of what they paid for it. Deduct from that further depreciation due to usage (possibly MANY YEARS of usage), scratches, item being out of style, etc., and the thing is now worth ONE QUARTER, AT BEST, of what the person paid for it. The ownership/management of Home Consignment Center doesn't seem to understand this basic fact.
As an example, I saw a small squarish storage table, and since it's almost identical to one that I bought NEW a few years ago (mine is in excellent condition), I went to see what they were charging for it. It was about $70. That is ridiculous! I paid $75 for mine, on sale, and mine is a bit larger and has a reversible top which converts to a tray!
They also had a butcher block kitchen cart which could serve as a little island. I think it was $100 or something like that. It had a couple of food stains on it. It's EXACTLY what I had been looking for for ages, but I wanted a new one, not a used one. First of all, I wouldn't buy a used cart that people prepared food on, especially wood, since it absorbs liquids and fluids, and secondly, WHO sells something like this? It's just gross. The answer, obviously, is CHEAP PEOPLE (most likely rich ones, who are the cheapest of all and usually want to squeeze out every penny they can from everything and everyone - which is why they're rich).
Of all the hundreds of pieces that were on display, I only saw perhaps 3 or 4 pieces that I would call "quality"/"upscale" furniture (e.g., the type that you find in the houses of people who live in multi-million dollar houses in the valley). Everything else was pretty run-of-the-mill items priced at designer prices.
No doubt, the reason this is so expensive is that HCC is a MIDDLEMAN. In order to make a good chunk off the item, the price has to be as high as possible. The objective for the buyer, then, is to cut out the middleman, so, if you want good furniture, wait for sales at the major department stores and furniture stores, check out estate sales in Saratoga, Los Altos Hills, and other "ritzy" areas, and BUY DIRECTLY FROM THE SELLERS. Those people tend to be cheap, but precisely because they're too cheap to pay to get the stuff they don't want hauled away, they will often discount their asking price so that you'll take it off their property. I know people (including other rich people) who have bought very nice pieces this way.
2. Jewelry
I also checked out the jewelry. Another OVER-PRICED disappointment! USED JEWELRY is also a hugely depreciating asset (although, granted, not as much as furniture). The prices were comparable to what I have found at jewelry stores. Some of the pieces had a more unique look to them, but the problem was the price.
3. Staff
The staff exhibited a variety of attitudes: 2 were snooty, one was relatively pleasant, one was extremely rude. I don't know about the rest because I didn't interact with them. There was an older woman with blondish hair and glasses who was VERY RUDE and dismissive when I asked if they discounted the tagged prices.
BOTTOM LINE: If you are looking for USED furniture at a DISCOUNT, furniture that reflects the DEPRECIATION of used furniture, and helpful, friendly staff, this is NOT the place to go. read more