I've been buying and selling at Once Upon a Child for years, and it's always one of my first stops when my kids need the next size up or when I'm ready to clear out clothes and gear they've outgrown. I know this store gets criticism for being selective, but honestly, would you want to buy secondhand children's items that weren't carefully inspected? They're selective for a reason, and as a parent, I appreciate that. I've also seen negative comments about the owner. In my experience, he's always been kind and professional. He genuinely seems to care about the business and his customers. Like anyone, he may come across differently depending on the situation, but if you give him a chance, I think you'll find he's a good guy. Yes, there can be a wait when you sell your items, but that's because someone is individually sorting through every single piece. That takes time. I'd rather they inspect everything thoroughly than rush through it. As for payouts, they are very upfront about how their buying process works. If you're looking to make the absolute most money, they'll even suggest other platforms like Facebook Marketplace. But as a busy mom, convenience is worth a lot. I don't always have the time to photograph, list, answer messages, and coordinate meetups. I'd much rather bring everything in, get paid the same day, and be done. People also forget that this is a business. They have rent, payroll, utilities, and many other operating costs. They can't pay close to retail value and still keep the doors open. The trade-off is convenience, and for me, it's absolutely worth it. Overall, Once Upon a Child is a fantastic place to buy affordable, gently used kids' items and an easy, hassle-free option for selling what your family no longer needs. I'll definitely keep coming back. read more

I had a really disappointing experience at Once Upon a Child. I dropped off my kids' clothes around noon and wasn't notified they were ready until about 5:30 p.m. Waiting over five hours just to receive an offer seems excessive. I brought in several items from brands like Zara and Nike that were in excellent, almost new condition. I understand resale stores need to make a profit, but the offers were shockingly low--around $1-$2 per item. The younger employees were friendly and pleasant, but the older gentleman who helped me was extremely rude, impatient, and acted like my questions were an inconvenience. When I politely asked how they determine what they pay for certain items, he couldn't really explain it and responded with a lot of attitude instead of being helpful. After my visit, I read through some of the other reviews, and I wish I had done that beforehand. It seems several other customers had similar experiences with the older gentleman, and I definitely understand what they were talking about. Based on my experience, he came across as unfriendly, impatient, and rude. Customer service makes all the difference, and unfortunately, this experience was anything but pleasant. Between the long wait, the very low offers, and the poor customer service, I won't be returning to buy or sell here. I'd rather donate my kids' clothes to Goodwill than deal with that kind of attitude. read more

For people who have never been to this business, here are a few things you should know: It takes at least 2-3 hours for them to go over your items and pick the ones they want to buy from you. You need to come back to pick up the money and the items they don't want the same day before 8 pm They are very selective on the items so expect to take most of your stuff back. read more

I had a really great experience here selling. There was already a line out the door before the store even opened so definitely get there early if you want to have a chance to get your stuff, looked at and pick it up within two hours or so. They have a detailed eye and can spot stains, which makes sense cause stained items are hard to sell. And also be careful because they do not take European sizes so make sure your items have labels on them and have US sizes. The lady who is the manager, there was very informative and very patient explaining the process to every new person walking in. I'm not sure if I would have that much patience myself repeating the same information several times an hour. As for how they organize the clothes and arranged it, it was very neat and tidy, in some ways I would say even better than how Ross and TJ Maxx organize their clothes. I looked through some of the racks and all of the clothes were labeled well and organized by color and size as well and they had some nice brands in there too. I really wish I knew about the store a lot sooner, but my kids are now 10 and older and I missed out on 10 years worth of clean affordable clothes while also reselling some of my very nice brand name clothes that I ended up giving away to my neighbors who probably just ended up donating it to Goodwill. I highly recommend checking out their inventory as well as reselling some of your nicer items here. Don't expect to walk away with a boatload of money, but it's still something in your pocket versus dropping it off at a donation site and walking away with no $. My only complaint is I wish there were more of these stores all over the bay area. I had to drive quite a bit out of my way to get here before the store opened because I knew the wait is long if you go later in the day. read more

I'm reviewing this location from the perspective of selling items. I've sold clothing, books, and toys here on three separate occasions. They have high standards for the clothing they accept---no stains or noticeable wash wear, which I actually appreciate because it keeps the quality of their inventory high. If your items are in excellent condition, they're not overly picky about brands, sizes, or seasons. Each time I've brought items in, they've accepted close to 80% of what I brought. I only bring clothing that's in like-new condition, which helps make the process easier for everyone. The reason I'm giving 4 instead of 5 stars is the wait time for them to review and buy clothing. Their estimated times are often very inaccurate sometimes by hours. If I lived nearby, it wouldn't be a big deal, but I live almost an hour away, so it can turn into an all-day trip just to sell one bin of clothing. The female manager (I think, she's always there) is wonderful. She is friendly, welcoming, and always a pleasure to work with. Some of the younger employees, however, could be more welcoming and improve their customer interactions. Overall, I've had positive experiences selling here and will continue to come back, but I do wish the turnaround times were more accurate. read more

Kids grow faster than we blink, some times we just need a couple of simple onesies that will only be used for a few weeks. I came here for a couple of tops. Decorative onesies are roughly $2.5-3.5 but simple ones can be $1.5 or 10 for $10. I grabbed a couple which to my surprise came from good brands such as Carters, Juicy Couture, Betsy Johnson. Overall it may not have everything you need, I would utilize it as a back up. read more

I actually like this place when I want to get rid of my son's clothes he grew out of. I've always had a good experience, especially with the owner (and I had no idea he was the owner). You can't expect to get $10 per item you brought back. All the stuff they sell are marked at really good prices so they need to make a profit as well. He's doing a good deed with the prices he marks the clothes as. I've purchased from here and it's really affordable and cute stuff. I think we should remember to be kind to everyone because we don't know what the employees or the owner goes through with different customers everyday. He's always been kind to me and that should tell you something. Also, this is clothes our child(ren) won't fit in anymore so let's not be to harsh on what they offer. read more

WARNING If you want an easy experience, good customer service, and fair treatment, look elsewhere. My first time here 6mo ago was subpar. I was talked down to by the owner and got bad vibes. I stopped by again recently, hoping to give this place a second chance, and made sure to strive for a bit more patience and kindness, but it was a worse visit than the first, again from the middle aged male owner. Other customers exiting behind me were overheard vocalizing similar sentiments. Even when I first walked in the door I was talked down to in a condescending way upon checkin, as if I should know exactly how things work here without any explanation. If the owner would show a bit more patience and not cut people off when they're in the middle of a simple question, maybe smile a little, and be more helpful, it could be a much better outcome. This is especially troubling given the nature of this business, which is to upcycle child care equipment and clothing, something that already has enough stress and would do better to communicate a sense of community and upliftment rather than bitterness and rude attitudes. I hope the owner learns some kindness and softens his heart before it's too late to change - there may still time but I won't be back. read more

Thank you Once Upon A Child Newark for your excellent selection and prices. We were able to have an outfit for each day at a very reasonable price thanks to you all and your hard work. Thank you Once Upon A Child Newark (they are not all made equal- I highly suggest this location over any other). Keep up the wonderful work. read more

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Absolutely do not recommend this place ! The owner here is completely so disrespectful especially to other elderly who don't understand how to use the check in screen and so rude to customers who are trying to sell. This is a children's store and for someone who runs it completely shows no interest in working with children items. read more

The store is small but packed with a wide selection of used children's clothing. I appreciated how the clothes were organized by size, color, and category. However, the toy section was a bit chaotic. It was hard to sort through everything, and some toys felt overpriced for being secondhand. That said, there were still some fairly priced options, and I managed to find a couple of hidden gems! Overall, it's worth a visit if you're patient and willing to dig for deals. They take Apple Pay read more

I would definitely give the customer service of this place a -1000/10. We walked in and the people looked at us weird. We were helped by the lady at the counter that had severe attitude problems. Literally ruined our experience here and made us want to leave immediately. Not coming back any time soon read more

I love this store and would come here every weekend if I lived closer. This review is all about selling. They always buy from me but the wait is long (3-4 hours) on weekends. I do have some tips to help others bring in valuable items to hopefully speed up processing times in general. Tips for selling: COMPLETE SET - (especially Carters brand- underneath, the tag will say three pieces), if any is missing they will not take it. TAG SIZE MUST BE VISIBLE - it's common for some printed tag sizes to be washed off, so don't bother bringing it in if the size is not visible. It'll be difficult for both them to process and for customers to buy. NON USA SIZING - think off brand clothes that have "110", ahem SHEIN, that do not specify 3-6 months or size 3T for example. I haven't brought in these so I cannot confirm 100% but I imagine it would be difficult for customers to identify the sizing. OTHER: holes, wrinkly, stained, FADED, piling. Don't bother! Please save the employees time. BOOKS - If you ever visit their store, the books are in new or like-new condition and they sell it for really cheap ($1-4) which is a great value for customers. I wouldn't sell books unless it's in really good condition and you don't mind not getting much money. If you're selling baby equipment or toys, shoes, make sure everything is clean as if it's ready to be used. My friend sold a stroller here and he got good money because he spent extra time cleaning it down. Don't be afraid to bring in holiday clothing (July 4th, Christmas, Halloween costumes). I've brought in preemie clothes and newborn clothes as well. In general some things can be a hit or miss but they may still purchase! sleepers are a hit or miss as well maybe because they already have a ton. Make sure it's not wrinkly. I had brought in like 10-15 and they didn't take them likely cus of wrinkles. Items I love to sell here are mainly outwear, going out clothes, sets, pajamas, bigger sizes (2T+ clothing), sports and Disney brands). Bread and butter brand names include Garanimals, cat and jack, Zara, old navy, etc. read more

Never available to take clothes in. I've called, I've gone in person, every time they say they don't have time. Not sure if they just don't staff enough, or if they don't want to take on more work. Gonna just donate my big box of barely used clothes. read more

The amount of kids clothing that they have is amazing! The prices are extremely reasonable, and they have great deals. Everything is organized so well (gender, size, etc). I genuinely don't understand the negative reviews about service- I had no issues, it was a normal checkout experience. read more

Typically, I love this place -- the vibe, the mission, the friendly staff. It's been one of my go-to spots, and I've always appreciated how welcoming and community-driven it feels. That's why today's experience was so surprising and disappointing. I called ahead to check if they were currently looking for any specific kids' items, as I've often seen them post real-time needs on their Instagram stories. Instead of the warm and helpful tone I've come to expect, I was met with a surprisingly curt and disengaged response. The woman who answered sounded uninterested and told me to check the website -- which I had already done, but it didn't offer any store-specific info. When I mentioned this, she abruptly said, "I can't really tell you this right now, we're busy." I understand being busy -- truly. But TONE and kindness matter, especially when you've built a brand centered on community and care. This felt off-brand and dismissive. I hope this was just an off moment and not a new norm, because I really do believe in what this place stands for and unfortunately I cannot shop nor recommend a place in which this behavior is acceptable. 5 stars for previous experiences, 2 stars for the negative encounter, regardless of how busy you are in the moment ALL customers should be tended to otherwise disconnect the line if it is an inconvenience. read more

Do not sell here unless you want less than a dollar for your items. They also put the most expensive items on the bottom knowing you're probably not going to look through the 4 things that they buy. Owner didn't let me exchange an item I was trying to sell to them for another because they didn't take the item I was trying to give him. He overall was short with everyone , just like the reviews say. Asked for one item back and my total went down $1 good place to buy if you need to shop on a budget but they're terrible to sell to. read more

First time here and what a great place for anyone looking for clothes for their baby. Everything is organized by size and gender and even by sleep pajamas and outfits. We were able to walk out with 6 outfits with a total of $30. We got Nike, Carhart, Disney and a bunch of other brands. Some of the clothes we got look brand new as well. read more

Customer service is horrible! Do not try to sell anything at this location. You're better off just donating.

This place is a total joke. If you're that desperate for money go for it. But i would never come back to this place. They took 77 items for only 59$. They claim my stuff had stains and no tags which is a total lie due to the fact i washed my stuff. They don't know anything about the definition pf gently used clothes. The store itself smelled like dust and i saw spider webs in parts of the store. The employees are all sarcastic and not friendly at all. The value of the store is basically low level of customer service and pathetic atmosphere. It looks like a dirty good will store in there. read more

Grandma-approved find! This little shop is a gem for kids clothes - tiny space, but packed with high-quality options. Everything's neatly organized, so it's easy to spot great prices. Scored nearly-new Nike and Gap outfits for my grandson at a fraction of the retail price. That said, toy prices feel a bit steep for used items (some are priced close to new!), and the toy selection itself is limited. Still, for affordable, well-cared-for clothes that don't require digging through chaos? I'll be back! read more

Love love love this location. As my boys get older I don't have too many options but I still check them out periodically. Today I went to see what they had on sale. The sale was $5 off $25 for 5 de Mayo which was great! I was able to get 5 T-shirts and a jacket for my 9yo boy and 3 shirts and 2 shorts for my 5yo all for $40 out the door! Their service is always fantastic and I try to recommend this location to all my friends with littles. There's a lot of little boy and little girl clothes at a fraction of the price of any retail store! Service today did not fail even with how packed it gets on the weekends specially with awesome sales! Thank you! read more

unfortunately the selling process has become extremely difficult and complicated. they are very picky with what items they buy from you & will lowball you as well. i've sold clothes to them and each time it's "the clothes need to be flipped inside out bc we don't have time to flip them" or "the clothes were outdated" (mind you i buy pretty updated and new clothes for my toddler frequently so there's no way they're outdated. & also the tracy location gives you 24 hours to pick up your stuff once they made you an offer. THIS location however, doesn't give that option. the older white male there is very rude as well. i'm over trying to give this location a chance. read more

I truly love this place. I have 4 kids, as you can imagine we go through a lot of clothes. This location is about a 45 min from my house. But I think it's been always worth it. They usually buy about $60-$70 from 2 bins. Which I end up usually buying some toys or other stuff for the kids. It's hard to gauge what they'll take. Most of the times I am surprised. The stuff that I think will sell they don't take and the stuff where I am debating to take it they ll take. So I can't give you good advice there. lol. However, make sure it's new or washed, and definitely not stained and not wrinkled. Good luck Also it losses one star because the owner is a bit grumpy at times. However i always experienced the staff as friendly and helpful read more

The employees have no type of customer service, they look miserable. When I asked the young lady "where can I purchase my items" she just pointed to a register and said "you pay over there" didn't look up or anything just plain out rude. It was my first time visiting this store and it's the last. Rather shop on Facebook marketplace or even goodwill. Disappointed on the experience. read more

Great place for used kids products at great value. Lots of things to choose, good selection and different sizes.

Huge variety and great prices. They always have some type of sale. I would recommend you don't try to bring your stroller in with your kid because it is tight in there. With this variety and selection, I won't pay full price for anything in the future. Sizes go from preemie up to kids (size 12-14). read more

Went in today and as I was checking out there was a book sling with a clear sign of $12. The cashier scanned the item, ripped off the tag and didn't even mention the price was wrong. When I saw my receipt I was charged $20. I went back in and they said they can't honor the $12 price. Frustrating so I just got a refund for the whole thing. Employees need to be more aware of the price tags they put as it was very misleading. read more

I've been selling my kids outgrown toys and clothes here for the past couple of years. It's great to see items get a second life. It's true that what they offer isn't super duper generous, but that's not what one should expect. I'm getting a little bit of cash for items I would have given away for free or thrown in the trash/recycled. It's a great place to extend the use and life of your kids clothes/toys, but manage your expectations about what you'll be paid. read more

Turns out it was actually user error and went into the store today and they showed me how to use it properly. Picked up some cute summer clothes for my son too. read more

Every time I come I try to be positive and I am just disappointed. Do not waste your time on selling any items, the owner is completely clueless! read more

I'm a new first time mom, and I'm a shop-o-holic. My son has amassed so many clothes from designer brands to run in the mill everyday brands (Old Navy, etc.). I sorted through all of his stuff, and after giving some stuff to my nanny, donating stuff to Goodwill, and setting the designer stuff aside for consignment and resell apps, I decided to take some of the Zara, Old Navy, Gap, and other brands to Once Upon a Child to see what I could get. After browsing the store and seeing how cheap the prices were, I knew I wasn't going to get much. So, your first step is to acknowledge that you will NEVER make your money back if you paid full price on your items. Get that thought out of your mind. Also, if you're someone like me who used to sell their clothes at Plato's Closet, Crossroads, Buffalo Exchange, etc., you know they don't give you much. If you can get past this hurdle, you'll be better off. I bought a bin with nearly 60 items and all were brand new, never worn, with tags. They passed on four items because they were non-US sized. They offered be $72, and I took it. Granted, I probably could have listed each item from $5-25 in mommy resell groups, PoshMark, etc., but I honestly just wanted the stuff out of my house. I didn't want to wait for the stuff to sell and I didn't want to take pictures, post, print labels, pack up, etc. Normaline was very friendly. She asked if I visited their website before giving me a rundown of the rules. I had, so we were able to skip over all of the info. I checked in at 10:48, my estimate was an hour and 45 minutes, and I got a text at 12:25 that my items were ready. As far as the store in concerned, it's incredibly organized. The only thing I wish they required is to have parents clean the shoes before they buy them. However, for me, it makes me think that maybe I could get a few pennies for my kid's rundown stuff versus taking a major hit on items brand new with tags. I also have big ticket items (Mamaroo, Baby Bjorn bouncers, etc.), and I will come by and try and sell those. Overall: the prices are so good and affordable, there are so many items, and parents who want to buy nice items for their kids without spending a fortune should come here. If you want to resell, read the website, know the rules, and pick up your items same day. read more

I found many nice items in this organized store for my little grandson. There was a nice man behind the counter that works there , or owns the place. Had a very nice experience. Will be back. read more

I really like this place. I was able to sell almost $70 worth of children's clothing. I was able to buy a few shirts and pants that were brand new. Prices are excellent and on top of that what we got was on sale (50% off) I was able to use some of the $70 and the rest I received in cash. I was able to drop of the clothing in containers and about 1 hour later they were ready. This store has everything pretty organized. I was able to go directly to the sizes I needed. They sorted it out by boy and girls... age....size... colors... short sleeve/long sleeve/ coats/ pants/ shorts/ skirts. Even though there was a lot to look it, I didn't feel overwhelmed. They had toys and shoes to the left of the store and more of newborns and baby items to the right. I thought that it was cool that they have a point system also. I earn points for certain amounts I spend then I can use the points to redeem for discounts. I live out of town so this was my first time selling to this store. It was such an easy process. It was first come first serve basis and they stop taking items by 3. Everything is looked at the same day. I was very glad I didn't need to schedule an appointment like some of the places I have been to. Some of the employees are nice here and some maybe had a bad day? Overall, I recommend this place to either sell your children's items or even buy children's items. We will continue to come back every time we visit this city. read more

information that is not clearly stated I called ahead of the visit because we are within 20mins drive down the freeway and wanted to be prepared. I thought we had asked all the appropriate questions ahead of the visit. I spoke to a very friendly woman over the phone I took a look at the website entered 2 zones of selling & NO WHERE in those pages of selling did it state that there was a STANDING WAIT TIME should it develop a wait behind other sellers. Upon arrival: They gave a QUE wait monitor that stated quotes to sell are out at 2hrs & 10mins That could have been COMMUNICATED over the phone as I was a interested 1st time seller with brand new items with tags and a drive down the freeway. My suggestion is to clearly indicate that there MAY be a QUE wait for interested sellers. Plan to be within the area for the que wait time because you must report back to the store for quotes given items of interest and rejected. Ideal communication: Our estimate right now it's currently at... So that families and individuals can plan this into the days events. The best feedback is the staff were friendly. read more

Always noticed this business every time my family and I would eat around the area and we never really gave it a chance and today we finally did! At first I thought it was just a toy store so today I was surprised with the amount of inventory they have. Huge selection of clothes, toys, children's accessories, etc. My partner and I got so pumped up that we ended up purchasing the Babytrend jogger stroller which was still in good shape (you can tell they're selective with the condition of the items they buy from people coming in to sell items) and also 10 pcs. of clothes for my newborn niece from their mix and match sale, for relatively low prices. Overall, I'm happy with our purchase! The bad reviews about the owner are a little discouraging, not going to lie, but we didn't meet him or see him today. I guess we'll find out on our next visit since we're definitely coming back. And we didn't get the names of the two nice ladies in the front and the cashier who helped answer the questions we had about our selected / purchased items but they gave us pleasant customer service. read more

In general all employees for this facility need to work on customer service. The old man wearing glasses is rude, abusive and don't know how to treat customers. I was a customer for about 5-6 years. I will never come back ever again. read more

Been here a few times to sell my children's clothing that they've outgrown. To sell- you need to make sure the clothing has been washed and in a plastic bin or box. Bags won't be accepted. They will look through the clothing, shoes, toys, books. They will make an offer. You can accept it and use it towards another item at their store if you'd like. Kids outgrow their clothes so quickly. I use the funds to "recycle." Buy them other clothing they made need. Shopped in here a couple of times as well. There are tons of items to look at. There located in a plaza- next door to 7 Eleven. read more

Once Upon a Child - Baby Gear & Furniture Near Me - Newark, California

Came with a pure white, like new baby swing to sell. Was told the first time they would take it but they wanted me to spot treat a stain. So, we did. Laundered the entire thing and brought it back with "all original parts", as stated on their website. The second time we brought it back, stood there and assembled it...the guy asks "Make sure it has the mobile which hangs from the top!" We don't have the measly mobile with the 3 star toys on it...oh, well! Now they won't take it because of the mobile. A perfectly good, like new swing but the mobile is missing so apparently no one can use the swing now? It's ridiculous because the place smells like cigarette smoke and heavy Febreze fragrance which is super unhealthy for a baby but at least they care about the mobile toy, I guess?! Even if you read their website and come prepared, it's a waste of time and effort. Just donate everything for free to Birthright or Guadalupe Hope Society! read more

I really enjoy this place. I wish I had known about it sooner. They staff is helpful and sweet. The store is clean and organized. I love their sell back options on gently used clothes and toys. Tip - get there early if you want to do sell back because it could take a bit of time. When I went it was pretty busy and we dropped off. It was about 3 hours to get the call back. For clothes - I'm grateful for their mailing list on the deals they have. They had a $1 clearance event where a ton of clothes were on sell for $1. This was also super helpful for our newborn because they grow so quickly and it seems like such a waste to spend a ton on new clothes that they usually only wear a couple of times. It'd be awesome if they had an option for store credit or cash on the sell back, but I also totally get why they do just cash. Highly recommend d read more