Business phone system for used merchandise stores in Illinois

The used merchandise store industry in Illinois

Illinois had 655 used merchandise stores in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns (NAICS 453310, Used Merchandise Stores). They employed 7,703 people in mid-March and reported $198.1 million in annual payroll. That is the 8th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Used merchandise stores make up 0.20% of the 322,415 business establishments in the state.

Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Illinois has 5.2 used merchandise stores, 10.0% below the national rate of 5.7. The average establishment has 11.8 employees against 11.4 nationally. Payroll per employee is $25,720, 4.9% above the U.S. figure of $24,523.

Where used merchandise stores in Illinois are concentrated

Census published used merchandise store counts for 28 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Illinois. The largest is Chicago, IL-IN, with 423 establishments (a multi-state area; its count covers every state it spans). Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 28% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.

Team sizes at used merchandise stores in Illinois

44.6% of Illinois's used merchandise stores with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 43.2% nationally. 68.6% had fewer than ten. That is the size of team where a missed call usually means nobody was free, not that nobody was on staff.

Why the phone matters for used merchandise stores in Illinois

Thrift, consignment and resale stores take calls about donations, consignment terms and stock. Consignors call to check on their items.

A few of the calls that come in to used merchandise stores in Illinois:

• The store calls a consignor about payout.
• A customer calls about pickup service.
• A consignor calls to check on sales.

After-hours calls

After-hours calls are mostly hours questions.

Callata voicemail is transcribed and triaged for urgency, and business-hours routing decides where calls go once you close.

What a phone system costs a used merchandise store in Illinois

Used merchandise stores in Illinois average 11.8 employees, so the comparison uses a 12-person team. Per-seat business phone plans bill every one of those people. At month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026, 12 users on RingCentral RingEX Core cost $360.00 a month and 12 on Ooma Office Pro cost $299.40. On Callata the same 12 people cost $239.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.

The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $1,452. Some vendors discount annual contracts; the table shows month-to-month prices.

Area codes in Illinois

Illinois has 17 geographic area codes in service according to NANPA. You can choose local numbers in the area codes your customers know, subject to carrier inventory, or port your current number for free.

How Callata works for used merchandise stores in Illinois

Callata Office costs $99 per month for up to 5 people, and each additional user is $20 a month. That covers up to 3 local numbers, calling from a browser or your cell, transcribed voicemail, recorded calls with AI summaries, after-hours routing and E911 on each number.

If you already have a number in Illinois, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.

Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.