What to do with the best gear I can't use?

I'm new to the game and playing an Archer. I started thinking about this when I got a few green Enchantress staves and now I just found some purple Warrior armor. What is the best thing to do with these?

Obviously, using the "Sell this for X" options seems...uhm...sub-optimial. Is there a way I could send these kinds of items to one of my other characters? (I ran into something called a Stash in one of the towns...is that what it's for?)

Other than that, exchanging it to other player seems to be possible thru 3 methods: Trading, Consignment, or Auction. Trading seems to have the best potential to get me something I can put to good use, but it seems like it would be tedious trying to find someone who has something I would want. I'm not sure the difference between Consignment and Auction, but both would pay out gold, which I haven't found much need for in the game (since monster drops seem much better than things I can buy from vendors so far).

So, if anyone would care to enlighten me on these options, I would really appreciate it. :D

Yep that's what the stash is for. You can put something in there and take it out with any of your chars.

Yes, stash is for, like Les said, switching items, gold, and potions, from character to character. Consignment Shop, or CS, is often referred to as Auction House, so they're the same thing. Drops are a lot of the time better than things you can buy off merchants. I would recommend searching them in CS, and finding out what the items are going for, and sell them slightly lower, and buy some archer gear. I take it you're leveling your archer first, so thats just my advice, but if you feel you'll need it in the future, keep it:D

At low level you have very little use for gold, except for potions but you will get enough gold from chests to keep yourself topped up so no real need to sell items at this stage. Do sell them though and keep your gold building up, once you hit about level 30 the best items start getting costly to buy so if you have saved up your gold as you are levelling up then you wont have any problems :)

*The consignment shop is in Balefort Castle btw.
In the beginning of the game there might seem to be little use for gold but you are guaranteed to have plenty of uses for it in the future as you level up.
Start stockpiling now and you won't regret it.
There are some good threads about using the consignment shop buried around here somewhere. Research items before you liquidate or trade them. Many low level pink items are very valuable to people with twinks.
Good luck and have fun!

Most people put items in CS (aka consignment shoppe, aka auction house, aka AH) and after selling, collect the gold. Than use the gold to buy gear for themselves. Merching ftw!