Most of my thrifting tips thus far have been focused on your traditional thrift stores, like goodwill, but there’s a whole other side of thrifting to explore: resale.
This summer, I had the opportunity to work at a resale shop in my hometown so I learned all the ins and outs. If you’re unfamiliar with the term, a resale shop is a place where individuals can sell their unwanted clothes, and customers can buy the clothes their fellow community members sold. Let’s walk through what you can expect at one of these stores.
As a shopper at one of these stores, you will find current styles in like-new condition. Rather than sifting through a lot of junk to find hidden gems, most things you see will be pretty darn cute, because someone has already done all the sifting for you. You’ll find a lot of nicer brands and some designer items, as well as your more typical mall brands.
While resale shops are great for finding the styles of the moment, if you’re looking for vintage pieces, a resale shop is not the place for you. Also keep in mind that since this is a curated experience and inventory is paid for instead of donated, prices will be higher, but you will still be saving quite a lot as opposed to buying new!
If you come in to sell your clothes, keep in mind that these stores need to be very choosy. It is very rare that every piece you bring in gets purchased. There are certain items thay just can’t accept no matter how awesome you think they are. Sometimes a piece is cute, but if it has stains, wear, pilling, wrinkles, or a funky smell, they can’t take it. Other times items are just not current and trendy enough. Sometimes there’s nothing wrong with the item but if the store has tons of jeans in backstock, they can’t be buying more jeans.No matter what the reason, please don’t be mad at the poor retail employee who tells you why we didn’t buy your clothes.
For the items they do take, keep in mind you’re not gonna make a ton of money. These stores sell your item at a discounted price and they can only offer you a fraction of that price so they can make a profit and keep the business afloat. Even though it might not be a huge pay out, it’s always nice to have some spare cash in your wallet.
If the cash isn’t enough incentive to sell your clothes, find motivation in knowing that selling your clothes is actually better for the planet than donating them. Don’t misunderstand- donating your clothes is still a great option and anything that isn’t purchased by the store you should definitely donate rather than toss. However, some items that are donated end up in landfills when they are not sold-a pretty grim fate for something that took so many resources to create. When you sell an item to a resale shop, you know that it will find its way home with someone who will love it and give it a second life. At least where I worked, items that are sold to us never end up in a landfill and always end up with a new home. We have a policy to never throw out unsold merchandise, rather we clearance it out, or if all else fails, donate to local charities.
Resale shops are a great place to both shop and sell. They are filled with so many fashion finds with minimal digging involved. Plus they give you a chance to clean out your closet sustainably while making a little extra coin. Find a resale shop in your area and go check it out!
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