Getting the Goods When You’re Shopping at Thrift Stores

by Dana Joseph on July 2, 2008 · 6 comments

in Saving Money

We’ve all heard stories from thrift shop gurus who talk about finding really great, brand name clothing while shopping at the thrift shop. When you check out your favorite thrift shop, however, all you find are slightly worn versions of the same clothes you find at Wal-mart or Target. What are you doing wrong?

There is no fail-proof technique to finding high-end garments while you’re shopping at thrift stores, but there are a few schemes that may help you on your hunt. Try them out and, eventually, you will develop your own technique.

Visit thrift stores that are in or close to the more affluent neighborhoods near you. It stands to reason that donations of name brand clothing must come from people who could afford to buy these clothes at regular retail prices. So why wouldn’t you go to their neck of the woods to look for their cast-offs?

Check out a wide variety of stores. If you are on the prowl for a thrift store that regularly delivers high quality articles of clothing, you should check out many different stores. Explore the different stores throughout your city. Consider it a challenge to find something special each time you embark on your “thrifting” expedition.

Visit your favorite thrift stores frequently. Inventory at these stores changes very often. You’re likely to discover a new treasure at every visit. Take some time to look through special items that may be hidden among less attention-grabbing inventory.

Get to know the staff at your favorite shop. When you visit, be sure to talk to the friendly staff stocking the racks or helping you complete your purchases. They may prove to be a gold mine of information about when new items make their ways to the shelves. You may even become friendly enough to be able to ask them to hold something for you, if they come across something you’ve been looking for.

The real key to finding quality items at a thrift shop is to enjoy the hunt. You may not find exactly what you want at every outing, but if you’re open to finding unexpected gems you’ll have a great time anyway.

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{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }

1 Trish July 9, 2008 at 8:52 am

Great post gave me a lot to think about trying.

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