Is Thrifting Still Worth It?

Everybody thrifts now.

Thanks to TikTok, Antique Roadshow and a host of other channels and accounts dedicated to thrifted finds (guilty as charged), the pastime has found widespread appeal.

The thrift stores are crowded. I find myself bumping into lots of teenagers with their phones out filming their hauls. I spy people of all ages and income levels trying to find deals. And yes, there are many more resellers since COVID, when thrifting for profit found popularity among people who found themselves working from home with extra time on their hands.

Gone are the days of only the penny pinchers filling their homes with second hand or thrifted furniture and decor. FB marketplace prices can be steep and competitive, and having something ‘one of a kind’ in the home is a sort of bragging right these days, rather a need based decision. I’ve even heard people refer to pieces purchased from curated antique malls as ‘thrifted’, which, as a true thrifting aficionado myself, makes me laugh a bit.

But are the good old days of thrifting over? Has its popularity destroyed it?

I am a die hard thrifter, and have been frequenting thrift stores for the last several years. I do it both as a source of income and also to find things for myself and my family: clothing, kitchen utensils, artwork, furniture, toys…the list goes on. Here are some general facts about the thrifting situation currently, from my knowledge base and experience: 

Prices are not what they used to be.

Prices everywhere have gone up, which has included a major increase in thrift store prices. The legitimate reasons for this are a bit befuddling to me.

There’s an obvious increase simply due to demand. More people want to shop at thrift stores, so thrift stores are driving up prices. This is unfair, but business is business. It does seem absurd to charge more for items that are largely trash and sometimes treasure. But that is my opinion.

An article from the New York Times claims that the influx of donations due to fast fashion consumption has upped the cost of running and maintaining thrift stores. I can see this definitely being the case to an extent, but I haven’t noticed any major renovations or increased work force at any locations I frequent. This must be referring to the work being done outside of retail locations.

Whatever the causes, these inflated prices have made it difficult for us who are self employed running small businesses in the second hand fashion industry. When I first started selling on Poshmark, I sold a lot of blouses (they’re a quick sell, generally fit as expected, an easy buy for online shoppers). I was able to find them for $3 or less, and sell for an average of $20-$25. Now the going rate is $8 + per blouse (at least here in Dallas). For every rack of $8 polyester shirts from HM and and Forever 21, you might find one piece that is higher quality and that isn’t completely out of style.

In most cases, you are not contributing to charity. 

I’m not going to name names here, but do a quick Google search on major thrift store chains and how they do their business. For those branded as non profits, there is much speculation about how much of their money actually goes to charity. And some thrift store companies, such as the popular Savers chain, are actually publicly traded companies on the stock market.

I used to tell myself that not only was I getting a deal from a thrift store but I was supporting charitable causes. That is simply not the case overall. Your small, locally run charity shops are most likely the best bet if you’re hoping for your money to go to a good cause.

You do need to shop with some strategy to be successful.

If you’re going to thrift, you do have to dedicate yourself to it a bit. There are a couple of simple strategies I recommend for success. The weekends and holidays tend to be pretty picked over, so you will have better luck if you can go at odd times during the week. If you are interested in thrifting for profit, for pleasure, or for your own purposes, make a habit of going frequently. Even if you just stop into a shop on your lunch break once a week, you’ll increase your chances of finding something you can’t leave without.

The real problem with thrifting isn’t thrifting.

The lack of “good stuff” in thrift stores is not entirely due to how popular thrifting has become for the masses, how many of us resellers there are out there, and how all the frenzy has driving up prices for secondhand things. A significant problem is what is being produced on a mass scale that is new.

Our fashion industry has moved from 4 seasons of rotating fashion per year to as much as a weekly rotation— that’s 52 collections being produced every year. We consume trends as quickly as our Instagram stories expire. These huge amounts of fast fashion items are making their way to the thrift stores, crowding out the harder to find wool cardigans and solid wood furniture pieces we all hope to find.

If you have never been to the Goodwill outlet, let me paint a picture for you. It’s a massive warehouse, filled to the brim with clothing and bric a brac. Piles and piles and pallets upon pallets.. It’s a mixture of fresh donations and leftovers from Goodwill stores. Much of it is worn down to the point of being unwearable or was poorly made to begin with. Some of these things will be purchased on site, some will go on to a store location, and much of it will go to a landfill.

Is thrifting sustainable? Sure it is. But it is just as sustainable to support brands that sell ethically produced, non synthetic pieces. Because if those who can do not, there won’t be anything good left for the rest of us to thrift.

My conclusion

Thrift anyways- if you enjoy it.

I still thrift, but am having more and more difficulty finding what I need. It’s more difficult finding pieces for resale, and it’s more difficult finding things for my own family to wear. I go several times a week, and am leaving empty handed about half of those times.

I thrift for good prices, but also for treasures, as I’m sure many of you reading this do as well. In this case, nothing beats the thrill of the chase- or the find.

And one last tip: f your favorite spots have dried up- try some new thrift stores! Sometimes a bit of exploration leads to a new place that you end up consistently having better luck with.

Consider alternatives.

If you thrift because you’re seeking one of a kind quality clothing pieces—or simply a more sustainable alternative to mall brands—you have other options than thrift stores.

Buy Sell Trade stores like Crossroads or Buffalo Exchange are basically a thrift store upgrade- the prices are reasonable and they have a curated selection so you are less likely to waste your time. This is opposed to a thrift store that is entirely donation based. Online resale sites (such as Poshmark and Ebay or the Real Real) are also great options for shopping secondhand, and you can browse from the comfort of your couch without ever having to pound the pavement.

If you value quality and sustainability, and supporting ethically produced small brands is within your reach, consider it! It’s so essential to fight the monster that is fast fashion. If shopping exclusively this way isn’t for you, maybe identify a new favorite brand that you can plan to purchase some investment pieces from down the road.

What are your thoughts?

Do you thrift (still)? Have you had a similar experience and given up altogether? I’d love to know, so feel free to add any thoughts you have on the subject in the comment section down below!