Thrity Shoppers, Buying Second Hand Clothing

Saving money, but adding items to your wardrobe that may be slightly used or even new is possible due to consignment and thrift shops.

The word consignment comes from the French word consigner - to hand over or transmit.  This type of a store allows someone to place items they no longer want with a shop to be sold.  Although both consignment and thrift shops carry second hand merchandise, a thrift shop differs in the way it acquires their merchandise.  The items are donated by the owner to the thrift store who becomes the new owner and most of these shops are operated to benefit a charity.

The following chart can help explain the differences between the thrift shop and a consignment store.

                                 Consignment                                  Thrift

Merchandise           Ownership maintained by               Ownership transferred to thrift shop
                                owner of item, store agrees to        through the donation of merchandise
                                sell the item  - fee included
                                in sale price

Condition                Top quality name brands items      Varies - some items may be very worn
                                in excellent condition, may            while others may be new with tags on
                                specialize in one portion of the      them
                                market like children's clothing
                                    
Prices                      Higher due to quality of items        Items generally sell for a few dollar,
                                and includes a fee for the shop      name brand or new items sell for
                                in the sale price                              $5-10 or even more

Tax Incentive          None                                              Can request a receipt for the donation


One of the things that can be seen as both a benefit to both is the turnover in the stock.  You never know what you might find in these shops.

1.  Before your visit, know your focus.  If you know you are looking for summer dress blouses, then focus on the colors that would be good to add to your wardrobe.  Set a budget so you do not go over your limit and come home with items you do not need.

2.  On your first visit to a new shop, take a few minutes to look around the store to get the "lay of the land."  This will help you see what merchandise they offer and know where your focus is today.  It will also allow you to decide if it is a place you could come to again on a future shopping trip for other items.  Look at the way items are displayed.  Is it clutter-free with good lighting and wide aisles?  Do they supply a shopping cart or a basket?  Where are the dressing rooms and how many items may you take into the area at a time?

3.  Stop by the customer service desk and ask for the store policies for acceptable forms of payment, return policy, shoppers loyalty card, and how often they restock their merchandise.

4.  Locate the focus of your trip - the category of clothing you need to add to your wardrobe.  Some stores may divided the clothing into sizes or display them by their color.  Browse the racks and select items you may wish to add to your wardrobe.  Some manufacturers styles are smaller, while others are cut larger.  Look at items in the sizes close to your size, do a quick visual inspection for the possibility that they may fit.

5.  After you spend time searching the racks, and made you selections, try on the clothing.  Look at yourself in the mirror for the fit.  Next inspect each piece for torn seams, missing buttons, and stains.

6.  Review your budget with the items you have chosen and proceed to the check out with your final selections.

Part of the allure of shopping in consignment and thrift stores is in the treasurers that can be found far and wide.  These shops also offer many other wonderful items and next month's blog will focus on some of the other treasures they can offer.