It seems like a silly question, but you’d be surprised out how many
times people ask “What is a Thrift Store?.” Well this post is going to
talk about the finer points of thrift store shopping, along with some
things to watch out for.
What is a Thrift Store?
Thrift Stores are resale shops that sell used goods (sometimes new if
you’re lucky!). Usually a thrift store builds its inventory off of
donations. Some are non-profit organizations, while others are not. You
can see whether a thrift store is a non-profit or not usually by looking
at the signage. But if you are unsure and would like to know, be sure
to ask an employee. Mungkin bagi sebagian orang Indonesia belum terbiasa mengunjungi Thrift
Store ( Toko Barang Bekas). Karena biasanya barang bekas kita berikan
kepada pembantu atau disumbangkan ke panti asuhan. Di Amerika ini banyak
juga Thrift Store, karena orang Amerika terbiasa untuk membeli barang
baru dan biasanya barang yang lama mereka sumbangkan ke lembaga sosial.
Karena situasi ekonomi Amerika yang lagi kurang baik, sekarang banyak
juga orang yang mulai melirik Thrift Store untuk membeli barang-barang
keperluan, harganya sangat bersaing hanya sekitar 10 - 25% dari harga
toko. Ada juga yang memang sengaja datang ke Thrift Store untuk melihat
barang-barang yang termasuk 'Vintage' (antik - barang sekitar tahun
70-an sudah termasuk) dan mereka bisa menjualnya dengan harga cukup
mahal di online.
How can I find a thrift store?
Depending on where you live, it can be either easy or difficult to
find thrift stores. Places like Goodwill are usually easy to track down,
but what about those little local shops? Here are a couple of ways to
track them down:
1. Do a quick search on Google Maps for “thrift store” to see what pops up.
Likewise, it’s good to also search for “thrift stores in X city” on
your search engine. This could produce some good local results.
2. Ask local people. If you have a community forum
for your area, that’s a great place to ask questions. Or you can post
the question to your friends and family on a social network.
3. Keep your eyes open every time you are out driving. You’d be surprised how many off-the-beaten-path places you can find just by keeping those eyes peeled.
My Mom and I have this running joke that we can smell a thrift store
if it’s within 1o miles of our current location. The jury is still out
though as to which one of us has the better sniffer (psst…it’s me, but
shh don’t tell her that).
What are the best tips for shopping at a thrift store?
I think there’s a misunderstanding going around that if you bought it
at a thrift store, then you got a good deal. This simply isn’t the
case. Many times I have seen an item actually priced higher at a thrift
store, than what I know I can get it for brand new at a retail store.
Smart shoppers should keep their wits about them (and their smartphones
for searches) when entering a thrift store.
1. First off, shop at a thrift store that doesn’t regularly overprice its items. You will be far too tempted to buy something, even though you know it isn’t a very good deal.
2. Set yourself a budget and make a list of things you need/want.
If I know I am only looking for Summer clothing for the children, then
that’s what I focus on so that I don’t go over my budget and come home
with a bunch of things I don’t need.
3. When you see an item that you want to buy, do a quick
search online with your smartphone (or go home to do this) to see if you
will actually be getting a good deal. After a while, you will get used to recognizing good prices
.
4. Before making a purchase, check your items to make sure
that they aren’t broken, stained or have any defects that you can’t live
with. Too often I’ve witnessed people purchase something to
later regret it because they didn’t inspect the item carefully (achem –
okay maybe I’ve done this…once…okay I did it a couple times, but who’s
counting?).
5. “Look outside the box” when considering an item.
When you are looking for something in particular, especially furniture,
think outside the box if you are browsing. Could that awful piece of
furniture for $5 be turned into something spectacular with a little bit
of paint? Perhaps I can use that old frame that is .50 cents to make
myself a chalkboard or dry erase board. There are so many possibilities
when shopping at thrift stores, so let your imagination run wild!
6. Try on clothing before making a purchase. You can’t usually return items at a thrift store, so make sure clothing fits before you purchase.
7. Test electronics before purchasing. As with
clothing, more than likely you can’t return an item to a thrift store.
So just check to make sure your item works before buying it.
8. Take one last look at your item choices altogether before you go check out.
At this point you should decide what you really need, and what you only
took off of the shelf during an impulse. If you think impulse buying at
a supercenter is hard, it’s even worse at a thrift store!
Thrift store shopping can be a lot of fun. It’s one of my
favorite pastimes, and is what I do to unwind when I’m stressed and need
a break. Even if I don’t bring anything home, I enjoy perusing all the
unique items and letting my creative juices flow. And I simply love the
fact that I can buy new seasonal wardrobes for a
fraction of what it would cost me at a retail store. Who wouldn’t like
that?
