What is a Thrift Store?

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
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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?

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