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Feb 4, 2009 6:39 am US/Central
Recessionista Shopping: Second-Hand Great Deals
Finding Great Deals On Designer Clothing, Keys To Second-Hand Store Shopping
(ShopSmart Magazine)
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Thrift Town customers shop for clothes Oct. 14, 2008 in San Francisco, Calif. As the economy continues to falter, thrift stores are seeing a surge in business as Americans look for ways to save money.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Fashionistas are now becoming recessionistas and shopping at second-hand stores. Goodwill and the Salvation Army are reporting that sales are up as much as 10 to 20 percent this year.
So how do you find the best stuff?
Lisa Lee Freeman with Consumer Reports'
ShopSmart Magazine visited with CBS 11 and had these suggestions for shopping at second-hand shops and finding local sales to snag designer clothing at bargain basement prices.
First, here's a lesson on the three main types of stores that sell not-new clothes and accessories.
"
Vintage" shops generally sell top-quality "pre-worn" clothing, as well as some items that have never
been worn.
At "
consignment" and "
resale" stores, people can sell clothing for cash. The best ones require clothes to be in mint condition and dry-cleaned before they'll accept them for sale. Prices, which tend to drop every 30 days the items stay on the racks, are 50 to 90 percent off retail, according to Carolyn Schneider, author of "The Ultimate Consignment and Thrift Store Guide" (CATS Publishing & Media, 2004).
Thrift shops like Salvation Army and Goodwill stores accept donations. The biggest bargains are there, but so too are the items with holes and stains. However, by shopping at those places you support disaster relief, job training and placement for needy and disabled people, and other good works.
Four tips for finding the best secondhand shops:
- Look up shops in fancy ZIP codes.
- Surf the Web.
- Scan eBay. Just be sure to check sellerfeedback scores, which should be at least 99 percent positive, and read the fine print to find out about an item's condition and shipping and return policies. Don't be shy about contacting the seller for more info. We found great retro-style cocktail dresses starting at just $15, designer handbags for $10 and up, and gently worn suits.
- Support a cause. Karen Kleber, a New York City fashion stylist who swears by secondhand shopping, says, "Every disease has its charity."
Smart Shopping tips
- Check by phone. Caren Kreider, owner of Philadelphia's Immortal Uncommon Resale, says smart customers call her periodically to see whether new goods have arrived. If you make friends with the owners, you can get them to call you. Kreider keeps track of shoppers' styles and sizes and calls when things come in.
- Shop for evening gowns and cashmere. Wear-once-and-never-be-seen-in-again items like gowns are likely to be fantastic deals. Older cashmere sweaters tend to be thicker and better quality than new ones.
- Ask when new shipments are available. Stylist Kleber says many thrift stores put out new shipments on Saturday mornings to lure weekend shoppers. The end of the year is also a good time, when people clean out closets and donate clothes to get a tax break. If you live in a city where designers and manufacturers have showrooms and donate unsold items and samples to thrift shops, style consultant Nancy Hessel Weber says to shop in March and April for spring lines and in October and November for fall lines.
- If you're in Florida, shop for winter clothes. "People move down there and discover they don't really need that overcoat," Kleber says.
- Bargain, bargain, bargain (but not at charity shops). Prices are often negotiable
Other places to search for great deals:
NearbyNow, Inc -
TheFind, the search engine built for shopping
National Association of Resale & Thrift Shops
(ShopSmart Magazine/Consumer Reports)
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