According to the Thred Up 2024 Annual Report, two-fifths of the clothing items purchased were secondhand. The report also states that 55% of consumers say that if the economy doesn’t improve, they’ll spend more of their apparel budget on secondhand, and 60% say shopping for secondhand apparel gives them the most bang for their buck.
I have seen this increase in the number of people shopping in the thrift stores I visit; prices are starting to increase in some stores. Some thrift store managers state that more resellers than ever are shopping to increase their inventory; quite a few thrift stores are now checking Poshmark and eBay to see what their items are worth and adjusting their pricing. The demand for second-hand clothing is increasing dramatically every year. I know of one thrift store that has adjusted its pricing by charging Poshmark prices. Rummage sales and thrift stores have special sections with new items with tags and designer merchandise. It is a sign of this new thrifting era.
With this many people shopping secondhand, it is harder to find the bargains of yesteryear, but don’t despair. There are still plenty of bargains out there; it just takes a world of patience now. I love local rummage sales, especially when the money goes back into the community (The same for smaller independent stores, where the money goes right back into the community). Rummage sales are gaining in popularity by leaps and bounds. I recently went to a rummage sale in Westchester County that started at 9 am. I got there at 8:30 am to get in line, and there were 64 people ahead of me. That was unheard of just a few years ago. The good news is that most rummage sales have fixed pricing on clothing and shoes. Fixed pricing usually does not include high-end merchandise, but if it does, jackpot! Patience and a good eye will always be the key to excellent thrift shopping scores.
Thrift store shoppers save approximately $1,760 each year by making purchases secondhand. Approximately one-third of clothing and apparel items purchased in the U.S. over the past year were secondhand. In 2023, the U.S. secondhand market generated an estimated $53 billion in revenue. Resellers are also taking advantage of the booming thrifting business. For some, it is a full-time business; for others, it is a way to make ends meet.
I still love the thrill of the hunt when thrift shopping and seeing so many people that I have become friendly with on the thrifting circuit. So go out there and REDUCE, REUSE, AND RECYCLE, and most of all, enjoy finding those great bargains that we all love to brag about and show off. There are still plenty of bargains out there. So keep thrifting!
Please check out my Facebook page for local sales!
Until next time, Happy Thrifting!



















































