How To Shop Secondhand: A Guide For Beginners

Shopping secondhand is gaining in popularity, and for good reason! Shopping secondhand is a great way to get high-quality items at affordable prices, as well help to reduce our environmental impact. This is likely why the U.S. secondhand market grew 11% to $43 billion in 2023, seven times faster than retail, according to a report conducted for ThredUp by retail analytics firm GlobalData.

But if you’re a secondhand shopping newbie, getting started can be intimidating. Let’s face it; for many of us, shopping secondhand can be seen as ‘trading down’. But it certainly doesn’t need to that way; we believe that secondhand shopping is a financially-savvy and environmentally friendly way to get amazing clothing and more.

Here are our top tips for getting started shopping secondhand:

1. Know where to go: There are different types of secondhand stores. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, so it is helpful to find one that is the best fit for you.
   • Thrift Stores: These are usually non-profit organizations that resell items donated items. You can find some hidden gems at great prices, but it might take a bit more work to dig around to find what you’re looking for.
   • Consignment Shops: Consignment shops, both online and brick-and-mortar, don’t rely on donations but instead sell secondhand items on behalf of the original owners. The result is that they tend to offer shoppers well curated collections of excellent-condition secondhand items.
   • Buy-Outright Shops: These shops tend to offer a similar shopping experience to consignment shops, but they source their inventory by buying clients upfront for their inventory (versus consignment in which sellers only get paid if/when the item sells), which we think can be a convenient way to sell used clothing and more.
   • Online Marketplaces: There are tons of platforms out there that let you buy and sell secondhand items directly with other people. While you can find a wide variety of items on marketplaces, some sellers can be unreliable, scouring the marketplace can be time-consuming, and there are fewer quality controls in place versus some of the above options.

2. Start with what is comfortable: There are ways to “ease” into secondhand shopping. For example, start by buying an item that is “new with tags” (i.e. has the brand’s tags on it, so likely never worn) or visit a local consignment or resale shop where you can see everything in-person to get a better sense of quality. You may also opt to shop at a store that offers a return policy for an added sense of security. All these things can help to build your comfort with secondhand shopping.

3. Visit shops regularly: Inventory in secondhand shops changes every day. At Bounce Mkt, we’ve found that many of our local clients regularly monitor our website and place orders to pick up from the shop, as it is an easy way to nab their favorite brands and styles from the comfort of home.

4. Strike a balance between being focused and open-minded: One of the fun parts of secondhand shopping is that it can introduce you to different brands and styles that you weren’t aware of, and that is something to be embraced. We’re constantly discovering new children’s brands at Bounce Mkt that fly under the radar but are excellent quality and include super fun designs. Of course, this can also create a temptation to impulse buy (which isn’t great for your wallet or the planet!), so it always good to go in with a sense of what products you need.

5. Check for quality: If you’re purchasing from a consignment or resale shop, you can generally trust that someone has inspected the items in the shop for quality (note, this is less true when buying from online marketplaces), but it is still a good idea to thoroughly inspect each item as we’re all human and can miss something from time to time! Here are some things to look out when evaluating secondhand clothing and shoes:
   • Wear-and-tear – be sure to check each item for tears, stains, broken zippers and loose hems. If purchasing online, examine the photos thoroughly and read the product description.
   • Brands – fast fashion brands tend to make clothing that is less durable. We always recommend opting for higher-quality brands that are built to last.

In summary, secondhand shopping can be an incredibly rewarding way to shop, as it is great for finding high-quality items that are easy on your wallet and the environment. And following these simple tips will have you getting the most out of secondhand shopping in no time!