Thrift stores packed - It's rough out there...

[goldrushfinds]

Just back from another trip to my local thrift stores. For whatever reason, over the last month or so, all the stores have become jam packed with people and the pickens are slim. It's very, very much harder to find anything worth reselling and prices are super high. I have to say, the fun is long ago out of thrifting, at least where I live. Anyone else experiencing this?

[animesalesandmore]

yep its all youtubers fault tbh if they didnt make videos showing their ways thrift stores wouldnt have these people.

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

Depends on the thrift....I can still find good stuff at good prices, but in general I'd say I'm buying less, with two reasons for that: 1. higher prices and selection has declined, in part because there's so much competition, but also because more people are selling their stuff rather than donating it, and 2. I'm becoming pickier. (I have a ton of stuff here to list, so probably shouldn't be sourcing at all, but the Hunting instinct is strong LOL)

The Fall Church Rummage Sales are getting started around here, and they will almost certainly be crowded. But, even if I come away with nothing for resale, I'll likely come away with some home made baked goods, or home made soup, or what ever tasty treat they are selling. 

I think the increase in competition is because more people are reselling, but also because more people are either trying to save a buck or realize there's a lot of good quality stuff at thrifts, often better than what they'd find at retail stores.

[goldrushfinds]

You're right about the Youtubers. I know it's a free market and they can try to make money in whatever way they want, but they are killing the resale market. Seems like most people I see in the thrifts are all looking up items on their phones. Additionally, many of these newbies are grabbing everything, even the very marginal stuff, leaving the racks half bare. Seems like everyone and their brother is a wanna be reseller now-a-days. One other issue is these volume used clothing sellers, who sell items at rock bottom prices. They may make money, but they also pick clean the thrift stores of all clothing of any value on their daily routes. I have a few in my area and they hit every store and clean them out. I swear I'm going to from now on beat them to the punch and have them look at bare racks for a change. 

[goldrushfinds]

Since you have too much stuff, can you please send it to me. I will supply you my address and even pay your postage (yes, I'm kidding). 

[this*old*attic]

That’s been the case for 15 years or so. Heck, even thrift stores print off Ebay ads and stick them on “special” merchandise.

[my-cottage-books-and-antiques]

@goldrushfinds LOL  

Yeah, I'm glad I don't absolutely have to source to find stuff to sell....like I say, it's not terrible here....yet. But it is definitely getting harder. My local Goodwill (like most Goodwills) cherry picks the best stuff for online sales, their prices have gone up , and more and more people are doing exactly what you say, filling their carts with anything that their phone tells them will be good. And I'm not getting any younger....it takes a lot of energy to source for volume, and I get tired just watching the younger folks grabbing stuff off the racks...

But you have my sympathy. It's not getting any easier....

[katzrul15]

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@goldrushfinds wrote:

Just back from another trip to my local thrift stores. For whatever reason, over the last month or so, all the stores have become jam packed with people and the pickens are slim. It's very, very much harder to find anything worth reselling and prices are super high. I have to say, the fun is long ago out of thrifting, at least where I live. Anyone else experiencing this?

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@goldrushfinds 

Yes, it is getting harder around here also.  I posted a thread a way back about 2 men slugging each other over a manger (yes, the baby Jesus wooden holiday manger) at a Goodwill outlet store.  lol

We have a church thrift here that is excellent and has great prices.  They tried selling online and it was a flop, so they keep their prices pretty low overall.  There is also a thrift store here tied to St V dePaul and it is excellent - but not open a lot to the public and sometimes it is hit or miss.

Our goodwills here have turned into leeches and they did away with all the discounts (senior, veterans, color of the week, sunday sales, etc) and then also jacked the prices at the same time.  Really sad - their timing with the economy is horrible.

I had all the pieces in my cart recently to a Goebel nativity set and was about to pick the creche and a lady pushed me to the side and grabbed it up.  When I said something, she screeched an explicative and wandered off, creche in fisted paw.

About 20 min later, a guy came up to me with it and offered it to me - she had sat it down, he picked it up evidently.  Not entirely certain if she realized he had it!  Anyway, I let him buy it instead.  Got all the pieces for .99 cents each.  It was a steal for sure - only the small cow has a small chip.  It is so nice that I decided to keep it for DS one day - boxed my $13 treasure all up and put it on the Christmas shelves in the closet.  The only I have came from Gran and he has played with it his whole life - he is getting engaged over the holidays (at least he thinks she will say yes, LOL) and maybe one Christmas a few years out, I will share that set with their family to enjoy and start their own traditions.  

p.s.  I knew the creche was not a Goebel one - it had a China sticker on the bottom.  All that fuss from that gal and I already had the "good" stuff in my cart.  😃  Got several Bing & Grondal pieces the same day.  Kinda sad - someone likely passed away or moved to a facility and their kids dumped all their stuff(s) at goodwill.  Makes ya a little sad.

[tinsoldierunderground]

What's even sadder to me, is that the thrifts have become havens for the 'pickers' while disenfranchising the poor people they were supposed be serving in the first place. 

[chapeau-noir]

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@goldrushfinds wrote:

Just back from another trip to my local thrift stores. For whatever reason, over the last month or so, all the stores have become jam packed with people and the pickens are slim. It's very, very much harder to find anything worth reselling and prices are super high. I have to say, the fun is long ago out of thrifting, at least where I live. Anyone else experiencing this?

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Thrifting is 'in' now and many of the larger thrift chains put their items online.  IMHO, having done this for quite a while, the golden age of flipping from thrifts has passed.  I was clearing out my old image directories and realised the difference between my selection 6-7 years ago and now, and understand why I was happy to go to part-time.  This was never meant to last.

@katzrul15  I posted a thread a way back about 2 men slugging each other over a manger (yes, the baby Jesus wooden holiday manger) at a Goodwill outlet store.

That story was GOLD! 

[dbfolks166mt]

      Pretty much the same in my area both with the Thrift stores, consignment stores, estate sales and garage sales. I suspect some of it has to do with inflation and declining household discretionary funds. However, the trend goes back a bit farther than that due to a  couple of ecommerce changes. The addition of sales tax to virtually all online sales as a result of the Supreme Court decision in Wayfair vs. South Dakota and constantly rising shipping costs and shipping risks have leveled the playing field between ecommerce and B&M stores. I live in a large metropolitan area and I can find most commodity items cheaper at thrift or other B&M stores cheaper than I can find it on an ecommerce site and I don't have to worry about potential shipping issues/damage/delays, difficult return processes or condition of the item when I buy it. It's getting tougher out there all around.  

[chapeau-noir]

I don't think it has anything to do with the economy, because this has been an accelerating trend over the last 10 years. Goodwill has expanded its massive presence online with Goodwill Finds, and at least up here, their own individual regional stores have shops on eBay and Etsy.  Those church thrifts with the "little old ladies who don't know what they have" ?  At least here they're very computer literate and know exactly what they have. 

It's an inevitable evolutionary outcome.  Sad thing is, people like me who have stocked their own dwellings and closets with thrift stuff for years also end up buy new, because used is now either too expensive, or you have to take a chance on the often shaky ads these thrifts have online.

[thevintageimage]

I shop the thrifts for items to upcycle.  I shop antique malls for personal vintage and resale items.

[johnrj1226]

eBay, Amazon, etc have taught  the Thrift Stores, Yard/Estate Sellers, Flea Market Folks how  to increase their selling prices  - as they say all is far in love & war or all good things will come to pass or an end. 

Heck I remember when  a 7 oz. bottle of Coke was just 6 cents that  include the 2 cent bottle deposit.  Now  Michigan has a 10 cent  deposit on  each aluminum can of Coke - have  had it since 1978.

[soh.maryl]

Personally, I think it would be neat to start a thread about funny episodes in thrift stores, or even great finds.  Personally, have been a TS fan as long as I've had my own money and have seen their evolution, their rise and fall if you will.  Am pretty sure most thrifts weren't started for the purpose of giving the needy a place to shop, although they do serve that purpose well, but in order to make money to better serve their needs with jobs etc.  In this area, when thrifts still sold big appliances like stoves etc, you could go to an agency and get a "voucher" for one at the thrift store.  

Stay tuned if I decide to come back and share my story about following a very handsome man around the SA many years ago because he was carrying around a bag of miscellaneous sewing supplies and I was hoping he'd put it down.