A clothing thrift shop is a online or brick & mortar retail store selling secondhand clothes, footwear, fashion accessories or other household goods. Thrift stores typically try to raise funds for a charitable institution. However, they are not all for charity.
- It is a common misconception that all thrift stores are nonprofilts.
- Did you know that even bona fide nonprofit thrift stores don't always donate all of their money to charity?
Although thrift stores can sell new clothes, they most often sell used clothing or second hand fashion accessories such as handbags, belts, hats, etc. Because the items are typically already worn, it is important to review the product very carefully before making any purchasing decisions. Garments & shoes are typically sold "as is". This means, the buyer needs to inspect carefully for holes, stains, broken threads, missing buttons, etc.
Fashion thrift stores often sell product donated by the public. In this case, the store can sell garments at a low price because the secondhand clothes came at no cost if the store is also staffed by volunteers. Some thrift stores are profit based and do not support a charity.
Are thrift stores and consignment shops the same?
No, they are not the same. A consignment shop is a 3rd party that sells product owned by another person. It is a profit sharing arrangement between the owner of the product & the seller of the product. A thrift shop is typically (no always), based on donations of garments without intent for profit. If a non-profit situation, the proceed of the sale are hopefully earmarked for a good cause (charity).
Consignment Example: if I bring a pair of trendy designer jeans to a local consignment shop, that shop will sell the garment and take an agreed percentage of the profit. It benefits me by having a store sell my garment and benefits the store by allowing them to have inventory that they did not have to purchase.
Thrift Store Example: I bring my pair of trendy designer jeans to "donate" at the local thrift store. The thrift store sells the item and "hopefully" uses the profits to support a particular charity.
Question to be answered: What is the difference between a thrift shop and consignment shop?
Thrift stores will have a wide assortment of products. If you review options carefully you will find stylish garments & shoes, but you also need to keep an eye out for clothes that are out of style. By the way it is perfectly OK to be wearing clothes that are no longer matching current fashion trends. You look good no matter what you are wearing. When you look as good as you do, you can never truly be out of style.
Learn about
vintage
fashion styles which can possibly be found in thrift stores.
