New Year – Same Thrift Stores
Posted on by Brigitte in Uncategorized
Hello and happy new year to everyone!
Wow, did you all have some great sales last year? Especially last month? Or were you too busy doing all the other things we do during the holidays?
Mine were pretty good. And that’s with trying to get all the shipping and listing done in between. I didn’t list as much as I wanted to. However since my average sale is between $20-$50, it makes up for it in numbers.
I don’t see myself changing anything this year as far as thrift stores go. Well, let me take that back. I am going to one thing. TRY TO GET THERE WHEN THEY OPEN!
Oh my, how many of you go to thrift stores when they open? Maybe it’s just the chain ones but there is some good stuff coming out of the back room. And actually I would say to get there maybe 30 min to 1 hour after they open as the volunteers have to arrive, price and get ready to put things out.
I was able to do that with one of my favorites and ended up with my cart overflowing. That’s a good thing yes but the total adds up. Even at thrift store prices!
But ya know ?…people are still donating some great stuff! I don’t care that more people are going to thrift stores (to buy to resell or not)….there will always be things being donated. Not everyone cares about what they’ve got…..sadly.
I’ve been going to thrift stores for over 35 years and while the decade of which you can find things gets more scarce as time goes on, there’s always a new decade in the mix! We were all a teenager once right? So think back to what you wore or were into back then and there ya go, that’s a collectible vintage piece.
I urge to keep it going this year. Whatever you’re stuck on let’s work through it because there are some amazing finds out there for you. You just gotta be willing to put in some time to go find them.
Happy New Year and Happy Sales!
Brigitte
Author Thrift Store Goldmines
PS Don’t buy the book on that site, my blog followers get $10 off here. !
steff
04. Jan, 2012
yay for thrift stores… I love them! It doesn’t seem to matter to me when I get there–I just go! They put things out all during the day.
A new Goodwill clearance store just opened up in my area. They wheel bins in and out all day. Last week some of the customers were waiting at the warehouse doors when a new bin of purses was wheeled out. They pounced on it like vultures! I thought it was very rude to the workers. I went over about 10 minutes after they were done foraging and found 2 great purses that I listed on eBay. The SAK purse sold in a few hours!
Deb
04. Jan, 2012
Hi Brigitte, Happy New Year to you as well! I agree, it is very difficult to determine the best time to arrive. Take for example my favorite store just had a 50% off coupon sale and the place had been shopped like crazy. I thought I would not find very much but actually, depending on the size of the store and the amount of stock they usually keep, it made it a little easier to “see” stuff that I might have missed before. I didn’t get a cart full but I feel like I scored a few “finds”. I think a lot depends on the way the store stocks. The little stores do not get as much inventory to deal with so the earlier the better and the larger stores seem to be moving stuff all the time. I tell everyone to just go because you never know what comes in and the stock changes so rapidly. So everyone keep the faith and keep listening to Brigitte, she has great info. Take care, Deb ~ Strayfinds on ebay
Brigitte
11. Jan, 2012
Hi Deb, I never cared about the time I went to thrift stores. Sometimes I get there the last 10 minutes before they close and I still stock up. Remember, people try things on and don’t buy them so they have to put that stuff back. Sometimes I score that way. Also, not everyone is there to buy what we buy. So just go and hunt always. But, I have to admit. I’ve finding great items first thing when they open. Ask your store(s) when they put stock out.
Serena
12. Jan, 2012
For me it’s not so much what time of day I go – but then again, I never get up early enough to hit any store when it first opens – but what day of the week I go. For the chains like Salvation Army in my area, they have different sales on different days with different percent markdowns. I esp like it when the markdowns are 40-50%!
Brigitte
14. Jan, 2012
Hello Serena, I hardly make it when they open. I go when I go ya know? But do notice that I find some gems when I do go earlier in the day.