they ruined thrifting
I’ve never been into sports, but if thrifting were an olympic event, I’d probably be a gold medalist. the thrift store has been my frequent haunt for years, I like to think that it satisfies some sort of hunter-gatherer instinct deep within my bones.
I come from a long line of treasure hunters: my mom used to take me to tag sales while she shopped for inventory for her antique store, and I’d score a few gems for myself in the process (despite my pleas to sleep in later, since it was literally 6 am).
that’s where I first learned the dopamine rush of finding a diamond in the rough.
It’s always been a thrill for me. as an adult, I don’t just find closet staples—I manifest my thrift wish list items. a few years ago, I found my dream wicker shelf at a town-wide tag sale for a measly $5 (this was back when they were selling for upwards of $200 on facebook marketplace). I spotted her from the road, my breaks screeching to a halt as I threw my car in park and speed-walked over to the shelf. I practically threw the cash at the seller before they realized the mistake they were making and maneuvered as much as I could to get it to fit inside my compact SUV.
I’ve also been that person huddled in the corner of a Savers, frantically googling how to authenticate the vintage Coach bag I’d been hunting for years (it was real, by the way).
I’m still convinced the Burberry scarf hanging in my closet is authentic, even though the tag fell off—and I know the Burberry mittens are. my entire Ralph Lauren sweater collection? thrifted, naturally.
but something has shifted over the past year or so. these days, I get sticker shock walking into a thrift store. a beat-up leather jacket at Savers for $50? even $75? Gone are the days of affordable, serendipitous finds.
this wool coat spotted at a local thrift was marked at $200. $200???
remember when thrift stores used to have those mystery jewelry bags where you might just stumble upon a vintage Gucci watch? (i’m still hunting for mine) I recently asked an employee where they kept their jewelry and she said, “we don’t sell jewelry anymore. none of our stores do.”
I stood there in shock, how was I ever going to stumble upon my dream items now?
I also saw a video of a girl who went to her local thrift, only to see employees scrambling to pull a Supreme jacket off the sales floor. it had been “accidentally” priced and put out. they explained that anything designer has to be sent to HQ, where it’s resold on their auction site for a markup.
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I’m sorry forgive me but, where do these stores get off? you’re getting these items for free, and now you’re maximizing profits on donations? most of these chains don’t actually give a meaningful portion of their revenue to charity. instead, they’re marking up used goods to boost margins — turning what was once an affordable, sustainable shopping option into just another profit machine.
meanwhile, donors are giving items away for free while the thrill of thrifting is being stripped away. walk into the thrift today and you’ll mostly find racks of Target castoffs, Shein rejects, and used Bonne Maman jam jars priced higher than it was new with the jam inside. if you want the good stuff now, you have to compete online with everyone else across the country and not just the girl sifting through the racks next to you.
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personally, I think if thrift stores want to maintain their tax-exempt status, they should be required to donate to actual charities. there should also be regulations around how much they can mark up items they receive for free, and they should be required to put everything they get on the floor instead of cherry-picking the best pieces for auction.
in a perfect world, if they can’t meet those standards, they should be reclassified as consignment stores, and pay something for the inventory they’re profiting from.
thrifting used to be a reprieve from fast fashion. now, it’s becoming part of the problem.
not another capitalist christmas part 2: thrifted gift guide
in part 1, we established that the era of consumerism-based gifting is officially out and slow, mindful giving is in. we explored ways to create meaningful, handmade presents for your loved ones, but you don’t necessarily have to be crafty to embrace this movement.
I saw a package of brand new Tiki Torch wicks at a chain thrift store, still in package, priced higher at the thrift store than I could buy it new at Walmart. I left and have never been back. The only thrift stores I'll go to now are mom & pop thrift stores, since their prices are not outrageous. Even some of the small town antique stores near me are better than the thrift stores in the big cities. Smh. Thrifting is ruined.
this was a great read! a goodwill near my house has a glass shelf where they lock up all of the name brand items (i saw nike in there) for higher prices. i feel like the blame gets put on resellers a lot of them time but while there are questions about the ethics of resale, i love that you focus on the stores themselves.