7 Common Myths About Shopping at Thrift Stores

Red Racks Thrift Store

Thrifting is a multi-billion-dollar industry. Many Americans, particularly Gen Z, are avid thrift shoppers and prefer resale to buying new products. Thrifting for clothes, household items and other goods is a great way to save money and emphasize sustainable practices.

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However, despite the popularity of thrifting, many misconceptions about shopping at thrift stores cause consumers to stay away from them.

Here are seven common myths about shopping at thrift stores that money-saving experts are here to debunk.

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Thrift Stores Are Dirty

It’s a common belief that thrift stores are unsanitary or unorganized. However, according to New York City fashion designer and content creator Nick Portello, this unfair assumption couldn’t be further from the truth.

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“The clothes that thrift stores source often come from ordinary people like you and me,” Portello said, “and while it’s good to wash the clothes after you buy them, there isn’t anything inherently dirty about them.”

Thrift Stores Only Have Clothes That Are Out of Style

Another misconception about thrift stores is that they only have clothes for older people or don’t carry trendy clothing items.

“Thrift stores and consignment shops often have designer pieces at a fraction of the retail costs,” Portello said. “In addition, thrift stores are a great way to find vintage pieces that would otherwise be difficult or outrageously expensive to source.”

Thrift Stores Only Offer Low-Quality Items

Not only do consumers falsely believe that thrift stores only carry old clothes, but it’s also a common myth that thrift stores only carry extensively used or poor-quality items. Whether it’s household items, clothing or furniture, CouponChief co-founder and CEO Gary Gray said you can often find great hidden gems.

“In reality, you’ll find a diverse selection that often includes high-quality, name-brand pieces,” Gray said. “I’ve personally found items from well-known designers and top brands in thrift stores at a fraction of their original cost.”

Thrift Stores Are For Low-Income Individuals

Since they generally offer incredibly discounted prices compared to retail prices, it’s a common misconception that thrifting is only intended for lower-income families and individuals. Janita Grift, frugal living expert and owner of Frugal Fun Finance, said thrift stores are a great resource for low-income individuals but also serve frugal and money-savvy people.

“They know that with a little bit of time invested driving to the store and browsing the aisles, they can find quality items for a fraction of the price one would pay at a retail store,” Grift said.

Thrifting’s As Expensive As Buying New

Clay Cary, a trend analyst for Coupon Follow, says that the company recently ran a nationwide study on thrift shopping. This study found that thrifting is ultimately cheaper than shopping retail. After surveying 1,000 Americans, the study found thrift store shoppers save an average of $1,760 a year from buying secondhand items.

You Have To Live in a Big City To Thrift

Another common myth this study looked into was that only thrift stores in larger cities have worthy items. However, Cary said the top three cities with the most highly-rated thrift stores per 10,000 residents were quite small: Rutland, Vermont; Wasilla, Arkansas; and South Burlington, Vermont.

“Large cities might have some great thrift store finds, but they might also be hard to come by with so many shoppers to compete with,” Cary said. “In fact, big cities like New York, Dallas, San Antonio, Houston and Philadelphia had the worst thrift stores per capita in our rankings.”

People Only Thrift To Be Cool

Another myth that Coupon Follow’s study debunks is that people only choose to thrift because it’s a trend. Their survey found that 40% of people chose to thrift with the motivation of finding high-end items at a discounted price. Only 20% of people surveyed said they thrifted to be trendy.

“Most people were at least aware of the sustainability of secondhand shopping,” Cary said. “Sixty-two percent agreed that thrifting offers a solution to fast fashion.”

Despite the common thrifting misconceptions, money-saving experts say they aren’t true. Thrift shopping is a great way to save money and consumers can often find high-end items at a fraction of the retail price.

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