Whether looking to buy or sell, secondhand shops can be an economical way to clean out or add to your collection of clothing, furnishings and so much more.
In Mid-Missouri, the resale trend has firmly taken hold, with a variety of secondhand, thrift and consignment shops available to all.
(For the purposes of this article, we will focus strictly on resale, consignment and thrift shops. Antique and pawn shops are not included.)
A growing trend
The resale trend has steadily been growing, in part boosted by younger generations. A 2019 report from online resale shop thredUP states millennials and those in Generation Z have adopted secondhand at a rate 2.5 times higher than other age groups. That same report forecasts the secondhand market is expected to reach $51 billion in the next five years, noting resale has grown 21 times faster than retail over the past three years.
Annie Schulte, owner of Encore Department Store in Jefferson City, said the younger generations seem to appreciate secondhand items more than older shoppers.
"I feel like I run an after-school program after 3 p.m. each day," Schulte said with a laugh. "It seems like they appreciate it more than I did (at that age). They're more comfortable with it."
Another boost to the resale trend is thanks in part to the popularity of Marie Kondo, a celebrity organizer who seeks to help people declutter their spaces by getting rid of items that do not bring joy. The thredUP report noted the resale website saw an 80 percent spike in what's called "clean out kits," packages sent to your home that are meant to be filled with items to be resold or donated, after Kondo's show, "Tidying Up," began streaming on Netflix.
Sherry King purchased The Xchange Boutique in April. But while Xchange has always been more clothes-focused, King is hoping to turn the shop more toward her own passion of re-purposing old items into new finds. Walking into the boutique on East High Street, customers can already see some of the items she's worked on, from unique bottles that have been transformed into art-focused home décor to decorated glass pieces.
"I have wanted to do a resale (shop) for probably the last five years," King said. "Not so much for the clothes, but for the re-purposing part of it."
The resale trend to King is more representative of how things have changed in the past few decades. She said she can remember when clothes simply lasted longer, relating an anecdote about how her mother had the same winter coat for about seven years. These days, it's harder to find products that last as long, and shoppers need to be able to stretch their dollars as far as they can go, she said.
"If you like to have new clothes this is the ideal place for that," King said as she tagged new secondhand stock to go on sale in the boutique. "You can get a lot more bang for your buck. Then, when you're tired of it, just bring it back and exchange it."
Nikki Payne opened The Snob Shop Exchange on High Street almost eight years ago, just hoping others would take to resale as she had always done. Payne said before she opened her shop, she was always driving to Columbia to shop secondhand and wanted to see something more local.
"Used clothing never bothered me. Not everybody can afford the name brands that either the kids or themselves want, and I was one of them," Payne said, noting at the time, there were no other resale shops in Jefferson City that offered cash for clothes.
Now, business is booming. "It's absolutely amazing. We're busy buying all day, every day," she said.
Payne noted the economy plays a huge part in the popularity of resale - when trying to stretch a budget, it's hard to justify $50 for a pair of jeans when you can get a similar pair, used, for a fraction of the retail price.
"I see all ages. They absolutely love it, they love the price," Payne said, noting though Snob Shop carries some men's clothes, the trend has not seemed to take hold with that particular group - a sentiment echoed by King, who plans to get rid of her men's section to expand the children's section of Xchange Boutique. "Resale is not for everybody."
Schulte also emphasized lower prices are what make resale so attractive to so many.
"The resale market is strong because it is so cheap," Schulte said. She noted sometimes she doesn't take items that are brought in to Encore, even though they may be very nice and worth something, simply because she knows she couldn't sell it at an affordable price. "The resale market is pretty brutal because things have to be pretty inexpensive."
Encore carries a little bit of everything, from clothing to furniture - essentially, Schulte said, if she thinks there's a market for it, she'll sell it. She typically focuses on vintage clothes and retro items from the 1950s through the '70s.
"I like to stick to a mid-century vibe here," Schulte said.
Another push for some to shop resale, Payne said, is when a person is trying to lose weight. As they go down in size, most shoppers don't want to spend big bucks on a whole new wardrobe, especially if they're not finished with their weight loss journey.
"You don't want to spend a whole lot of money, one, when your kids are growing, two, when you're losing weight and going down sizes," Payne said.
Melissa Tynes, owner of K's Consignment Shop, said for some people, shopping retail can just be overwhelming, making it tough to find items they like or want. She noted her shop, similar to Xchange Boutique and Snob Shop, is organized by both size and color, making it easier for shoppers to find the type of clothing they want to wear.
Schulte said the growing trend may also be due to the ease of shopping resale with modern technology. Even for those who don't go to a physical resale shop, they can buy secondhand through a variety of online marketplaces and even social media sites, such as Facebook's marketplace.
When it comes to furniture, Schulte said the trend of upcycling - where someone takes a piece of old, used furniture or item and re-purposes it into something new - has also pushed more people to shop resale. Plus, she said, it can be more fun than shopping retail, as it's more like a treasure hunt when you are trying to find something special.
TIPS FOR SELLING
Keep it simple
When it comes to selling your unwanted or no longer used items, (King noted she is trying to go from the term "gently used" to "pre-loved.") King advised making sure not to overwhelm someone. Don't bring in 12 full trash bags - when it comes to Xchange Boutique, you shouldn't use trash bags at all, as King requires items be brought in a box or a tote bag instead. Tynes prefers items brought to K's Consignment be placed on hangers to help keep them from wrinkling. Other stores, like Snob Shop, are more flexible on how you bring in your items.
Most local resale shops don't have many, if any, employees outside of the store owner, meaning they can't spend the whole day going through items. Encore, K's Consignment and Xchange Boutique are mostly staffed solely by the owner.
Keep your selection limited for each individual time you bring items in. Also, keep it organized.
Items must be clean - for clothes, think laundered
This cannot be stressed highly enough. Every item brought to a resale shop of any kind must have been recently washed - at Xchange Boutique, the requirement is to have been washed within one week. Tynes and King specifically mentioned odors from smoking, which can be hard to notice if you're a smoker.
"Clothes hold odors," King said.
This rule is even more important for shoes, so make sure even the soles are as clean as possible.
"Make sure it's presentable to us," Payne said.
Tynes echoed that sentiment, adding she won't take items with tears or stains - remember you're essentially selling this product to them so they can sell it to someone else. No one wants to buy your dirty laundry.
Be flexible on what you expect to get back
King encouraged people to remember that just because you paid one price for an item doesn't mean you'll get that price when you try to resell it later. These shops are businesses and need to make a profit, whether it's for a charitable cause or simply a business owner's bottom line.
"I can't give you $1 and resell it for $1.05," King said. "You have to make something. And, honestly, our margin is not that big."
It's also important to know whether the shop will buy items outright - meaning cash on the spot - or offer store credit in return. Snob Shop is one of the few local stores that offer cash in addition to a store-credit option (which offers 25 percent more than the cash option), while most others, including Xchange Boutique, will only offer store credit. At Encore, Schulte said she typically only offers store credit for resale, though in special circumstances she may be willing to offer cash.
Keep in mind seasonal requirements and other restrictions
Many shops, Xchange Boutique and K's Consignment included, only buy items on a seasonal basis. That means you're going to have a hard time trying to resell that winter coat in May or that sundress in November. Shops typically begin looking for items about two months before the season. With some shops, you can use social media to follow them and see when they're seeking specific items.
It's also good to know what a store won't take. Snob Shop, for example, does not take dress pants, slacks or suits. Generally speaking, you won't find any takers on used undergarments, either.
When it comes to special items, such as prom dresses, many stores have a specific time frame for purchasing those items. At Snob Shop, prom dresses can be brought in Feb. 1-April 1. For short homecoming dresses, the shop takes them throughout August. Payne specified prom dresses are never marked over $100 on the floor and homecoming dresses are never marked over $80, so consider those prices the absolute most you could get when selling those items.
Know that consignment is different
Consignment, while still resale, operates a bit differently than the simple transaction of bringing your used items in and getting cash or store credit in return. When it comes to consignment, you will not receive your end of the sale until the item itself is actually sold.
"It has to sell first, and then they get a portion of the sale," Tynes said.
Tynes takes items by appointment only at K's Consignment, with two to four appointments per day. Sticking to that method, she said, allows her to give the seller her full attention, but it can mean it may be a while before there's an available time to bring in your items. By early July, Tynes said she already had appointments booked into December.
"I want to be able to meet you and get to know you a little bit," Tynes said.
The items she takes for her shop will only stay on the floor for three months, with the price often marked down about halfway through that period. If, after that time period, it still has not sold, you can either take it back or have her donate it to another organization for you.
For items you may think are more special and possibly worth more, Schulte recommends trying to sell it on your own before bringing it to a shop. You're likely to get more money if you sell it firsthand, she said, noting to move items in her store, the prices have to be kept as low as possible.
"If we sell it (at Encore), I'm probably going to have to price it too high for you to get the return that you want," Schulte said. "And we have to keep our prices low."
TIPS FOR BUYING
Know your budget
Be prepared from the start. At many resale shops, you'll find some good deals, but those can stack up quickly and, pretty soon, you've spent more than you intended. Know how much you're willing to spend, and stick to it.
Tynes said it's important to remember the items these shops carry weren't donated, they were sold. And that can mean the price may be a bit higher than you first expected for secondhand.
"I'm trying to give my customers a deal, but I also want to take care of my clients who brought it," Tynes said.
For clothes, try everything on before buying
King noted when you're shopping resale, you have to keep in mind a store is carrying all different manufacturers and brands, each of which may size things a bit differently. Don't assume something will fit because you've bought that size before. Try it on first, then decide if you want to take it home. Make sure the item is what you really want - especially considering some shops, including Snob Shop, do not take returns.
For furniture, have an imagination
When it comes to furniture, you need to have an imagination, Schulte said. Furniture found in resale shops is rarely perfect - there's going to be a scratch or two. But it's nothing that can't be fixed or altered, depending on what you're looking for and what you're willing to take on.
"You've got to be able to use your imagination and know that you're getting it so cheap, as opposed to buying it new, that it's worth a couple-hour time investment," Schulte said. "And then it's always fun to take a picture of what it looked like before as opposed to after and dazzle all your friends."
And don't be afraid to blend different styles.
"I think we're all too used to ordering sets out of catalogs," Schulte said. "If you like a piece, take it home; you can work it in somehow."
Check back - stock changes
As King notes, when it comes to resale, "every week it's different," as stock changes quickly. If you didn't find what you wanted before, check back in a few weeks.
Or ask the store owner if there's another place that might have such an item. Tynes said K's Consignment is more geared toward women, while Snob Shop carries more youthful items and Xchange Boutique carries everything from babies to adulthood, making each store somewhat specialized in its focus.
Both Tynes and Payne specified they don't hesitate to send a shopper to another resale shop if it would better fit their needs.
Take your time, and don't hesitate to ask questions
Payne said shoppers should never be hesitant to ask questions of store owners or employees. If you're looking for a specific item, they likely know the best place to find it.
Many resale shops also will mark items down even further when trying to clear out stock and make room for more, especially when seasons are changing.
Ask if there are any upcoming sales you should know about or if the store has a rewards program or type of club to get further markdowns. (For instance, the Snob Shop has a VIP text club that sends out exclusive offers.) You can also follow the different stores on social media to see when a new sale is announced.
Wash clothes before wearing
Even though resale stores require clothing be laundered before they purchase them and put them out on the floor, it's always a good idea to give it a thorough cleaning before you wear it for the first time.