9 Genius Tips for Secondhand Shopping Online
Do you like to thrift online? My friends swear by it, but secondhand shopping online has always intimidated me. What if the item doesn’t fit? Or the fabric doesn’t feel as good in person? Ready to learn, I asked five smart women to share their wisdom…
1. Make a counteroffer. “I rarely pay the sticker price for a secondhand item. When I’m thinking about my counteroffer, I estimate the cost of tax and shipping, as well as the cost of any potential tailoring. (I’m 5’3” and often need to get items hemmed.) That way, I can figure out what overall price I’d be okay with. Usually the seller will counteroffer, and then you can accept, decline, or keep negotiating.” — Kaitlyn Teer, Big Salad editor
2. In the kids’ section, don’t forget outerwear and shoes. “I often find high-quality, name-brand rain gear and winter coats in gently used or new-with-tags condition at steeply discounted prices. Think: North Face puffers, Patagonia fleeces, and Hunter rain boots. I just type in the item I’m searching for and limit the search results by my kids’ sizes and my preferred brands.” — Kaitlyn Teer
3. Make bundles. “To reduce shipping fees, I have two strategies. First, I search for listings that contain multiple items. For example, six Gap T-shirts in size 4T or three pairs of H&M jeans in size 7. Second, if I like several items from a particular seller, I’ll check out their whole closet and put together an offer on a bundle of items. So, instead of paying $8 in shipping for each piece that I order, I’ll pay $8 in shipping for five pieces together.” — Kaitlyn Teer
4. Search for heritage brands and designers you love. “When thrifting, I keep an eye out for vintage Wranglers, 100% cotton tees from L.L. Bean or Lands’ End, and Norma Kamali dresses. Also, Rachel Comey sweatshirts — they always come in on Noihsaf and sell immediately.” [more here] — Kate Lindello, Noihsaf Bazaar founder (see her full week of outfits here)
5. If you try on a piece in person, but it’s over your budget, set up an alert. “When I try on clothes at favorite brick-and-mortar stores, I’ll often buy them there. But if a piece ends up feeling over my budget and I decide not to get it, I’ll set up alerts for the piece in my size online. I did that with a sundress that I love and wear all the time.” — Youngna Park, product advisor and writer
6. Use your favorite colors/prints/animals/etc as keywords. “I’m really into seahorses, so one day I typed ‘seahorse’ into Poshmark, just to see what would pop up. I ended up finding this straw bag and getting it for $20. It’s become my go-to summer purse.” — Leela Cyd, photographer
7. Stock up on workwear. “When I worked in an office, I found all my work clothes on Poshmark and eBay. I still search by material — cashmere, silk, and linen — and for brands that people often sleep on, like Banana Republic and Ann Taylor. You can find a perfect cashmere sweater for $15 after browsing for 10 minutes.” — Mya Hansel, writer and stylist (see her full week of outfits here)
8. Keep searching, even if it takes a while. “My Frye boots are one of my favorite vintage finds. I searched for two years before finally finding them in my size. I got them on Poshmark for $100 — down from $500. They’re my prized possession.” — Mya Hansel
9. Accept that some purchases won’t work out. “All shopping is hit or miss. The good thing, however, is that if you bought it secondhand, you can also probably re-sell it secondhand — so don’t get discouraged!” — Youngna Park
Plus, a few fun secondhand finds we love:
What tips would you add? I’m really into this polka dot dress, and how fun are these Chloé sandals? A few secondhand retailers we love are Poshmark, Depop, The RealReal, and Noihsaf Bazaar.
P.S. Three week-of-outfits posts: a vintage seller in England who wears only secondhand, a Chicago-based stylist with thrifting tips, and a Berkeley creative director who finds her shoes on eBay.
(Photo of Mya Hansel by Julia Robbs. Photo of Kate Lindello by Liz Pawlik. Additional reporting by Alex Ronan.)
Note: If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission, at no cost to you. We recommend only products we genuinely like. Thank you so much.
Comments
136 commentsI’m late to the party but this post may be life changing… One recommendation (and my first online used clothing purchase—made this year!): Ariat Reboot. I needed a pair of cowboy boots I could wear to volunteer at a ranch this summer but would mostly be for around town the rest of the year. Tried on some Ariats in various stores to get the size right then ordered a gorgeous pair of boots that hardly look worn! Half of the regular price. They also have other kinds of boots (English style, hikers, etc). Totally recommended.
Love this post! I buy all my clothes second hand both in person and on Poshmark and Depop, plus Vinted when in Europe, and I have not needed to buy anything new for years. (Note: I’m a small size and there is a large supply of items I can wear; I know this isn’t the case for all sizes.) I’m surprised no one has mentioned Beni yet! Among other features, you can use the browser extension to find a second-hand version of whatever you’re shopping for on a retail site. Great for those who love Cup of Jo recs but want to shop second hand? http://www.joinbeni.com
Neat to see the mention of Frye boots. I wore mine with my levis all through highschool in the 70s. (:
I’m 5’2 and really trying to shift my wardrobe into petite sizing but it’s hard. For my petite people – poshmark is one of the only ones where you can shop actual petite sizes, which is great. And if you lean feminine there IS SO MUCH PETITE SIZED BODEN floating around for super cheap. Unfortunately it’s really not my style at all but if you’re looking for petite dresses and that’s your style, there is sooooo much out there for $20-30.
Thank you for this hot tip, Phoebe! I am petite and consider my style femme meets chill – think a ruffly floral top with aviators and gola sneakers. I love Boden and it usually feels out of the price range, so I appreciate you! Already a poshmark shopper, but I didn’t think to search for petite Boden. What a dream!
I still have the best luck buying vintage in person. I have a very long torso and just haven’t had much luck with online purchases. I love estate sales with a lot of clothing because there are often so many fantastic vintage pieces. A few years ago I went to a sale and the person was my size and I found the most incredible 1960s dresses, it was a dream! I also love vintage cashmere. Anything from the 50s to early 2000s is so much better quality. My ultimate find was a mint condition Chanel bag that I found at Goodwill in December. I knew the second I saw it behind the counter next to a Kate Spade bag that it was the real deal. It is unused and from 1992, still had the authentication card inside. For me what works best is to go for a quick look at a few different stores weekly. I don’t on my lunch time and love the time to myself.
I know this is about secondhand shopping online but adding I’ve had great success buying bundles of kids clothes in Facebook marketplace. I search for bundles by size, gender and sometimes season (ie, summer, winter) and brands. My kids love them, I’m helping someone clean out their space, and I save time shopping – win, win, win!
These are all great tips! Related to Mya’s recommendation to search for forgotten mall brands that are popular IRL but are sometimes overlooked on secondhand apps, my other tip is to search by shape/ style and material before anything else. “Cashmere sweater” and “wide leg cotton pants” will actually yield some better results than by brand, because it will automatically include those forgotten brands! I like Poshmark because then you can easily filter by size and colour! I find that app is not great for search bar specificity, but works better with filters.
As a lifelong thrifter, I implore you — do NOT put any wool items straight into your closet. Be patient and stick that baby in the freezer for two weeks lest your new score come included with moths. There’s nothing worse than inadvertently infesting your closet!
My best thrifting tips are to keep saved searches on resale sites, e.g. The RealReal, Vinted, Gem, Noihsaf, Poshmark, and ThreadUp (listed in order of preference… why is Poshmark’s search so bad? And does anyone actually find stuff they like on ThreadUp?). Some examples include linen dresses; handbags by A.P.C. and Mulberry; dresses by Theory, Rebecca Taylor, and Joie; cashmere sweaters by Vince, Equipment, and Margaret O’Leary; boots/shoes by Frye, Aquatalia, Loeffler Randall; jeans by Mother, Frame, Agolde, Favorite Daughter, Citizens. I also keep running notes in my phone of my sizes. If I go into a store and try something on, I’ll make a note of the brand and how the item fits. As I’m often at a consignment store, I can’t go out and swap for the next size up/down if the piece doesn’t fit. For instance, I know that in Frame jeans, depending on the style, I can wear across 2-3 sizes. In shoes, I’m usually a 8.5/9, so I keep track of which size is best in which brand (and what type of socks I’m wearing, if any). Keeping track of these notes helps me to make informed decisions if I come across something I like online. Although I can’t try it on beforehand, I have a good idea of whether or not the item will work. Finally, I keep wishlists of items that I would love to have in my closet. Right now, I’m on the hunt for corduroy or velvet high waisted pants, a black cashmere sweater, and basic t shirts. If I come across any of these, I’ll buy them without much hemming and hawing as I know I’ve already deliberated over these purchases. Generally, this really helps to avoid impulse purchases as, if an item hasn’t been on my list for a while, it’s likely a trend that’s caught my eye but not necessarily something that really want or have a place for in my wawrdrobe.
I’ve weirdly had really good luck on thredup- for example two CocoShop dresses for $100 that were originally $500 – but it’s a sit and wait (and wait) game. I think they have one of the best visual features of an item. I want to love poshmark but where are my saved searches hiding?? Going to spend some more time on Gem today- thanks for this new to me platform rec. love the idea of it aggregating across sites.
Here is some of the experience I have gained through searching and purchasing … 1. It’s easier if you leave yourself some time when searching for something. For example, I knew I would have a “summer camp for adults” at the end of June, and wanted to add a few linen tops and pants to my wardrobe before then. So I started looking in April, continuing to search for and find things through mid-June. I guess what I am trying to say is, when I am looking for “clothes I’ll really love and use for a long time”, I have moved out of the “get it on Amazon, there’s next-day shipping!” and instead into “Add it to your watchlist on eBay, maybe the seller will offer you a discount, leave 2-3 days for back-and-forth negotiation, and then a week for shipping time” mindset. 2. Use Google images to look for inspiration / other sources. For example, I wanted a tie-dye sweatshirt, but not necessarily the bold spiral patterns I typically associated with tie-dye. So, by searching for tie-dye sweatshirts- then looking at photos- then reading the descriptions of THOSE photos- I learned additional search terms like “dip dye” and “ombre”. I think of Google images as a tool to give me information against “unknown unknowns”. If you have the time, go down the rabbit hole and see what’s out there! Use the algorithm and check out the “suggested for you” images at the bottom of your current search, even if they’re sponsored. Maybe they’ll show you a different brand/ colorway of a “green ombre sweatshirt”, and THEN you have a new source or term to search for. 3. Search for spelling variations. Lagenlook vs lagenlok. People make typos. Don’t make searches TOO specific; sometimes sellers can’t be bothered to type in long descriptions, even if it might snag them extra eyeballs. Look at photos, and don’t rely solely on filters … I’ve found an “XL” pant (visible size label) that was wrongly tagged as “M” in the listing header. 4. on eBay, sellers are notified if you’ve “added the item to watchlist”, and about 75% of the time, they seem to then offer me a discount. Sometimes they’re open to further negotiation (either by eBay’s built-in “counter-offer” mechanism, or by direct message- e.g., I’ve had a seller offer me a discount, which then expired; I messaged them and apologized for not responding in time, so then they re-sent the offer, and so on). 5. I have a harder time with Poshmark’s search function and general algorithm; I get results that are NOT what I looked for. So, honestly, I keep scrolling down; usually the suggestions at the bottom- with those useful photos!- are key to seeing what else is out there. 6. I tend to use Google a lot, honestly. “lands end cowl fleece zip mercari / depop / thredup / poshmark / ebay”, and check the “Images” pages. Who knows how the intricacies of the algorithms actually work, but eventually Google figures out what kind of jacket you’re looking for, and tends to keep showing you similar jackets on the various reseller pages, which I might not have found via direct searching. 7. Agree with the reader who said, know your measurements via looking at an existing top/pants whose fit you really like. Also, try to verify the posted measurements. For example, for the same XL top, I’ve seen conflicting measurements in different listings. So sometimes I’ll check for the same brand / top / size, even if it’s in a different colorway, just to vet those XL measurements, and be more confident in what the “armpit to armpit” inches actually is. Hope that made sense. First time commenter! I started reading cupofjo relatively recently. But I’ve had a lot of fun with secondhand shopping (online), and feel like I have some useful tips to share. I enjoy it because I can find things I really, really like that are just not being in sold in stores at the moment (e.g. I missed out on Gap’s Star Wars sweatshirts by a few years). It makes me feel good to not contribute directly to the never-ending production cycle, and instead give new life to a thing that already exists and can be used some more. I can find tremendous deals- get better quality items for my money. For example, I would not pay full retail price for Eileen Fisher; I don’t have the budget to spend $100-200 on a single top. Previously, I might have paid $25-35 per top by going in-store to Gap, or hunting the racks at Marshall’s, but those items probably wouldn’t approach the same quality. But I have found really great linen pieces, both secondhand and even new, for the same $25-35 range, which would have been beyond my budget at full retail price. There is too much stuff in the world, and people are happy to make a few bucks by re-selling. I buy my husband’s jeans and plaid shirts, new items on eBay, and can always find good brands and nice colors.
Kol, great advice!! Love the detailed explanations.
YES to online thrifting! I buy the majority of my clothes this way. I feel like there are different tips and tricks depending on which site you are using. My two faves are Poshmark and ThredUp. Thanks for this post! I look forward to reading the other comments.
What do other moms do with nice clothes (so much Boden!) your kids outgrow? My local kids’ resale shop closed in the beginning of the pandemic, and I’m overwhelmed by anything like individual sales on Ebay. I have bins and bins of beautiful clothes I’d rather sell than donate. Help?
I sell “bundles” of similar clothes which saves time and energy for me and the person buying – e.g a bundle of summer clothes in the same size or from the same shop.
I just started selling on Vinted! I posted two Mini Boden Tees and they sold within 30 minutes. I find Ebay to be really overwhelming too but Vinted (and Mercari) make it really easy to do through the app. You really do just take a picture, put in the details, and that’s about it. Right now with Vinted there are no seller fees and buyers pay shipping.
We have a local FB kid group and I sell a lot of our nicer clothes on there. I’m sure I’m not getting quite as high of a sale as I’d get online, but I like the local aspect, and not having to pack and ship the items. I also pass some nice items along to my niece.
I’m surprised the Vinted app isn’t mentioned by anyone here- I think it’s only been available in the states in the last few months though. It’s hugely popular in the UK and I believe you can buy from sellers overseas without the usual import taxes. (Though all that long distance shipping isn’t very planet friendly). I use it all the time for clothes for my kids!
I used to love in Scotland and absolutely adored Vinted! Tragically, Vinted has practizally zero inventory in the US. I still sometimes browse Vinted for British brands and fantasize about buying them on a trip back to the UK, though! Interestingly, I’ve notice few key differences between US vs UK second hand shopping: in the UK, prices are much lower. As the prices are already competitive, sellers will not send unprompted discounts to attract buyers. Buyers might request a small discount, rarely more than 20%, and a seller might decline and insist on full price, or give a 5-10% discount, max. Some sellers have 10-20 items, but it’s very much a culture of people passing along items that no longer fit or have a place in the wardrobe, lessening environmental impact of fast fashion, and, if anything, making coffee money or reinvesting proceeds to another second hand item. Items are in great condition, with any (minor) flaws carefully identified. In the US, on the other hand, prices feel really high! Sellers have dozens to hundreds of items and will be quick to attract buyers who like items by offering bundles or discounts. Items are often in good condition, but I’ve seen a lot of really damaged/stained items where sellers are still hoping to make $20! It seems like more of a business to sell secondhand clothes, where folks are trying to earn an income, and occasionally I wonder if sellers are finding items inexpensively and then marking them up for a profit online. I’m really interested to know if anyone else has had this impression, or if this is all in my head? Either way, I’m curious if others find that second hand clothing can be quite expensive and profit driven?
I live in Ireland where we share Vinted with France and it is INCREDIBLE. I also use Address Pal to order from Vinted UK from time to time. I love it so much!
Yes. I use Vinted a lot, to sell and to buy clothes, shoes and books. This week I bought a linen sundress from Benetton for 6 €, shipping from Italy. Best find ever :) I’ve also sold shoes to France and Belgium (I live in Portugal). It works really well.
Claire, yes! People in the States buy items at thrift stores, estate sales, etc and then resell the for a profit. It’s actually really discouraging to thrift IRL these days because you’re always competing with someone who is going to buy, mark up and resell the item you would happily use for year
Celeste, secondhand stores provide jobs for a lot of resellers! There’s more to it than you might think. Nearly all of the work is at home: cleaning,setting up and taking photos, editing and uploading, taking measurements and recording them, making titles and descriptions and adding tags, folding clothes away for storage, answering customer questions, retrieving and packaging things up: a lot of people would be on disability or welfare who are resellers. Most charity shops will give away clothing for free to people who actually need clothes. I wouldn’t begrudge anyone, but if I was going to begrudge anyone it would be people thrifting good things for fun that they could afford to buy from resellers, than resellers themselves!
KIDS CLOTHES are so fun to buy second-hand. Since they grow out of them so quickly, they’re often in good condition. We have a two in-person kids consignment shops by us and my lil girl is outfitted this summer in Mini Boden and Crewcuts galore. My 4 year old son loves “fun clothes” in bright colors, not boring “boy colors.” I’ve really gotten a kick out of searching for cute stuff and dressing him as long as he’ll let me.
I feel like this is a good place to ask — tips for getting the thrift store smell out of leather? I thrifted a cool leather jacket over a year ago and it STILL smells! I’ve tried baking soda, leather cleaner, gently washing the lining with warm soap and water, all several times, and nothing has helped. The only thing I’ve seen online that I haven’t tried is using vinegar, but I absolutely abhor the smell of vinegar and can’t bring myself to try it.
Hi Marie! Try this trick I learned from an article on how ballerina’s outfits are cleaned – spray them with vodka! Vodka clings onto the molecules that cause fabrics to smell, and as it evaporates it takes the smell with it.
According to my fave dry cleaner on TikTok (Jeeves_ny), you *can* wash leather on cold in the laundry (air dry of course), and if you use Tide Rinse and Refresh which is a concentrated citric acid with no vinegar small in the softener drawer it eliminates pretty much any odors. I tried this with a vintage leather skirt I got that smelled a little cigarette-y and it worked like a charm. Just use leather conditioner once it’s all dried!
Edit to add: this does not apply to suede!
What about spraying cheap vodka on the lining? It’s how Broadway destinks costumes. Get a bottle and use the mist setting. Also, hang it outdoors in sunlight.
I second the vodka tip. I have bought several wol coats and leather jackets online and this works. Hang the item outside for a few days and mista few times a day with cheap vodka.
Vodka?! Just use rubbing alcohol, it’s much much cheaper!
Great article! Love the tip about setting an alert for size/item, which I know how to do for news articles with keywords, but not for shopping. Could you share how to do that?
Seconding this request! Everyone references ‘setting alerts’ but I need a step-by-step breakdown from anyone who does this, please! Maybe it’s on some platforms and not others?
Certain platforms – ThredUp, Ebay, and TheRealReal, a few I use the most, have a saved search feature that you allow you to review your “saved searches” and show updated results for those searches when you log in. Poshmark allows you to save a search, but recently changed their platform & app so I can no longer find where your saved searches are – so I’d have to rely on someone else to share how for that one specifically.
I’m a huge fan of vintage wool sweaters on Ebay!
I recently decided to finally part with my work wear that had been stored in bins since I got pregnant (friends, my son is 8). Even though my body has changed since then, I was struggling to let them go/just donate, because there were good quality pants in there. I send them to ThredUp and then went on a full blown cathartic purge of all the things stuffed into corners of closets. I was pleasantly surprised to find an extensive selection of plus size options on ThredUp – it can be so limiting to find clothes if you have a small selection of brick and mortar retailers near you that carry plus sizes – but the thrifting on ThredUp is awesome! I found a like-new Ellie Nap Dress for an amazing bargain and a whole lot of Boden dresses. A win for me! Love giving pieces new life and finding more diversity than what my local stores offer.
Buy “futures” in kids’ clothes! They grow! Just make sure you go through the futures box semi-regularly so they don’t grow past what you’ve bought. My favorite thrift of all time was a 100% Italian cashmere men’s overcoat. It was the cocoon my kid disappeared into during high school, and now that said kid is grown, it fits perfectly, body and soul! When I thrift-buy something that’s not quite right, I just donate it – I call it a sacrifice to the thrifting gods…
YESSSSSSSSS! Thank you for this post, COJ, I know this is one that I will be combing through the comments for days! I’m loyal to my IRL stores – I live in a smaller town and they are great businesses that I want to thrive, and also when I consign with them, it’s more financially beneficial for me. But online, there’s just so much! Birks that I can resole with a local business, tall-sized jeans that I won’t ever find on the rack, etc. Ebay and Poshmark are my go-tos because I appreciate the ability to ask questions (or take a gamble with a low-ball offer and added context like “not sure if it will fit without X measurement”) , but I think (and hope) Thred Up is doing great work in making getting clothes into the secondhand market easier for people who can’t do the admin work of consigning or selling online. I will add a plug for https://noihsafbazaar.com/ a small business that does a lot of higher-end clothes sales, and also Aja Barber’s patreon https://www.patreon.com/cw/AjaBarber Aja discusses sustainable brands, and the group also share secondhand finds not in their sizes. A couple of times a year she does an online clothes swap via the group too. I was skeptical but it works, and is a fun way to connect with the community in a tangible way!
I have learned so much from Aja!
I love Poshmark! Another way I like to use online secondhand shopping is to assess whether a more expensive purchase might be worth it – for example, I have long been considering an Imbodhi jumpsuit. I hardly see any listed on Poshmark, so it gives me a sense that people are happy with them once they buy one. On the other hand, if I see 15 of something that I’m considering buying listed for resale, then I’m hesitant because it makes me think there is a reason people do not like the item. But if the price is good enough, I can buy the secondhand item and see for myself!
This is great advice!!
100% I consider this as well! If I’m looking for a specific pant from Anthro and there are like 20 listed, that’s SUS and I’m prob not going to buy. However I did recently buy Pilcro brand fisherman sandals off Poshmark and there were quite a few options so I was scared – but I proceeded with caution at a low price and I love them, so you never know!
I don’t know where to write this but I just listened to Lucy’s conversation with Jay Shetty on his podcast and it is such a wonderful conversation!!! Held back tears the whole time. Lots of wisdom and joy in it and just brought me back to how it felt reading Paul’s memoir. Thank you Lucy for sharing this with us <3
oh I’m so glad xo
I buy almost all my clothes on Depop. One of my favourite finds and interactions was on a vintage Givenchy. I wrote to the seller saying it was an excellent find, way out of my price, range but just wanted to comment on it being beautiful. And on a whim he said my energy felt great, and offered it to me for $100! I’ve also recieved hand written notes and cards with buys, that have made the experience so sweet and personal. I love the idea of giving things a second (or third, or fourth) life!
This is lovely, Mallika!
As a longtime Gen X thrifter, this post warms my heart ❤️. My personal thrifting tips: Don’t buy it because it’s a great deal, buy what you love. Don’t limit yourself to unicorns, i.e. luxury goods for a pittance (people who work in secondhand and thrift stores have Google image search too and they know what things are worth.) Do search out home goods, glassware, serving pieces, and toys. Amodex is a miraculous stain remover. ThredUp now lists measurements for many garments, use this info. Thrifting with a friend is always more fun than doing it alone!
Nailed it Ashley – buy what you want or need, not what makes a great ‘you wouldn’t believe what I paid for this’ story. Love the thrifting content. Thank you for this!
Writing all of these down! Make sure you know your key measurements (waist, hips, rise, inseam) in case there aren’t any fitting rooms. If buying online and there aren’t any measurements (or maybe they don’t have a measurement you need, like rise) – find the item on eBay and check those measurements. Even if it’s in a different color you can still get an idea if it will fit. This has also saved me when buying something final sale from a retailer!
My favorite secondhand find was a national parks centennial sweatshirt that I was looking for for SEVEN years and finally found on eBay last year. My best secondhand shopping tips are to look for signs of shrinkage, and to know your measurements and always ask for the measurements of the garment (or, if thrifting in person, I carry a small retractable measuring tape). Lots of people either don’t know or don’t follow proper laundering and many natural materials do not take kindly to the dryer! Also I find it’s way more helpful to base measurements off of my favorite items of clothing rather than my actual body.
Interesting! If the item fits you, is there any other reason you wouldn’t want something that shrunk?
I love thrifting. I prefer to shop at thrift stores in person, but I have had some good luck online as well. Since we are sharing tips, here are some of mine: 1) Check out http://www.housingworks.com (NYC area), http://www.shopgoodwill.com (US-wide), and http://www.vestiairecollective.com (worldwide). 2) On the shopgoodwill site, you can restrict your search by region or Goodwill location. Searching this way can enable you to check out specialties from a particular area: for instance, if you know that a particular kind of pottery is very popular in one state or city, you can do a search for dishware in that state. Etc. 3) Learn the names of less widely known designers and vintage labels, to find great deals that are not as widely picked over. Learn the names of reputable Italian makers, for instance, that don’t have a ton or status or cachet. 4) If you are shopping in-person secondhand and find a very high-quality item, maybe one that’s a little quirky or worn out, learn what you can about it. Research the label or brand. See if you can find other items from the same label online. 5) Learn to recognize high-quality items in secondhand stores when you are shopping in person, so that you can learn about little-known brands, which you can then shop for online. For instance, if you are browsing a Goodwill and come across an item that is very well made–a leather-lined bag with a leather lining, for instance–take note of the label and see if you can find other items by the same label, on eBay or elsewhere. 6) Go against trends. Some YouTube influencers/secondhand sellers will make videos with titles like, “These 19 Brands of Denim Aren’t Moving From My Store!” They’re intended to help secondhand sellers learn which brands to avoid trying to flip, but you can also use them to learn what inventory secondhand sellers are trying to offload. Online commerce has weird trends all their own that have very little to do with what big-picture fashion trends are doing. By swimming against the current, you can pick up some good deals. You can also, of course, shop for clothes that are falling out of mainstream fashion trends, as long as you love them yourself. 7) Be very, very suspicious of any high-end luxury item from a recognizable brand. Even most bags that look real, aren’t. If I wanted a luxury handbag, I would probably try to follow one of three rules: a) Buy something from a very high-end but little-known label; b) Buy something from a very well-regarded secondhand or vintage shop, not a clearinghouse like eBay; c) Buy in person. 8) Learn lots of specialized language, and then search for items using the specialized language and then also without it. 9) As with all secondhand shopping: don’t be afraid of the men’s section, especially for shoes and bags. 10) Be very, very careful about any damage, unless you are sure that it won’t bother you, personally. Never buy something in the hope of getting a stain out. Leather straps can be replaced; stretched-out leather cannot be fixed. Most resellers will have assessed signs of damage or wear and already fixed what can be fixed without trouble. Be picky when it comes to condition. 11) On the other hand, buying a item that looks weathered when you WANT it to look weathered can be a great way to pick up a wonderful item for cheap. Some boots or bags look good a little scuffed, for instance. 12) Learn what can be tailored and what can’t. If a jacket doesn’t fit you in the shoulders, it’s unlikely to be made to fit you. 13) Don’t expect to make money back reselling. Selling clothes online is a challenging business requiring expertise, and most in-person consignment stores pay pennies on the dollar. If being able to return an item is important to you, shop from online sellers that allow returns. Make sure you know of a local charity that you really like that will accept clothing donations, and donate instead of trying to resell. 14) When shopping on eBay, etc.: have a watch list. If something has been sitting on your watch list for a long time, try making a lower offer than you typically would. The seller might want to offload it.
Thank you for this AMAZING rundown!
Excellent list! Fyi eBay offers authenticity guarantees, there are some amazing bags/shoes/watches to be found and they pass through their authentication centre so you know what you’re getting is legit.
Can you remove #5? I think COJ holds themselves to a higher ethical standard than this. It’s so so so freaking tough out there for brick and mortar retail these days and boutiques aren’t just here for us to enjoy for vibes and then go buy stuff cheaper online, after we let our makeup rub off on their blouses in the changing room. There’s even a term for this- showrooming. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Showrooming You could have easily said something like, check online reviews for detailed fit info or something.
Hi Diana! We chatted with Younga and confirmed that whenever she’s shopping in brick-and-mortar stores, she usually does buy something from the store. It’s only when she comes across a piece she loves that is out of budget, that she’ll wait to find a used version of it online, that’s listed at a price she can afford. She doesn’t go into stores with the intention of not buying. We edited her quote to better reflect that, because we would never want to encourage readers to disrespect people who work hard at these stores. xoxo
I understand the sentiment here, but I don’t think it’s that straightforward and that Younga owes anyone an explanation for how she serves businesses. Also, not really feeling the assumption of people leaving makeup stains on the clothes. I know it happens- I’ve picked up many items where deodorant or makeup have been left behind on the fabric. That’s the risk of selling clothes in person, the same way vintage and thrifted clothing run the risk of musky odors. The other risk is that the clothes won’t sell full-price. To me, affordability is always a factor and it’s not fair to judge someone who is putting in the effort to buy clothes affordably and sustainably. It’s 100% a consumer’s choice where they put their dollars. Since having kids, the resell market is a whole new oyster for me because kids rip up and stain clothes left and right (and they grow so fast). I bought my kids each Patagonia jackets full price when they were toddlers and as I understood their sizing, I snatched them up at consignment stores left and right because I don’t want to buy $100 jackets for my kids every season, but also I really believe in continuing the life of clothes as long as possible, so I also consign my kids’ clothes when they outgrow them. Let’s be honest, most clothes are fast fashion (even some of those linked on TheRealReal- is it always better to support a fast-fashion business or continue the life cycle of existing pieces?). I don’t think there’s a right or wrong.
I read this tip on CoJ! I used the Gem app and it aggregates a bunch of online second hand shops. It took dedication but I did use Gem to find a dress I had really wanted.
Second this! Gem is great for searching many sites at once, and for saving searches and getting notifications when a matching item pops up. The results don’t catch everything, but I still find it super helpful
I’m an expert thrifter both in stores and online. A few years ago, I was looking for a pair of straight leg jeans and just couldn’t find a style I liked. I thought about the jeans I had in high school and realized those were what I was pining for. I found my first vintage (90’s, ugh it pains me to say vintage because I was in high school then!) pair on eBay, and now I love looking for vintage jeans online. I have a few pairs, and they are warmer and thicker than what’s available now. Plus, they are super high rise and outline the tush QUITE nicely.
Lol well don’t gatekeep, Emily! Spill the tea on this brand plz
I can get very enthusiastic while thrifting . I have a few rules that I’ve set to help me reduce excess. Tops must be in my color profile (Autumn) and must be 100% cotton or linen. This helps so much.
“Very enthusiastic” – charmingly phrased, and a great idea! I’m sure location makes a big difference, but I’ll never understand the average person who says they can never find anything at the thrift. I see way too much great stuff, and in a much wider size range than folks online seem to believe! I try to cut down the Yes Pile, too.
Thank you for this post. I have been hoping that CoJ would cover secondhand shopping more often, given the excellent options out there. I am very partial to The RealReal, both for shopping and consignment.
Not a fan of Tip #5. The owners of local stores in my area said would people would come in to try things on then buy them on line. We are part of the problem in loosing locally owned stores.
I think the difference here is trying on something from a massive chain (ie Madewell), not a local small business, and then finding a used one online (good for the environment as well as the budget), versus browsing a local independent bookstore, for instance, and then buying the book on Amazon or Target (artificially cheaper due to supply chain abuse, worse for the environment, and a real blow to your small local bookstore).
Agree! I was going to say please do not ever do #5. It is so inconsiderate to those who work in a shop. Shops are always fighting to turn a profit and watching someone enjoy/benefit from your beautiful space only to have them purchase from another shop is frustrating to hear about.
I assumed she probably meant go to JCrew, the Gap, etc to know your sizes and then find them on ebay, Poshmark, etc.
Agreed, but I think it’s a bit different when planning to buy second hand. I
Hi Josette! Thanks so much for sharing this comment and we totally understand and agree with your point. We chatted with Younga and confirmed that whenever she’s shopping in her favorite stores, she usually does shop there. But if she comes across a piece she loves that is out of budget, then she’ll wait to find it online. We edited the quote to help better reflect that. But thank you again for sharing, because we would never want to encourage people to disrespect people who work hard at these stores. xoxo
I think the key idea here is small, local businesses with thoughtful curation and there’s a variety of ways to support them while being inspired by them.
If you “favorite” something on eBay and wait a bit, often the seller will send you an offer. And don’t discount (heh) goodwill in person… this weekend, after *lots* of patient waiting, I finally found a Portland leather handbag in very good condition. (And if you see a few nice things in one brand and size, keep looking, because often times someone has been cleaning out their closet!)
I think #5 is disrespectful to the brick & mortar store. You have no intention of making a purchase, but put work onto the staff. If (and that’s a big if these days) they greet you and ask if you need help, how do you respond? Honestly? I doubt it. I expect I’m particularly sensitive since my Dad owned and operated a brick and mortar clothing business.
Thanks so much for sharing Leslye, we totally understand your feelings. We chatted with Younga and confirmed that whenever she’s shopping in brick-and-mortar stores, she usually does buy something from there. But if she comes across a piece she loves that is out of budget, that’s when she’ll wait till she can find a used version online listed at a price she can afford. She doesn’t go into stores with the intention of not buying. We edited her quote to better reflect that, because we would never want to encourage readers to disrespect people who work hard at these stores. xoxo
I have a couple Poshmark tips to add. Reverse image search on google and add Poshmark to the search to find specific items or similar items. Like items and let them sit for two weeks, sellers often offer lower once a week. Learn high quality department store brands from the 90s for really good basics. Buy a soft measuring tape and write your measurements down in the notes app.
What are people’s go to online thrift stores? I’ve typically gone to ThredUp, but their return policies and prices have gotten worse over time. I know about Poshmark and Ebay. I found out about http://www.unclaimedbaggage.com and it’s a fun concept, although I’ve never bought anything on there. Any others you would recommend?
Call me old school but eBay is the best when you have a pretty good idea of what you want. The youngs love Depop but I haven’t tried it.
I love eBay most but lately I’ve been exploring https://shopgoodwill.com/. The selection is… interesting, but the prices are bonkers. Like you can get solid gold charms for way below market price.
Noihsaf Bazaar (linked in the post) is awesome! I buy and sell there with success. https://noihsafbazaar.com/
https://noihsafbazaar.com/ – more for higher end stuff (I look there for Not Perfect Linen for example) but some great deals, and I appreciate that it’s smaller and less chaotic than most thrift environments in-person or online!
I’ve been doing a lot of online second hand shopping in the past few years. There have been hits and misses. Knowing my desired measurements for tops and inseams has saved me from some of the misses. (If the seller doesn’t post measurements I always ask.) Unfortunately colors have often been misrepresented in photos (mostly unintentionally) so I’m thinking of asking sellers how well the colors in the photos and garments match…
Would be nice to see some options for WHERE to shop on-line for used items.. I only know of FB market place
Our links in the post lead to a bunch of good secondhand retailers! Xo
Noihsaf Bazaar (linked in the post) is awesome! I buy and sell there with success. https://noihsafbazaar.com/
I’ve never done online thrift, and have drifted away from thrift in general, but I dream of having a NavyGrey sweater, so may give it a try.
I love, love, love thrifting weather in person or online. There is something so wonderful about buying a piece that already is in existence and giving in new life, a better way to participate in the circular fashion economy too. It’s really good to see an article about it on COJ (hope this is only the start of it, would love to see even more). I’ve gotten quite good at thrifting and have hit the jackpot a few times. In the last year my best thrift finds from in person shopping include a 2023 Hermes Scarf in the Jungle Love pattern in pristine condition, a 2003 Chloe Silverado bag in silver python leather (from the first collection it was produced!), and an Alexander McQueen silk skull scarf. My best buy online in the last year was a japanese ebay find, a Louis Vuitton PM epi leather journal in orange from 2003. Funnily enough, all are designer brands/pieces that I had admired for years but would never be able to afford brand new… the hunt and surprise of finding them honestly is way more fun than if I actually COULD afford to shop in those stores. You truly never know what you will find. My best thrifting tip for IRL shopping is…. look up the wealthiest neighbourhood in your city or town on google maps. Then search for the nearest thrift stores in proximity to those neighbourhoods (I have found that the thrift store that is just outside of that neighbourhood yields the best thrifting success)… you will often find absolute gems! That’s how I found almost all of the pieces I mentioned above. :D
This is perfect advice and exactly what my trendy teenage son does! He finds some real gems. He was on the hunt for a velvet jcrew blazer and after months of looking found one at the end of the season at a local goodwill in a rich town nearby!
I still love good old e-bay to shop for work clothes like J Crew and Banana Republic, especially shirts & blazers. The secret is to know your brands and sizes, and then you can go from there. I also found vintage kitchen items and art on e-bay, I collect 70s Bjorn Wiinblad porcelain and glass, and I can find fun stuff there.
Yes to Rachel Comey sweatshirts! I think I’ve accidentally become a collector and now own (gulp) four. All secondhand! Setting Gem search really helps too!
Believe it or not, I bought my wedding dress on Poshmark. It was a lovely BHLDN number that still had the tags on listed for a fraction of the sticker price. After my wedding, I had it dry cleaned and relisted it. (It’s not like I was ever going to wear it again.) I think there is something so romantic and hopeful about passing forward a garment with such strong memories. I hope it brings its next owner as much joy as it brought me.
I got my wedding dress online and resold mine too!
I bought my wedding dress NWT on Stillwhite for $800, 50% of retail. I miraculously needed no alterations and so after wearing it and getting it professionally cleaned, I sold it on Stillwhite for … $800!! My only real cost was $150 in cleaning fees.
My best thrifting find ever was a Bottega Veneta handbag that I bought for $12 (!) at a Goodwill years ago. Being someone who is tempted by bargains, my most pragmatic tip is to only buy brands that are a step or two better in quality than what I would typically buy brand new. For example, brand new clothes usually come from Old Navy or Uniqlo. For thrift, I love Alex Mill or Eileen Fisher – better quality and I end up with fewer pieces that I wear more often.
I love poshmark, but there search functionality is horrible. In google type poshmark followed by colon then the item or category you are hoping to find, [poshmark: j crew school boy blazer size 12]. All search results will only be from poshmark and include the search term utilized.
Genius!!!
I first entered the workforce in the early 90s, and the first thing women may age did was invest in a Coach or Dooney & Bourke purse. In the early days of the pandemic, I started thrifting and restoring them. Then, my high school and college friends started sending me their old ones to restore. Pretty soon, we were all carrying them again. My nephew and his girlfriend run a top 300 Depop vintage shop, and it’s been a great way for us to connect. I love when he texts me pics from the thrift store and asks for my input!
This brings back happy memories of buying a beautiful chocolate brown Coach bag before starting my first job! I still have it.
Dooney and Bourke! Such a throwback, I hadn’t heard that brand name in such a long time :)
Don’t sleep on menswear options for women – something like an oversized 100% cotton Ralph Lauren button down is easy to find on eBay for less than $30 and is so sexy left open to a deep v/off one shoulder with a good necklace and some lipgloss. Also, blazers. Either oversized men’s in fun patterns (think the Professor look / Dad in Casper) or your staples. I love J.Crew velvet blazers but the quality is different than years past and the price tag is high – get one off eBay or Poshmark in a daring color for a third or fourth of the price. Secondhand has saved me during my weight fluctuations over 40, if you love it, search for the same brand/style/color in a size you’re more comfortable in – who cares?!
You can trade in your used Patagonia gear for credit and use the credit toward new or gently used items! https://www.patagonia.com/trade-in/ and https://wornwear.patagonia.com/
ooh thank you, Nora!
Yes! I have made so many purchases from wornwear.com. I’ll never buy new Patagonia again. The wornwear is usually in excellent condition (sometimes just overstocked, i’m betting). Great prices!
My number one tip came from a Hovey sister on CoJ ages ago: use Boolean search terms! I rarely wear black so almost all of my eBay searches include “-black,” and then whatever is REALLY important to me is in quotation marks, like “100% cashmere” or “vintage.” Absolute game changer.
This is so smart!
oooh yes!!
How funny!! — I love those Frye Campus banana boots, too, but can’t wear mine anymore because I have foot problems. I tried to have them listed a few years ago on a very popular Instagram re-sell/second-hand page, but the owner of the page said they didn’t fit the style of the page! I knew someone would want them—haha 😊 They’ve been sitting in the back of my closet for years now!
What size are you? I would definitely be interested!
Kat — I’m 8.5/9!
I love that this is a piece about thrifting. I love to thrift in stores and online. I agree that being very specific is key. Know what you are looking for and know your measurements. If a seller hasn’t put in measurements on a listing I will request them. Especially useful as vintage sizing (even from as recently as the 90s) can be very different to now. I’ve found some great things. Going for out of season is a good tip as well. I’ll buy sweaters in summer and sun dresses in winter then put them away. It’s a fun surprise when the season rolls around to wear the “new” things. So far my best find was a new with tags Missoni dress for $12.
I need to hear the Missoni dress story! Was that an in-person find or online? If it was online, did the person list the brand name or you spied the tag in the pic? So wild!
I also love shopping for secondhand kitchenware and art! My best find was a simplex Kensington copper tea kettle for $20 at an estate sale. My favorite secondhand story though was when my aunt bought a huge oil painting of a fish at goodwill for $3.75. She took it to antiques roadshow and found out it was worth $10,000!
Oh my gosh, can you imagine??
I always, always, always ask the seller if the item smells like perfume. Detergent scent goes away eventually, but perfume NEVER does. I learned this the hard way.
this is a pro tip!
Kel–YES! I spent many a time tossing an item in the washer repeatedly thinking it would come out. Vinegar, baking soda, OxiClean… nada. It stays, and it lays.
I’ve had good luck getting perfume smell out by hanging clothes outdoors in the sun. Also have you tried the new-ish rinse products? (they’re new to me at least) I’m using Downy Rinse + Refresh lately and I haven’t tried it on perfume specifically, but it’s removing other stains and smells super well, worth a shot (you put it in the softener compartment and have it come out during rinse cycle)
I found if exposed to warmth for a couple of days (very warm cupboard, outside in the sun), that will remove the perfume smell (have had luck with down coats which really hold on to the smell)…
Thrifting is my #1 self care activity since high school but I have had rather poor luck online thrifting. My in-person thrift tips (though nobody asked): -learn to identify natural materials by feel, then browse through each section extremely rapid-fire to find cotton, linen, and wool. these days there are fewer and fewer natural fibres in thrift stores and narrowing down the 3000 tshirts into just the cotton ones helps me. -always look in the men’s section for: jeans, sweaters (excellent cashmere always overlooked), dress pants, button up shirts -i thrift cute, clean baby clothes and books and keep them in a gift drawer for the next time one of my friends announces they are having a baby (i’m 31, this happens all the time) -i made a mood board on pinterest then screen shotted it and kept it in my phone. then, before i enter the store, i look at it, focus, and take a deep breath. helps me get less overwhelmed and take home fewer “novelty items” -on novelty items: they were fun when I was younger but these days I try to protect my home/closet from that type of chaotic energy and let myself appreciate the unique vibe of an item in store without bringing it home
thrifting is also my self-care activity! I feel like I am not a very patient person in real life, but I am so patient when thrift shopping! my personal pro-tips (which I learned from a friend) is that you have to flip through every item on the rack. I agree that baby clothes are great for thrifting! I like to thrift a onesie or baby jacket and embroider something on it (like the baby’s name) to make it a sweet personalized gift. I got invited to a baby shower recently that asked for “secondhand gifts or no gifts only” which I really appreciated.
Ditto to thrifting as self-care! I can get lost for hours. ITA to looking at every item and knowing fibers. My biggest tip is to be patient. One reason thrifting works for me is that I’m happy to do it as an activity, so I go fairly regularly. Some trips end with lots of wins, some trips end with nothing purchased. It’s good to have a sense of what you are looking to add to your home or wardrobe, but sometimes you find something unexpected. I found my favorite pair of shorts when I was looking for jeans, etc. Similarly, be flexible. Maybe I started looking at sweaters but ended up with a new flannel. Either way, I have a nice new warm layer. My other tip is to put everything intriguing in your basket and then review before purchasing. Some things are just really cool items and you can appreciate them but don’t need to take them home. (But please, put them back where they belong!)
My best thrift so far was a Rag & Bone camel-hair winter coat that I got for just over $100. It probably retails at $700 or more. The tip here is to buy off season. I got it in the middle of the summer when it was on a drastic sale, because I knew that I needed a new winter coat!
omg that’s incredible!
Everything I know about thrifting I learned from Erika V!
Yesss! We love to hear this, she’s the best.
Erika is the bessssst
Agreed tenfold! Owe newfound confidence to Erika V’s eBay tips.
yes!!!!! we actually reached out to her for this piece, but she was doing an exciting work project so she couldn’t jump on the phone — she’ll share more soon, I’m sure. she’s the best.
Everybody needs to be using http://WWW.GEM.APP (type that in your search bar rn, chickadees!) It will search all the secondhand shopping sites (Poshmark, Depop, RealReal, etc.) for what you are looking for, proving that sometimes the internet really does provide.
Came here to recommend Gem, it is the best!
agreed!
this is amazing, thank you for the rec!
Yes I used this to find something I had been looking for for ages! It works so well
YES, Leela! That’s my favorite way to shop for secondhand everything, really (and why I now have a crystal badger on my night-shelves). I have no real segue here, but I wanted you all to know about my new all-time favorite secondhand purchase, one I hunted for ages and researched by trying on other jackets in similar cuts to make sure that when I pulled the trigger it was perfect: as of a couple weeks ago, I’m the proud owner of a Levi’s Pokémon jacket (that I ended up tracking down from a seller in Japan). Probably going to make it my whole personality. https://laureno.recleague.com/r/104301-novelty-denim-until-morale
This is amazing and is making me rethink search terms for my ongoing Japanese denim hunt!
I love buying secondhand online! It helps that I used to work in a fashion-adjacent job and learned the basic simple terms for things (sleeve types, dress lengths, patterns, etc.) so I can be VERY specific in what I search. If there’s no picture on a mannequin/body, pay very close attention to measurements and volume. I’ve ended up with low rise pants and super billowy skirts that I didn’t love on accident bc I didn’t look close enough.