Bargaining Benefits

     As I have mentioned, there is a plethora of benefits associated with thrift shopping. The article attached below, written by Katherine Martinko, lists ten of the greatest advantages that second-hand shopping has to offer. There were a few items that not even I had ever thought of! This really says something considering the fact that I've been surfing the racks at thrift shops for several years now. The most interesting thing I found from the article was that Martinko and I both acquired our thrift shopping lifestyle and bargaining skills from our mothers. What are the odds of that?

My favorite benefits that Martinko listed in her article are the following:

*Thrift store items are typically higher quality simply by virtue of being there.
     I've purchased items in the past that almost looked brand new; almost like they'd never been worn before! Many people imagine thrift store clothing to be grungy and dirty, but that's hardly ever the case. I have received numerous compliments on the clothes that I've bought from second-hand stores. It's always funny to see the look on people's faces when I reveal to them where I shop. 

*Thrift stores are an opportunity to develop your own unique sense of style.
     By shopping in thrift stores, you will be opening yourself up to a variety of possible styles to choose from. Regular stores tend to specialize in only a few styles and advertise to only a fraction of the public. For example, Hot Topic is geared towards the punk-rock, Goth type crowd whereas Victoria Secret serves only the female population. This is why thrift stores are so special. They incorporate every kind of style into one place. Their target customer base includes everyone.

*There are really fabulous finds on all the racks at a thrift store.
     It does take a great deal of patience to shop in thrift stores. This is mostly because of how much merchandise is physically crammed onto the racks. This is due to the significant amount of donations thrift shops receive from the public. However, if you encompass the virtue of patience and have a good idea for style then you will have the opportunity to discover some truly awesome treasures!

*There are no hovering salespeople waiting to make a commission off your purchase.
     Martinko made me laugh when she included this in her list. The one thing I've always disliked about department stores is being approached and questioned by salespeople. I know it's their job and that they make commission off of our potential purchases but, in my opinion, they tend to be annoying and bothersome most of the time. However when you shop at a thrift store you're on your own and you don't have to feel like you're constantly "being watched."


Link to Article