Thrifting Today
Why the Deals Are Harder to Find
If you’ve been thrifting anytime recently, you may have noticed something…It’s not the cozy bargain-hunt it used to be. These days, it feels like everyone — and I mean everyone — is thrifting. From families on a budget to 20-something resellers to big stores like Salvation Army… the game has changed. And honey, so have the prices.
The diploma in “Secondhand Treasure Hunting.” Yet somehow, when I walk in, the shelves look like someone beat me to the good stuff five minutes before I arrived.
Well, probably because they did.
When “Thrift Store Pricing” Turns into Sticker Shock
I’m still fairly new to thrifting myself, but I’ve watched enough YouTube videos to feel like I should have a let me paint the picture — and yes, this really happened.
I go into Salvation Army with my little list of items I’m hoping to flip:
- Nike shoes
- A couple name brands the YouTubers swear by
- Something still in the box
- Anything with a tag attached
What do I find?
Nothing. Zip. Shelves emptier than my patience.
Then I turn a corner…
🟧 Nike shoes, men’s size 12
🟧 Sitting proudly on the shelf
🟧 With a price tag of…
$75.
Seventy-five dollars.
For thrift-store Nikes.
I nearly needed a wellness check right there in the aisle.
Why It Feels Like Employees Get First Pick
Now listen — this next part comes from love and 24 years working for Walmart.
At Walmart, we had rules:
- Associates can’t take items before customers.
- New stock must sit on the floor 24 hours before an employee can buy it.
- No hiding things in the back.
- No pretending your cousin “found it first.”
But at some thrift stores?
Let’s just say I’ve seen employees loading the “good donations” right into their cars faster than I can say, “Isn’t that supposed to go on the floor?”
And let’s be honest — the items were donated for free, so seeing them priced like boutique finds can feel… well… a little off.
Am I Wrong for Noticing This? Or Just Paying Attention?
Here’s the thing:
I’m on both sides of this fence.
Yes, I resell too —
But everything I sell, I bought.
Nothing free. Nothing handed down.
My mom was a decorator and a shopper. Her house could’ve been in a magazine. But when she watched my kids years ago, I paid her $300 a week. No freebies in this family.
So when I thrift, I’m not expecting the moon for $2.
But I am expecting thrift-store prices — not eBay prices with a side of attitude.
It Isn’t Just My Town — Other States Are Doing It Too
We recently took a trip out west (that blog story is coming soon!), and I checked out a few thrift stores along the way. I thought maybe Michigan was just getting expensive.
Nope.
- Higher prices
- Good stuff missing
- Employees “sorting” with a little too much enthusiasm
It’s happening everywhere.
Thrifting Has Changed — But Should We Be Upset?
Truthfully?
I don’t know.
On one hand, thrift stores:
- Support good causes
- Employ people
- Help communities
- Keep items out of landfills
All wonderful things.
But on the other hand…
- Donors expect their items to help others, not be priced like new retail
- Shoppers who need affordable stuff can’t always afford it
- Resellers (hi, that’s me!) can’t make a profit on $75 used sneakers
So should I be upset?
Maybe a little.
Should I laugh about it while sipping coffee?
Absolutely.
What Do You Think?
I’d love to hear your stories — because I know I’m not the only one noticing this shift.
- Are thrift store prices going up where you live?
- Do the good items disappear before the store even opens?
- Are you finding any hidden gems?
- Have you ever seen something in a thrift store priced HIGHER than it was new? (I sure have.)
Let’s talk about it.
Thrifting isn’t just shopping anymore — it’s an adventure with plot twists.