13 Things to Look for at Thrift Stores to Resell for Profit

Thrift stores are a goldmine for anyone looking to resell items for profit. You can find brand name clothing, furniture, and other items at a fraction of the price you would pay at a retail store. However, not all thrift shop finds are created equal. You need to know the best items to look for if you’re looking to actually make a profit. In this blog post, we will discuss 13 things to look for at thrift stores to resell to make a profit.

Note: This post is sponsored by Vendoo (my favorite reselling tool!) and contains affiliate links. As always, all opinions are mine and I only work with companies I genuinely recommend.

Brand name clothing

Among the bet profitable things to look for at thrift stores, brand name clothing is at the top of the list. While you can find luxury brands like Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Gucci at thrift stores on occasion, finding high-end brands is extremely rare. Instead if you’re looking to resell clothing for profit, mid-range brands are a good place to start. Some of the best brands to find for reselling are the kind that generally retail for $50-$150 and resell for anywhere from $25 to $50. Just look up each item you find and ensure they’re in good condition because flaws or being worn out will kill resale value.

Vintage tees

More clothing to look for at thrift stores to resell are vintage tees. While some people believe that only luxury or modern brands can be resold for a high price, that’s simply not the case. In recent years, there has been a resurgence in popularity for vintage clothing – especially t-shirts. Band tees, sports team tees, etc. are highly sought after by collectors and can resell for upwards of $100. More commonly, though, you’ll be able to find a good number of items that will sell at $20-$30 price points. The key is to look for shirts that are in good condition with no stains, holes, or other damage.

Furniture

If you have a truck and some extra space for storage, you can scout out valuable furniture at thrift stores to flip locally or even online. Because most people don’t want to deal with furniture, your competition will be practically nonexistent. Antique and vintage styles can do really well because they’re well made and no longer found in stores. But modern styles can also be profitable for those who want good quality, modern furniture without having to pay full price.

Home decor

From lamps to picture frames, there are a lot of home decor items you can find at thrift stores that you can resell for a profit. Of course, not all of it is profitable and many thrift stores a overrun with cheap decor from places like Walmart and Target. However, if you do your research, you’ll start to learn which brands and styles are valuable and in high demand.

Books

Textbooks and other popular books can be found at thrift stores for cheap and resold for a higher price online. When it comes to selling books, the general rule of thumb is that non-fiction tends to sell better than fiction. This isn’t always the case, but things like textbooks or books on certain topics can sell really well for people look for that specific information.

Sporting goods

Sporting goods can cost quite a bit when you buy them new, so thrift stores are a great place to look for things like golf clubs, bicycles, snowboards, and other gear. A lot of times, people are just picking up a specific sport and may want to start with something more affordable before going all out. Additionally, you can occasionally find higher end brands that are highly sought after that most people will pass up and the thrift store has marked really low because they don’t know any better.

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Jewelry

While you’re likely not to find a bunch of diamonds in the thrift store, don’t dismiss jewelry. Costume jewelry can be very profitable in the resale market. One of the best things about jewelry is that it’s really small and easy to store. If you don’t have a lot of space for storing items that you’re selling, jewelry is a great option because you can have a lot of it without it taking up too much space.

Toys

Toys are always in demand because parents are always looking for ways to save money on toys. Luckily, thrift stores are also always filled with toys because parents are always looking to declutter their kids toys as they outgrow them. Now, not all toys are going be worth reselling, but there are some that can be worth picking up. Learning and electronic toys for older kids can be a good pick up and so can collectible action figure type toys or even some vintage board games.There are resellers who make their living just selling secondhand toys, so it’s definitely a profitable market to get into.

Baby/kids clothes and gear

Kids grow so fast, and it’s often hard to keep up with them and everything they need! Thrift stores are a great place to find gently used baby and kids clothes and gear that you can resell for a profit online. While most baby and kids brands aren’t going to sell for a lot of money, you can sometimes find more sought-after brands in thrift stores. Alternatively, if you can find similar sizes for a good price, you can often sell a “lot” of items to parents of kids who are moving up to the next size.

Electronics

You may be thinking, who donates expensive electronics? And the answer is a lot of people! Even better than modern, high end electronics that may be harder to find, outdated and discontinued electronics and their accessories can often find them even cheaper at thrift stores. The great thing about these is that they’re no longer found in stores, so many people will be running to online marketplaces like ebay to find what they need.

Linens and bedding

High-quality sheets, blankets, and other bedding products can be found at thrift stores for cheap prices and resold for a profit. If you know what brands to look for, you can usually quickly flip through this section at a thrift store and find a couple of pieces that you can resell. Another thing to look for are vintage styles that people may be looking for to replace an old blanket, or for nostalgic reasons.

Cookware

Pots, pans, dishes, and other kitchen essentials can be really expensive new and there are some great brands for resale at thrift stores. A few of my favorite brands to find are Saladmaster and Xtrema because they often sell for $100+ regardless of the item. Cast iron can also be profitable depending on the brand, so make sure to check out any cast iron you come across. If you can find a complete set of pots and pans from a good brand, that can often be a great brand too!

Glassware and china

A lot of resellers shy away from glassware and china because it’s fragile and can break easily during shipping. But if you have the right packing supplies, there’s no reason not to pick it up. In fact, you’ll have less competition because of this. Things like vintage glassware, vintage teacups, collector plates, and more can have a great resale value and are usually just a few dollars at your local thrift shop.

When shopping for things to resell at thrift stores, it can be overwhelming if you don’t know what to look for. Over time you’ll develop the skill and knowledge to know what to look like in thrift store finds, but when you’re first starting it’s helpful to have a list of things to look for that are profitable. Keep this list in mind the next time you hit up your local thrift store and happy reselling!