Five thrifting hacks will help you snap a bargain at your local charity shop
Following Love Island’s decision to dress contestants in second-hand clothes from eBay, fashion experts suggest that this could spark a change in viewers’ shopping habits.
With the upcoming festival season just around the corner, many of us are turning to second-hand clothing websites and thrift shops to purchase those flashy summer garms.
As part of their new Thrifting Capitals of the World Campaign, the team at Betway have provided a beginners’ guide for thrift shopping by outlining five valuable hacks that will help consumers snap a bargain at their local charity shop.
1 Look out for de-tagged stock
When dealing with stock from big-label brands, charity shops will often remove the labels of these clothes in order to prevent returns to the original store.
That said, if you spot an item with no label, this could be a donation from a high-end brand. When dealing with these sorts of items, it is important to know how to spot top quality material, even if you don’t recognise the brand.
For example, you can check whether the shoes you’ve picked out have a genuine leather sole, or whether the sunglasses you’ve got your eye on have thicker lenses and heavy duty hinges.
2 Go often to increase your chances of finding a bargain
Popping to your local charity shop on a regular basis and knowing the kind of stock that is available will increase your chances of finding a bargain.
A top tip here is to shop regularly on weekdays when the shop won’t be as busy. It will also pay to visit the shop first thing in the morning, too.
What’s more, it would be a good idea to chat to a member of staff to find out when the shop’s restock day is to bag your next gorgeous top at a discount.
3 Follow your local charity shop on social media
Before you head into town to thrift shop ‘til you drop, it may be worth having a look on social media to see if your local charity shop has any special sales or discounts on items on.
These typically tend to be posted on social media pages like Facebook and Instagram, and is a great way to get in the know of what a particular shop has to offer.
It also pays to do your own research on the charity shop outside of social media, looking for incentives such as reward programmes. For example, the British Red Cross offers a Give and Gain Loyalty card, which gets you 20% off your first purchase, alongside various discount vouchers and offers.
4 Rummage through the rails
Unlike a high street store, a charity shop won’t have all the hottest buys displayed on one clothing rack. Rather, items are organised by colour or size, so it’s important to be patient and rummage through the rails in order to find a bargain.
When it comes to selecting clothes, be sure to try them on first in order to check for any faults with the item. Even though you can return your clothes, you’d ideally want to get value for money the first time round.
5 Check out glass compartments to see if there’s anything valuable or collectible
When shopping at a charity shop, it’s easy to get distracted by the giant clothing rails and endless stacks of books, CDs and vinyls.
But it is also important to pay attention to the little things - one of these being the glass compartments that are typically near the tills.
These tend to be loaded with an assortment of the hottest jewellery, watches and even cameras - typically at a discount. So, if you’re on the hunt for some new accessories, be sure to check these out.
