Top 7 Things to Look for at Thrift Stores to Resell (Thrifting Secrets)

Looking to get into thrift store flipping, but don’t know where to start? 

Well, we’ve got you covered.  

The resale market alone is expected to blow up to 64 billion. There has never been a better time to start a reselling business.

We’re going to share some of the best items that you can find at thrift stores to resell. If you know what you’re looking for, thrift stores are gold mines filled with products that you can quickly turn for a profit. 

From clothing to precious metals, these items have been part of the flipping scene for a while, so there are no worries about a lacking market. 

Let’s dive into the best things to look buy at thrift stores to resell with our best thrift store secrets.

#1) Vintage or High-End Clothing

Clothing is one of the most common items you’ll encounter at thrift stores. It’s also one of the best things to look for at thrift stores to resell! 

Of course, any old clothes won’t do.

What you’re looking for is designer, name brand, or vintage clothing in good or like-new condition. People are always on the lookout for designer clothes at low prices, so there’s always a market for these fashion finds! 

To find the “hidden gems” amidst the many shirts and shoes, you’ll need to at least have a few designer names in mind. 

Here are a few name brands to hunt down: 

• Calvin Klein 
• Tommy Hilfiger
• Ralph Lauren
• Michael Kors
• Fendi
• Gucci

These are just a few of the hundreds of different designer brands that you can find in your local thrift store.  If you’ve ever wondered why thrift stores cut tags and like to know more about this click here.

One of the absolute best clothing items to resell are shoes. Not only from some of the designers mentioned above, but many other famous shoemakers like Nike or Air Jordan are also great brands.

The retail price for shoes can sometimes be quite shocking. That means shoes are an item that people are always looking for good deals on, so you shouldn’t have much trouble selling the right finds. 

Learn how to get rid of thrift store smell: How to get thrift stores smell off clothes.

#2) Books

Books may not have been one of the items that came to mind when you thought of what products to look for, but they should be. 

Sure, there’s plenty of books that don’t have much value or aren’t even worth looking at if reselling is your goal. But the books you need to watch out for are vintage/antique books, leather-bound classics, and textbooks. If you manage to get your hands on a set, then that’s a top-notch find. 

Leather bound sets of classics, popular stories, or textbooks can sell for anywhere between a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. This means if you can get your hands on even just a few of these books, you’re likely to make a tidy profit. 

Don’t shy away from books that look like your great-great-grandfather read them while he was in school. For some collectors, age is a value add rather than a detractor. 

When looking for old books, try to find a publishing date and be acutely aware of the condition. The condition can be forgiven to a point when dealing with older tomes, but if it looks like a dog got a hold of it, it probably isn’t worth your time. 

Here’s an idea of what books to look for at thrift stores:

• Literary classics
• Philosophy 
• Poetry
• Medical/Psychology/Law
• Modern textbooks

When looking for books, you don’t have to only look for the classics. Unique edition books of famous authors like JK Rowling, Tolkein, or Stephen King can be excellent finds, and if you manage to find something signed, you’ve found a real gem. 

Learn how to start a book flipping business: Flipping Books for Profit: My Best Book Flipping Profit System

Even though they’re scarce, books that are signed by famous authors can go for hundreds to thousands of dollars. 

#3) Vintage Technology

Due to the various markets that you can cater to, vintage technology is a fantastic item to look for in thrift stores. 

Vintage technology doesn’t just have a variety of markets, but a wide range of products as well. 

Here are a few categories just to give you an idea:

• Audio equipment
• Cameras
• Computers
• Radios
• Clocks
• Phones
• Game consoles

And these are only a few of the possibilities when looking for vintage tech to flip. Unfortunately, reselling tech can be a little tricky without a knowledge base as you need to know your stuff to find worthy items. 

So make sure you do your homework!

Vintage tech does, however, allow for different routes when reselling. 

If you’re handy and know about the devices you’re looking for, you can use the items in poor condition by refurbishing them and selling them to collectors. 

Alternatively, you can sell the devices you find “as is” or take them apart and sell the parts to the handy people looking to refurbish. 

With a large number of item categories and an equally broad market, vintage tech can be a great opportunity if you do your research and know what items to grab. 

#4) Vinyl Records

If you’re looking to bring music to your ears and money to your pockets, start searching for vinyl records at your local thrift store. 

Lots of dedicated vinyl record collectors and casual listeners are hunting down good deals to add to their collections. 

Similar to vintage tech, this is an item category where knowledge is power. Not only knowing what to buy but also knowing how to grade the vinyl is essential. 

Grading vinyl simply means judging the condition. People aren’t going to want to buy records that skip, so you’re going to need quality control with what you sell. 

Knowing what to look for is vital, of course. That obscure rock band that your dad used to listen to is probably not what you should be buying. 

You’re going to want to look for famous artists that you know large amounts of people have enjoyed. Think artists like Pink Floyd. You don’t have to stick with just the rock genre, though. Explore other musical styles like jazz or country and find out what types of records hold value amongst collectors of that genre. 

Here’s a quick tip to get you started with vinyl:

Look for greatest hits, compilations, and box sets. These are some of the best types of records you can resell, supposing they’re in good condition. If you can find a sealed record, that’s even better. Collectors will be more than happy to pay the extra dime for an unopened masterpiece.

#5) Unique or Antique Mugs

Mugs often get overlooked when it comes to reselling, but there’s money to be made with the right finds. Mugs can often be unique, and some people love to collect cups with character. 

While you can make some side cash flipping mugs, it’s a patient seller’s game. Flipping mugs is often a slower endeavor than other items. However, this means flipping mugs can be great for those sellers who don’t have a lot of time to manage listings or acquire inventory. 

When flipping mugs, your average coffee mug isn’t going to cut it. As mentioned previously, mug collectors like mugs with character. Look for mugs with unique designs, colors, gimmicks, shapes, and materials. These unique mugs are going to be what sells. 

The further away from average your mugs are, the more attractive they may appear when trying to resell them. 

Aside from uniquely designed mugs, you can also keep an eye out for antique mugs. This also extends outwards into teacups, steins, tankards, and any other olden drink delivery mechanism. 

With the antiques, you’ll want to pay close attention to design, condition, and material as these aspects will be vital in determining the item’s value. After all, a sterling silver tankard is going to be a lot more valuable than a wacky coffee mug. 

#6) Collectible Figurines & Toys

Collectible figurines and toys are a wildly popular collector’s item and have rather large communities of collectors behind them. As a flipper, this means you have a large market looking for deals on great toys. 

Vintage and pop-culture toys are ideal finds when looking for collectible toys to flip. Think old wind-up toys, diecast cars, vintage Star Wars, and comic book figures. Collectors love items like these and are always on the hunt to add to their collection. 

Of course, those examples don’t cover everything. Collectible toys is a vast ocean of items, and covering everything is a task all its own. 

Another excellent toy to look for is model kits. By models, we mean trains, planes, tanks, and just about anything with an engine. These toys usually have dedicated collectors’ communities behind them, which means you already have customers ready to go.  

The last items we will look at are rare/vintage beanie babies. You might think these little stuffed animals are worthless, but the most expensive beanie baby set goes for about $600,000! Yes, you did read that right. 

While it’s not likely that you’ll make your next fortune off a beanie baby from a thrift store, you can make some substantial cash off beanie baby finds if you know what you’ve got.

#7) Silverware Made from Precious Metals

Our last thrift shop gem is silverware made from precious metals — for instance, a sterling silver silverware set. 

Precious metal sets of silverware or other dining utensils can go for hundreds or even thousands of dollars, but to come across good finds in thrift shops, you need to know what you’re looking for. 

To ensure you’ve got genuine sterling silver, you’ll want to check the item for markings. Some of the markings to look for are numerical values like “925”, lion stamps, or “Sterling Silver” stamped onto the item. 

After confirming a silver mark, you’ll need to check the price and compare it to the spot price of silver. A spot price is essentially the current going rate of an asset. For silver, this gets measured in some amount of money per weight. The pros will bring a scale with them so they can calculate the value of the item on the spot. 

Items made from gold will also have key markings that will help you identify if they are legit. Look for marks like “10K”, “416”, and “10KT”. These are an example of a ten karat gold piece you’ve got in your hands. Avoid gold items that have “GP” or “HGE” markings as these are gold plated and do not hold much value. 

Quick Tips to Make More Money Reselling

Now that we’ve covered our top 7 things to look for at thrift stores, let’s give you some tips to improve your reselling journey. 

Learn how to start your thrifting business: Thrifting for Profit: How to Thrift Like a Pro ($1,000+ a Month)

Our first tip is location, location, location. You’ll want to look for thrift shops in wealthier neighborhoods. This is because thrift shops in more affluent areas give you more chances of finding quality items when looking for things you can resell. You’re going to want to put the odds in your favor in any way you can. 

Our next tip is to take good pictures of your listings and provide as much information as possible. The number of listings that just look terrible or give you no information on the item is too high to count. Differentiating yourself from these people is going to help you sell more things, more often. And that means more money in your pocket!

We recommend that you take clear pictures from different angles, and be honest about the item’s condition. This will also help you maintain your reputation as a seller, which can be the decision-maker for some buyers. 

Our third tip is to do your homework! We know, nobody likes doing homework, but the difference between knowing your stuff and not — is money. Doing your research will help you make more informed buying decisions and steer you from making purchases that end up as losses. 

Excellent location, useful listings, and proper research are keys to putting more profit in your pocket.

Where to Resell Your Thrift Finds for the Most Profit

Now that you’ve picked up some great finds, you’ll need to sell your newly acquired goods. We recommend using our up-and-coming selling platform Sheepbuy.com. 

Sheepbuy is a selling platform that offers a unique spin for sellers. Instead of signing contracts, or being charged for every item you try to sell, Sheepbuy lets you get started selling right away with no hidden fees and no expense to you! 

And the best part?

There’s no middleman. You have the opportunity to sell and buy from peer to peer. 

But that’s just the basic plan.

With Sheepbuy, sellers can sign up for monthly plans that allow them to sell more and more, instead of being charged fees for selling each item. With this system, Sheepbuy aims to provide a more affordable selling platform so sellers can save money on transaction fees so you can keep more profits. 

Our platform allows you to receive funds directly to your PayPal account, and your monthly subscriptions are securely handled through Stripe. This means your money is dealt with safely to ensure it makes it to the right places. 

Learn more about how you can sell online for free: Where can I sell my items online for free.

Conclusion

We hope that these thrift store flipping secrets have helped you expand the items you look for in thrift stores to resell. 

As you can see, thrift stores are gold mines to those who have eyes for good deals. Now, you can be one of those thrift store shoppers. 

Whether you’re looking to specialize in a particular item category or become a general seller, the items listed above will become some of your best friends.

Recommended Blog Posts:

• How to use Sheepbuy?
• Is reselling worth it?
• How to return something you bought online.