Thrift is still the new chic! New study reveal thrift shopping habits

It’s no surprise that its still cool to be thrifty–10 years after I started The Recessionista in 2008, in the midst of the global recession, shoppers still love bargain hunting.   Even those who love luxury freely admit that they love a discount. There’s an exhilaration that comes with the hunt of shopping for the best deal. Did you know that there is even a National Thrift Shop Day coming August 17, 2018 to celebrate the art of thrift shopping for the best deal? In advance of the “holiday” Value Village™  has released an interesting survey that offers new data on the art of thrifting.  There are many benefits due to thrift shopping.   Shopping second hand not only offers shoppers some incredible deals, it’s good for the environment.

H&M is promoting the benefits of recycling and offering customers savings.

Considering it takes 700 gallons of water to make a t-shirt and 1,800 gallons of water to make a pair of jeans, when we throw away more than 83 million tons of unnecessary apparel waste each year, it also means we’re throwing away the resources that went into making them.  That’s why recycling goods for others to use, or even donating used clothing to H&M to recycle into new clothing, is well worth our time.

Why do shoppers love to turn over the racks at Goodwill or consignment stores? Highlights from the Value Village™ 2018 Thrift Shopping Survey surrounding North Americans’ shopping behaviors include:

• Thrifters are hunting for bargains: Half report their love of thrifting came from a desire to save money, with “savings” and “economic” being the most-associated words with shopping secondhand (41 percent and 30 percent, respectively).
• The desire to find unique treasures: Forty-seven percent report they love finding hidden treasures.
• The enjoyment of the thrifting experience: Despite growth in e-commerce, shoppers still head to retail stores for the thrifting experience; 60 percent report they prefer to buy secondhand in person because it allows them to touch and feel products.
• Thrifting takes time, but a good find is worth the time: Forty-nine percent report they roam until something catches their eye, while 33 percent report carefully looking through each rack.

Dolls in the Window of the Yellow Brick Road Thrift Shop in Carmel, CA

Will you be thrift shopping this week readers? If so, check out my previous post on The Art of Thrift Shopping to get some tips on how and where to get the deals.