Thrifting has become a popular hobby with many Gen-Z fashion lovers. However, the rise of reselling platforms have made thrifting less of a fun pastime and more of a tense battle between casual thrifters and shameless resellers.
I have always loved thrifting. It has been such a great way to expand my closet without going broke in the process. It is always enjoyable to visit an inexpensive thrift store to find a couple of items that will be loved again. However, in the past few years, resellers have truly ruined the experience for me.
I used to love the Goodwill bins the most of all my thrifting locations. It was so enjoyable to sift through them and discover unique clothing items. That was until I met my first reseller.
Clashing with resellers
I went to the bins on a weekend, thinking it would be a good way to enjoy my day off. When I got there, I was greeted by a group of three teenage boys with several carts full of clothes.
They were going bin to bin, ripping away things that they wanted and tossing the things they didn’t want over other people’s heads. They would then go sit in the corner with their mountain of clothes and snicker toward each other while everyone else looked through what was left.
I am well aware that those kids had just as much of a right to the clothes they found as anyone else; that isn’t what upset me. What upset me is that they were quite literally listing the items on Depop before they even left the building.
They had three or four Carhartt jackets for which they paid under $10 and were now going to sell for $100 online. They couldn’t even leave one for the rest of us? I left with nothing but a newfound irritation for resellers like this.
The issue of resellers goes beyond my personal grievances. These scalpers disguised as small businesses have been the single most significant contributor to the downfall of thrift culture.
A bigger price tag
Thrifting has always been about being able to get nice clothing at affordable prices. Resellers have completely dismissed this sentiment. Instead, they use the affordability of thrift outlets as a way to turn a profit.
These resellers will pay $5 for a Nike hoodie and turn around and resell it for more than 10 times the purchase price.
This isn’t just an issue of inflation; it is a complete disregard for the purpose of thrift stores. Instead of making items more affordable for those with a lower income, resellers are focused on selling their up-charged items to wealthier individuals. While most resellers will market their business as “sustainable,” there is nothing sustainable about spending half of your paycheck on a T-shirt.
Those who thrift as a hobby aren’t willing or able to spend hundreds of dollars on a jacket. This leaves many people simply unable to buy the same things they used to from their local thrift shop.
The clothing drought
Beyond decreased affordability, resellers are a representation of overconsumption at its finest. These resellers aren’t going to the thrift outlets and picking a couple of things out, they are filling their carts with as many things as they can get their hands on.
This has drastically impacted the availability of clothing for the more casual thrifters. If you are unlucky enough to get to the store after a reseller, you will see that the store has been completely swept of any good pieces. The only things left behind are cheaply made, mass-produced products.
If you’re like me, you might now go to two or three different stores and not be able to find a single item. It is incredibly disheartening and has led many long-time thrifters to give up entirely.
Sucking the energy from the room
Perhaps the effect that resellers have had on availability and affordability might be excusable if they were at least nice about it. The problem is, many of these resellers aren’t.
About 80% of the resellers I have met have been obnoxious, annoying, or downright rude to other thrifters.
It seems that many of them have a complete lack of social boundaries. This kind of behavior is completely unwarranted and disrespectful. These resellers are making it more difficult for others to find clothes while also making people uncomfortable in the process.
What we can do
While resellers are an incredibly annoying part of thrift culture, there is a way we can bring back old thrift culture.
One of the most important things we can do is stop buying items from reselling sites. I get it, you really want those jeans, but don’t fall into the trap. You are only encouraging resellers when you cave in and pay their marked-up prices.
Another way to improve your thrifting experience despite resellers is to not engage with them at all. If you notice that there are some resellers at your local store, just leave and come back later. Go grab yourself a coffee and let them dig through everything while you sit back and relax.
If you do find yourself in the store at the same time as a rabid reseller, one simple trick I have learned is to just put in your earbuds. Turn up your favorite playlist and forget about everything around you. They might be able to take the pants you wanted, but they can never take your tunes from you.
You can also make thrifting more enjoyable by bringing along a friend. Those resellers are much less likely to get to you if you have your bestie with you to try things on with.
The most important thing to remember is that thrifting is meant to be fun and a good way to recycle clothes. Don’t let anybody else ruin your time. Stay patient and stay kind, and I am sure you will be able to find something that you love.
Ejoi
May 25, 2026 at 10:46 am
100% agreed! I’ve loved op-shopping since I was a kid, but the last 10-15 years have seen a massive shift. Resellers and next gen of volunteers (goodbye 80 year old ladies with hearts of tea cake, hello 50-60year old women who scalp all the good items so they never make it onto the shop floor) in the stores have taken the soul from what was always a beautiful generosity driven part of the community. Avoiding resellers stores and websites is absolutely the best thing everyone should do. They spike supply and demand as their excuse, so bring on slashing the demand.