Rules to Thrift By
Thrifting men’s clothing to resell can be a fantastic side hustle, but your first trip to a thrift store might feel a bit hopeless. The racks are going to be packed with tons of unfamiliar brand labels and lots of common brands that you may be familiar with from your personal style and shopping experience.
And, a list of brands really isn’t that helpful to begin with. There are a handful of Unicorn Brands that you can confidently pick up anything you come across. But 95% of the time, you have to know the specific items within each brand that sell fast and will make you good money.
That’s why we’ve put together some simple rules to help filter through items and find potential value. It will show you how to find profitable men’s clothing to resell without having to memorize a list of brands.
The Rule of Size
Here’s a simple rule: big clothes often sell better. Larger sizes are in high demand because big sizes are often more expensive at retail and sell out quickly. Size can be a determining factor for whether you found a profitable item to flip quickly or something you should leave on the rack. This is especially true in common to find brands like Polo Ralph Lauren, Carhartt, and Tommy Bahama.
Look for sizes 2XL and up as well as big and tall sizes like XLT (T = Tall). Some brands have big size lines commonly noted by a “B” on the size tag such as 2XB.
The Rule of Ugly
Here’s a fun one: wild and unusual clothes can sell well online.
Some individuals love to wear clothing that makes a statement, whether it’s through bold patterns, bright colors, or unique designs. They’re not looking to fit in; they want to stand out. So, as you browse the racks, if you find yourself wondering “who on earth would wear this” then you may have found a good potential piece to resell.
The Rule of Fabric
Understanding fabrics can enhance your thrifting game. Certainly, you’re aware that cashmere carries a high price tag, and people consider silk to be a luxurious. But there are many other fabrics that can elevate the desirability and value of a piece of clothing on the secondhand market.
The trick is to know the standard fabrics for different pieces so you can look for outliers. For example, the two most common fabrics used in men’s shirts are cotton and polyester. Quite often, shirts made with linen, nylon blends, silk and wool are less common and may be more desirable for resell.
The Rule of Utility
You don’t always have to find fancy designer brands to make a profit. Many clothes cater to specific activities or environments. These items can generate increased second-hand demand because not everyone wants to pay retail prices for clothing they won’t use frequently or will wear in rough environments.
Here’s just a few examples: fishing and hunting shirts, hiking pants, golf pants, flame resistant workwear, weightlifting shoes, cycling apparel and motorcycle pants.
The Rule of Vintage
Everything old is new again. Vintage clothing has always had a market and it’s thriving now more than ever because of access to online marketplaces like ebay.
It does take some experience to figure out which vintage pieces are desirable and which are just old. But whenever you find vintage items, you’ll want to investigate and see if there is good resell potential.
Currently, vintage fashion from the 90’s and Y2K era are hot.
The Rule of Numbers
Once you find a piece that has potential to resell, you’ll need to look it up to see if you have right combination of item type and brand to hit a home run. The great thing about selling on eBay is that you can use the app to check how similar items have sold.
It’s like looking at the scoreboard. Check how many similar items have sold compared to how many are for sale. This tells you how fast things sell and how much they’re worth so you can decide if it’s worth flipping or not. It’s like a cheat code for thrifting.
For a step-by-step guide, read our post on calculating sell through rate on eBay.
Conclusion
Thrifting for men’s clothing to sell can be exciting and profitable. You’ll be ready to navigate your local thrift store and find valuable resale items by following these simple rules.
Remember, practice makes perfect. As you gain experience, you’ll become a smart reseller who can spot hidden treasures that turn thrifted items into cash on platforms like eBay.
Enjoy the journey, keep learning, and may your thrifting adventures overflow with reselling success and profit!