What Do Thrift Shoppers Want?

[brianrhc]

It's ideal when shoppers find what they want and the shop  (at least if it's for charity) maximizes revenue. But how best to do that? Here are a few thoughts. What do you think?

1. Fair prices. Others have lamented clothing and household goods marked at new retail prices. I'd add that most art and collectibles I see are way overpriced. While we can't expect staff and volunteers to be experts in those fields, one minute on the web can produce a realistic price. Selling an item at half of an inflated price is better than not selling it at all; it generates both cash and display space for another item.

2. Convenient Display of Wide Variety. Neither a jumble of dusty boxes nor a wanna-be boutique (which is easy to navigate but seldom has offbeat treasures). Aisles should be wide enough to allow customers to both browse and to get around browsers, and no items in the middle of the aisles. There should be an area with "New This Week" items to encourage repeat visits without needing to look at everything you already saw last week.

3. High Stock Turnover. While some stores have periodic sales, a whole aisle of baskets and imitation flowers (which seldom sell at any price) robs space that could display higher-priced items. One store I regularly visit has a stock room the size of a small house piled 12 feet high with unopened donations. High turnover also encourages repeat customers.

4. Real-Time Pricing of Unmarked Items. Some items inevitably don't get priced when set out, and tags can fall off. While a few bad shoppers may remove tags, the store always should have someone authorized to price unmarked items. 
 

[Tammy]

Great post and I will agree 100% with everything you mentioned.  I esp agree with the real time pricing.  Last
week I picked up stuffed dog toy in the shape of a candy
cane that it didn't have a price.  Instead of slapping .75 or
some under $1 price on it the sales clerk dropped it into
a box at the register with other items unpriced.  Now how
much did it cost the store to have someeone touch it that
many times to reprice it?  Plus it's annoying to find something
then you can't have it for that reason. 

[Good Buddy]

BEAUTIFULLY put Brian!

[dfwgirliegirl]

I am sure it is very hard to run a thrift shop, making the most profit for the cause.  With that, I understand part of the "deal" is hunting thru stuff because to maximise profits they do not always hav ethe staff to sort thru things...BUT...since you asked....

It would be great IF....

Clothing was arranged in sizes.  I am a plus size lady and there is usually not much in my size but the stores that have the sizes arranged easily to access, I go back more often.  There are a few thrifts here that even have an entire area JUST for plus sizes.  I love that.  Saves me lots of time.

Fitting rooms are also nice.  Most have them now but there are still a few that do not.

It is easier to find things when they are out, in an orderly fashion.  A few of the Goodwills around here have things like rubbermaid and tupperware (what little there is of TW) just thrown in a bin or tangled up on deep shelving.  I would love to find a TW treasure but I just pass that section up most of the time.  The other Thrifts seem to have the time to have neat shelves, so I just shop there for these items.

Again, I know that it takes man hours to do these things and that takes away from the charity's bottom line....so when I have time on my hands I deal with it and go for the hunt, which is part of the fun....but when I do not have time I skip these stores.

Thanks for posting this.  It is interesting to see what others think.

Tiffany
www.ramblingsfromagirliegirl.blogspot.com

[Mission Mart]

I agree 100% our shoppers can tell a mile away if our stock is rotating as fast as they are accustomed to seeing it.

[Frchgrl]

Been thrift shopping for 25 years now and must say you gotta be realistic with your prices. Just because something sold for a high price online does not mean the store will get that too. The online sellers have the entire world as their audience thus the right buyer online is not going to always be the right buyer in an actual brick and mortar store.  Usually thrift shoppers are not able to pay those high prices. However I understand you want to get the most you can so compromise. Somewhere in between. If stock needs to move then price it as low as you can!

Organization is key! When I go into a thrift store that is unorganized, I will dig just a little bit but get unmotivated quickly.  Otherwise I usually spend about 2 hours in thrift stores.

Allowing checkers to price items. I agree with this. If something doesn't have a price tag for whatever reason give the checkers some kind of guideline to put a price on item.

I'd go a step further and create a boutique feel to your store if you can. Place vintage items in one section, camping in another, book area with some chairs and coffee table, "invite" the person to stay longer.

Just a few ideas..............

[Thriftastic]

Totally agree with all of this.  I live in NYC and in my neighborhood, there are a lot of stores with amazing things in them; however, most stores hire professional stylists and decorators to sort through their items and price them; it's disheartening for me if I'm looking for a nice sweater in a thrift store then have to leave because I can't afford it!

I understand that the money goes to benefit communities in need, but I'm also part of the needy community!

I give a big second to the call to separate clothing into plus sizes - I've shopped with a friend who gets discouraged quickly at trying to sort through racks and racks to find one thing that's a "maybe." 

If and when you have complaints about a store's layout or pricing, do you keep it to yourself, or speak to a manager?

[brianrhc]

This has been a great dialog, thanks to all!

Thriftastic asked "If and when you have complaints about a store's layout or pricing, do you keep it to yourself, or speak to a manager?"

I normally keep it to myself, as I'm just one of many customers. No manager wants a customer who dickers price on everything, but I know (by name) one thrift manager and if I found something I really wanted but priced a bit high, I'd ask her for a bit less. This store recently converted its physical layout and stock from a typical thrift to boutique-style, which disappoints me. Would be interesting to know the effect on revenues.

[Tammy]

I thought of something else in regards to fitting rooms.  It irritates me when I go in and the door lock doesn't work or
the door won't pull shut all the way.  Then you're trying to
try on clothing but at the same time hold the door shut.  Also
It really bothers me when there are no hooks inside the fitting room and you have to pile everything on a chair. I know the reason is to keep from lazy people just leaving everything in the room instead of hanging it outside on the discard rack but still....