9 Genius Tips for Secondhand Shopping Online

Do you like to thrift online? My friends swear by it, but secondhand shopping online has always intimidated me. What if the item doesn’t fit? Or the fabric doesn’t feel as good in person? Ready to learn, I asked five smart women to share their wisdom…

1. Make a counteroffer. “I rarely pay the sticker price for a secondhand item. When I’m figuring out my counteroffer, I estimate the cost of tax and shipping, as well as the cost of any potential tailoring. (I’m 5’3” and often need to get items hemmed.) That way, I can figured out what overall price I’d be okay with. Usually the seller will counteroffer, and then you can accept, decline, or keep negotiating.” — Kaitlyn Teer, Big Salad editor

2. In the kids’ section, don’t forget outerwear and shoes. “I often find high-quality, name-brand rain gear and winter coats in gently used or new-with-tags condition at steeply discounted prices. Think: North Face puffers, Patagonia fleeces, and Hunter rain boots. I just type in the item I’m searching for and limit the search results by my kids’ size and my preferred brands.” — Kaitlyn Teer

3. Make bundles. “To reduce shipping fees, I have two strategies. First, I search for listings that contain multiple items. For example, six Gap T-shirts in size 4T or three pairs of H&M jeans in size 7. Second, if I like several items from a particular seller, I’ll check out their whole closet and put together an offer on a bundle of items. So, instead of paying $8 in shipping for each piece that I order, I’ll pay $8 in shipping for five pieces together.” — Kaitlyn Teer

4. Search for heritage brands and designers you love. “When thrifting, I keep an eye out for vintage Wranglers, 100% cotton tees from L.L. Bean or Lands’ End, and Norma Kamali dresses. Also, Rachel Comey sweatshirts — they always come in on Noihsaf and sell immediately.” [more here] — Kate Lindello, Noihsaf Bazaar founder (here’s her week of outfits)

5. Try on clothes in person, then set up alerts. “I’ll try on clothes at brick-and-mortar stores, and if I like them, I’ll set up alerts for the pieces in my size online. I did that with a sundress that I love and wear all the time. — Youngna Park, product advisor and writer

6. Use your favorite colors/prints/animals/etc as keywords. “I’m really into seahorses, so one day I typed ‘seahorse’ into Poshmark, just to see what would pop up. I ended up finding this straw bag and getting it for $20. It’s become my go-to summer purse.” — Leela Cyd, photographer

7. Stock up on workwear. “When I worked in an office, I found all my work clothes on Poshmark and eBay. I still search by material — cashmere, silk, and linen — and for brands that people often sleep on, like Banana Republic and Ann Taylor. You can find a perfect cashmere sweater for $15 after browsing for 10 minutes.” — Mya Hansel, writer and stylist (here’s her week of outfits)

8. Keep searching, even if it takes a while. “My Frye boots are one of my favorite vintage finds. I searched for two years before finally finding them in my size. I got them on Poshmark for $100 — down from $500. They’re my prized possession.” — Mya Hansel

9. Accept that some purchases won’t work out. “All shopping is hit or miss. The good thing, however, is that if you bought it secondhand, you can also probably re-sell it secondhand — so don’t get discouraged!” — Youngna Park

Plus, a few fun secondhand finds we love:

What tips would you add? I love this polka dot dress, and how fun are these Chloé sandals?

P.S. Three week-of-outfits posts: a vintage seller in England who wears only secondhand, a Chicago-based stylist with thrifting tips, and a Berkeley creative director who finds her shoes on eBay.

(Photo Mya Hansel by Julia Robbs. Photo of Kate Lindello by Liz Pawlik.)

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