Thrifting vs. Consignment 

Thrifting 

Generally, thrift stores have items that were donated from people in the community. These are stores such as Goodwill and Salvation Army. Items are donated by locals and then sorted and priced for sale. Thrift stores can have a large variety of items in a variety of different conditions ranging from brand new to showing some significant signs of wear and tear. 

When Thrifting is Best 

For the thrill of the hunt: Many people thrift just for the thrill of finding an item they love. You have to be patient when thrifting but it definitely pays off when you find something you love. 

When you don't want to spend much money: Thrifting is typically very inexpensive. You can expect to pay around $4 for a shirt, give or take. Goodwill has a color of the week for their tags, which means any item with that color tag is 50% off. This makes clothes even cheaper! Consignment is usually more expensive because they are selective with what items they take. 

Accessories are cheap: Belts at Goodwill cost 99 cents. If you need a cheap belt Goodwill is your place. They also have a large selection of cheap scarves too. 

If you want vintage: If you want an old band T or a cool old sweatshirt, thrifting is a great option. I have found countless vintage Polo or Tommy Hilfiger long sleeves. Older items can be really fun and unique to find! 

Casual clothes: Thrift stores have racks and racks of t-shirts and sweatshirts. If your goal is to find casual items, I would check the thrifts. Consignment shops can carry these items too, but typically not in the same amounts. 

Consignment 

Consignment shops usually buy items from people who bring them in to sell. People bring in items for the consignment store employees to evaluate. The employees choose which items they want to buy and are selective with what they purchase. They give a percentage to the seller of what they are going to sell it for. Typically this is a smaller percent, but for name brand or luxury items it may be more. Consignment stores are usually more expensive than thrift stores because they have to make a profit on the item they purchased.

When Consignment is Best 

Looking for name brand: Generally, consignment stores carry more name brand items. Depending on the store, they may also carry a variety of luxury brands such as Coach, Michael Kors or even brands like Louis Vuitton. You are more likely to find brand like this at consignment over thrift stores.

You want trends: Some consignment shops keep up with the trends and have items that could be found in popular stores at the time. If you want newer style items, consignment is a great place to check. But know that they will probably be more expensive than thrift stores. 

You are looking for a specific item: If you have a specific type of item you are looking for, you might have more luck at consignment shops. They usually have less items, so it is easier to shop for a specific item. 

You're looking for professional clothes: If you are looking for clothes to wear to work, you will probably have more luck at consignment shops. You may be able to find work clothes at thrift stores but they may be an older style. 

Overall, there are pros and cons to both consignment and thrifting! People have different preferences in which they prefer and it may depend on why they are going shopping and what they are looking for. Let me know in the comments below which you prefer or if you like both!