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Originally Posted by Jolten Joe
I'm interested in trying to get more into this but not really sure where to start. Is there like a Dummies for thrifting site that can educate one on what to look for and what not to look for ? You these FB Reels videos of people supposedly walking into random thrift stores and finding $100 + items just sitting on the neatest cleanest shelves I've ever seen in my life. Surely those can't be real and are most likely staged.
Most stores around here are a step away from the CDC shutting them down they are so nasty. Our local Goodwill is closed for the foreseeable future due to storm damage a few weeks back. The only other big name places are Salvation Army (Over priced) and Value Village which again is mostly garbage and stained furniture. Every time you leave that place you want to run naked through the care wash to get clean. There a couple smaller strip mall thrift stores but again mostly junk.
Any other bargin outlet places anyone suggests that don't already look everything up on ebay and price accordingly ?
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I agree with watching the the froggy flips, hairy tornadoes etc of the world, but also understand that they have advantages that you or I without a huge youtube audience have.
It takes awhile to build a store/following. I have been doing it part time for roughly 20 years and each year it gets a little bigger. My advice starting out is to hit garage sale season hard whenever that is where you live. Your out of pocket expense is going to be minimal usually and return far greater.
After that I would work up to thrift stores. The return generally won't be that good, but it is filler for when pickings are slim. Then there is retail arbitrage which I hate, but will do on occasion.
Try and find something that interests you whether it be memorabilia, records, toys, glass whatever and research. When you're comfortable with that move on to vintage clothes, car parts, tools or something else.
I tend to buy my education at a lot of garage sales. If something looks interesting I buy it, if Im wrong it was cheap and I donate/throw it. If I'm right then good on me.
Bulk is always the way to go if possible. People are much more willing to give you a better deal if you are buying alot.
You have to figure out what is right for you. Some people like to turn and burn, flipping through inventory quickly at a lower price while others like to wait it out a little and take a chance that they may be able to make a few bucks.
Keep good records.