For as long as I can remember, I’ve beelined to the clearance section every time I enter a store. This also translates to scouring the internet for big sales, which can be quite a hassle. Then, I found Instagram thrift pages.
What are they?
If you’ve ever tried to go thrifting in a small town, you know the selections can be a bit…sparse. However, many people who have access to a large amount of thrift stores will purchase items and then offer them for resale on Instagram, making it easy for you to view a curated selection of items from thrift stores everywhere. They also often include items from their own closet that they want to get rid of.
Disclaimer
Thrift stores can be the only source of clothing for people living on low income. It’s up to you to decide your morals regarding thrifted clothes when you can afford to purchase them at a higher price. Some people don’t thrift at all, some people thrift but avoid vital items people may need, such as winter coats. You can also decide which accounts to follow and/or buy from based on what kind of behavior you feel comfortable with when it comes to reselling thrifted clothes. If you’re unsure, I highly encourage you to do some research; there are lots of opinion articles out there with research to support both sides.
How do they work?
Every page is different, but there is a general agreed-upon formula that most sellers use which implements bid prices and BIN prices.
A bid price is the starting offer an item is posted for. If you’re interested, you comment the price you’re willing to pay as long as it’s higher than the bid price as well as any other bids placed before you. Every store is different; some stores allow the bidding period to last for 24 hours after the piece is posted, or 24 hours after the first bid is placed. You can usually check a “rules” highlight or something similar on their page to see the specific rules.
BIN stands for Buy It Now. Not every store utilizes BIN prices, but for the ones that do it’s a great way to ensure you’re able to buy a piece you’re interested in. BIN prices are typically much higher than the bid price and if you’re willing to pay the BIN price, no one can outbid you and you automatically win the item.
Who should I follow?
Of course, who you follow is totally up to you and the style you’re shopping for. I made an entirely separate account to follow thrift pages with so I could separate shopping from my main feed. If you’re looking for some accounts to follow just to get started, you’re welcome to check out who I’m following with the account @too_much_clothes_on_main