Why Buy Secondhand for Your Little One

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Do you hate paying for expensive clothing your child will only wear a handful of times? If so, try shopping resale—one of the fastest growing segments in retail—and pay only a fraction of normal retail prices for never worn to gently worn clothing, toys and baby necessities.

Your mother wouldn't have dreamed of shopping at a secondhand shop. If she did, she'd never want her friends to know.

"Just a few decades ago, resale shops were thought of as dark, smelly, disorganized junk stores," says Adele Meyer, Executive Director of the National Association of Resale and Thrift Shops (NARTS). "Now the stores are brightly lit, beautifully displayed and well organized." The change in image has been dramatic, with resale now representing one of the fastest growing segments in retail. Gone are the "dark and smelly" days. Resale customers are now surrounded by scented candles, chandeliers, and comfortable seating areas with refreshments.

Still, the biggest change in resale has been shoppers' attitudes. Customers today love the thrill of the hunt, the rush from getting a great bargain and the excitement of bragging to friends about their savings.

Children's Resale

"I like shopping resale because I can find quality merchandise at a very reasonable cost," says Lauren Levy, mother of an infant and toddler. Levy is among those who know that shopping resale makes especially good sense when it comes to children's clothes. Alan Fields, co-author of Baby Bargains and Toddler Bargains explains, "Babies and toddlers tend to outgrow clothes long before they're worn out. Most secondhand stores carry nearly new or never worn children's merchandise."

Benefits of Buying Resale

JoJo Treadwell, mother of three, knows well the benefits of resale shopping. "As a parent, there are some things you're just constantly buying. I can go to a resale or consignment store and get a couple pairs of pajamas for less than the cost of one at a department store." Another nice feature of children's resale clothes: if they've been worn, you can almost bet they're pre-shrunk.