Dr. Lori Verderame
By Dr Lori Verderame
I recently was an invited guest speaker at a national vintage thrifting conference where I shared my knowledge of valuable art, antiques, and collectibles based on my popular YouTube channel videos where I show people “what to buy and what to walk by.” I am very familiar with bargain hunting and thrifting and my expertise lies in knowing how to spot quality over junk. I highlight how to spot valuable thrift store treasures and other shopping/selling tips on my YouTube channel (@DrLoriV) and teach people what to buy for collections and what to buy for resale.
I teach online Zoom classes about how to sell your old stuff for profit. Some of my students are thrift store shoppers, seasoned collectors, and resellers. Some are just interested in learning how to sell the old stuff that they have hanging around their house. Either way, the financial impact can be significant. I’ve taught students how to go from running an eBay store that generates $500 a month to running a store that generates $30,000 a month in online sales. If you buy the right item, it can be like striking it rich in the online realm.
Vintage Disney items are always a good thrift store buy.
But, I was shocked at the impressive impact that thrift store donations make to a community and beyond. Thrift store donations generate jobs, job training, and have a far-reaching and positive community impact. For some thrift organizations, donations can be turned into retail sales reaching billions of dollars. That’s right, on the resale market, that old coat, used board game, or outdated vacuum cleaner can generate a boatload of cash.
What should you always buy at a thrift store? What will give you the best return on investment? Here’s my list:
Lego blocks
Puzzles
Cast iron pans
Vintage Disney items
Vintage license plates
Costume jewelry
Colored glass
Sunglasses
Globes
Sports collectibles
Limoges plates
Vera Bradley purses
Lenox vases
The thrill of the hunt is the main attraction at thrift stores. The takeaway can be valuable to the people who shop for themselves and to those who are sourcing inventory for the ever-growing business of online reselling items on platforms like eBay, Instagram, Etsy, etc.
When you clean out that closet, basement, or kitchen drawer, bypass the trash can and consider donating that unwanted stuff to a local thrift store. If you prefer to donate to a big thrift chain store like Goodwill or Salvation Army or if you like the idea of donating objects to a thrift store that builds homes for the homeless, supports a local hospital, or provides adoption services for stray dogs and cats. No matter what the thrift store is, the impact of donations of household items, clothes, and other items is important and well documented. Now, we know that the return in sales is major too. With donations of unwanted items turning into billions of dollars in sales, thrift stores are a major part of our economy.
Ph.D. art and antiques appraiser, author, and award-winning media personality, Dr. Lori presents antique appraisal events nationwide and appears on Netflix, History channel, and YouTube.com/DrLoriV with 100 million views and counting. Want to know what it’s worth? Visit www.DrLoriV.com or call (888) 431-1010.
(Photo credit: Staff of www.DrLoriV.com)
