Whether you’re shopping for your loved ones this holiday season or are just in search of a discounted gift for yourself, Black Friday season is officially upon us. As someone who loves to shop for clothing with the help of my favorite thrift stores, I’ve been wondering what deals my favorite shops will dish out this week. But, since thrift stores aren’t like conventional clothing stores, it’s left me with a very interesting question: Do thrift stores even have Black Friday sales? Let’s investigate.
Thrifting is my new go-to form of shopping for clothing and vintage finds. I’ve always been passionate about lessening my carbon footprint (former STEM major, IYKYK) and when I learned more about the fashion industry’s impact on our planet in my freshman year apparel course, I knew that changing how I purchased clothes was one of my first steps to take in that journey.
Most people know that shopping for secondhand clothing can have a positive impact on our planet, but not many people know exactly why. When you choose to shop secondhand, it sends a message to major brands that they don’t need to generate large retail orders to sustain their businesses. In many instances, larger corporations choose to purchase massive quantities of clothing per purchase, and a lot of clothing ends up going to waste. Shopping at thrift stores can lessen this impact, ultimately resulting in a positive trickle-down effect. Plus, shopping secondhand saves a lot of money, which is something all of us college students are in search of.
Now, each thrift store operates individually, and the amount of clothing you’ll find and their prices often differ. So… what does this mean for Black Friday sales? Are there any major thrifting platforms or stores that are offering sales this season? Let’s take a look at four of the major online thrift stores that are offering sales this Black Friday.
- Depop
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Depop is personally my favorite e-thrifting platform, and I’ve been keeping my eye out for the hottest deals on the platform. Depop is essentially a thrift network that connects sellers and buyers, so it’s not a single, exclusive shop run by one person — there’s a multitude of stores you can purchase from. While that broadens your options, that also means that not every seller is going to be offering Black Friday sales. However, I’ve personally noticed that many shops are offering big sales right now.
Depop has also generated a special Cyber Sale section for buyers to browse through shops that are participating in these Black Friday-esque sales. Here’s my personal advice, from one Depop shopper to another: I’d keep an eye out on your favorite shops to see if they’ve posted anything about a special sale on their pages. You could always directly contact sellers about potential sales or submit an offer for an item you’re interested in purchasing.
- Poshmark
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Just like Depop, Poshmark is one of the original e-thrifting marketplaces that many know and love. Poshmark allows for sellers to list clothing, as well as electronic, home, and beauty products. So, if you’re in search of some second-hand items this Black Friday season that aren’t clothes, you’re in luck! Like Depop, Poshmark has a specialized tag on their site full of sellers that are offering special sales. Like most online thrifting platforms, you’re most likely going to have to dig around to find the best discounts this season.
- thredUP
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thredUP is one of the online consignment and thrift stores that is offering a special offer for buyers this Black Friday season. When shopping for an assortment of products on their main page, you might notice an exclusive code (SOGOOD) that gives users early access to Black Friday deals, with up to 60% off selected products. This deal ends on Nov. 23, so make sure to hop on that ASAP if you want to indulge in thredUP’s pre-Black Friday sale.
- The RealReal
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The RealReal is an online and in-person luxury resale shop, emphasis on luxury. On their site or in-stores, you can find the chicest second hand products from high fashion brands like Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Valentino, just to name a few. Personally, I love browsing the site to see what bags they have in stock, and their products are always listed at a discounted price. Not to mention, one of the reasons that The RealReal is so popular is because they authenticate every product they sell, so you’re making sure you’re not purchasing a fake designer item when shopping with them.
Aside from each item already being posted for a lessened price, they have 20% off codes all over their website, and they even offer store credit when you sign up as a first-time buyer. They have specialized sections on their virtual storefront that separate products into different categories based on just how much of a discount you might be getting — with the largest margin at 85% off — just in time for Black Friday.
