Thrifty Thinking: Back-to-School Wardrobe Savings Using Resale

Parents plan to spend an average of $428 on back-to-school, down from about $600 last year – and an increasingly popular way to save on back-to-school among parents is shopping resale. With school just around the corner, I wanted to share these tips I received from Children’s Orchard on the dos and don’ts of resale shopping for your children’s back-to-school wardrobe.

  

 

TOPIC: The Dos and Don’ts of Back-to-School Upscale Resale Shopping

 

• DO Inspect: When shopping at thrift or consignment stores, make sure you inspect clothing for holes and stains. Upscale resale stores are very selective about the products they take in and will typically use a special light to check clothing for imperfections.
• DON’T Overlook Deals: Despite already deeply discounted prices, resale and consignment stores often hold generous promotions during the summer season. For example, Children’s Orchard locations will host a Dress For Less back to school sale on August 16 – August 18, 2013, where shoppers can get name brands for less! These will include Gap jeans for $6.99, Ralph Lauren polo shirts for $4.99, Baby Lulu dresses for $7.99 and many more.
• DO Check for Recalled Items: Talk to the seller about how they stay up-to-date on recalls. You can also look up recalled items on the Consumer Product and Safety Commission (CPSC) website: www.cspsc.gov/en/Recalls.
• DON’T Forget about Selling! Some stores will actually give you cash for your kids’ gently-used clothing, toys, furniture, and accessories. Call ahead for information on what your local resale store is buying. 
• DO Consider Current Styles: Bring a recent department store catalog with you as you shop to compare items to the latest fashions.

 

 

EXAMPLES OF DEALS FOUND AT CHILDREN’S ORCHARD:

• Boutique Brands - IKKS, Heart Strings, Luck Brand - for 40-80% less than retails stores.
• GAPKIDS, Abercrombie, Tommy Hilfiger Kids separates that cost upwards of $70 at most stores cost closer to $12-$15 at Children’s Orchard.