15+ Consignment Shops To Save Big Money (Near You & Online)

Are you looking for a consignment shop near you? I’ve got you covered. There are so many reasons I love consignment shops. You can find incredible deals on clothing, accessories, and shoes while also recycling the stuff you no longer need. It’s a win-win.

My Shopping Rule for Consignment Shops

I don’t shop for clothing often anymore because I focus on spending mindfully and saving the rest. However, now and then, I get the urge. My spending rule is to stick to consignment, and if I want to buy something, I can only do it after I sell a few things to the store.

This minimizes my shopping costs and keeps my closet in check. There’s nothing I dislike more than a closet full of clothing I never wear. So far, it’s worked out well, and I highly recommend this method if you’re trying to kick your shopping habit.

Online Consignment Shops

1. Poshmark

Poshmark is an app, but you can also use the desktop version to browse items like clothing, shoes, bags, jewelry, and other accessories. Technically, it’s not a consignment shop, but you can find gently used clothing and accessories for a pretty good deal.

The app is great because it’s easy to communicate with buyers or sellers, like items, and ask and answer questions. If you’re using it to shop, you can create a filter to show only clothing and shoes in your size.

There are even Poshmark parties where you can participate to see new items from your favorite sellers.

For a complete review of how to buy and sell from Poshmark, see my review of it. I also noted which gently used designer items I’ve had luck selling (see the section titled “5 clothing brands that tend to be high in demand”).

2. thredUP

thredUP is the world’s largest consignment and thrift store, selling clothing for women, kids, and even maternity wear.

I haven’t used ThredUP personally, but I decided to explore what it’s like. Once I signed up, I was cruising on the site. I first checked out the designer section to see what kind of items they had.

For example, I saw a pair of black high-top Prada tennis shoes for $149 and Christian Louboutin diamond-encrusted heels for $1,599. Shipping is free for orders over $79.

If you want to get rid of your stuff, they have a “Clean Out” section on the top navigation that allows you to order a “Clean Out Kit,” which consists of three options.

Free Donation Bag: This means you’re willing to let go of all the stuff you ship to them, and whatever ThredUP doesn’t take, they will donate to charity
Free Standard Bag: ThredUP will pay you for whatever items they accept. The rest will be returned to you, but the processing time is up to three weeks.
$16 Expedited Bag: You get paid for the items ThredUP accepts, but $16 will be deducted from your earnings, and whatever is left over will be processed within a week

Sellers receive anywhere from 5 percent of the sale price for women’s items valued lower than $14.99 to 80 percent of the price of goods expected to sell for $300 or more.

ThredUP has a payout estimator if you want to estimate the value of your stuff before sending it to them.

3. The RealReal

Do you have high-end luxury items? Think Rodeo Drive, not the mall. Some examples include Burberry, Chanel, and Hermes. If so, check out The RealReal, one of the top online consignment stores for designer duds.

Like ThredUP, you can request a shipping bag with pre-paid postage to drop off your clothing at the post office. They also offer in-home pickup. You get paid based on a scale if you successfully sell your items online.

Sales of less than $1,500 and items priced lower than $120 receive 55 percent of the commission.
If you sell an excess of $10,000, you receive a 70 percent commission
An 80 percent commission is paid for fine watches and all Hermes Birkin bags

If your item doesn’t sell after a year, it will be returned to you. (You pay for shipping.) Otherwise, the unsold items may be donated to charity. Their site also has a free price estimate tool that lets you know how much you could receive before sending your items in.

4. Worthy

Worthy is a great place to sell your fine jewelry on a consignment basis. You can sell anything from diamond rings to watches to bracelets. Here’s how it works. You send your jewelry to Worthy with their secure delivery program.

When it arrives, your jewelry is checked in and placed in Worthy’s tracking system. From there, they’ll have any stones graded by a professionally certified lab. After that, they’ll clean and polish it and take professional photos.

Then, the pieces will go on Worthy’s auction site after you work with Worthy reps to determine a price. Once it sells, Worthy sends you your money minus their commission.

Worthy’s commission rate ranges from 10 percent to 18 percent, depending on the sales price of each piece of jewelry listed with them.

5. Chairish

Chairish focuses on selling chic and antique furniture and home accessories. Like any consignment shop, you start by listing your item. Once it sells, Chairish gives you your profits minus their commission rate.

The company gives you tips for photographing and listing your items. Commission rates vary based on your seller status. For new sellers with less than ten items listed, you’ll pay a 30 percent commission.

The commission rate decreases if you move up to a higher seller status. Chairish will guide you with pricing via the site’s help center. Payment is made using PayPal or Direct Deposit.

6. Vestiaire Collective

Vestiare Collective is an online consignment shop where you can sell men’s and women’s clothing and accessories, as well as jewelry. The site also features some children’s clothing.

You start by listing the items you want to sell using the Vestiaire Collective app. The company’s website states that the app is easy to use, allowing you to list your item in approximately 60 seconds.

Vestiaire Collective’s curators will optimize the photos you use in your listing. Once your item sells, you ship to Vestiaire Collective for free.

The team’s staff checks each item for quality and authenticity and then ships it to the buyer. Once the transaction is complete, you receive a payment of up to 80 percent of the sales price. The site isn’t clear on how they arrive at your commission percentage.

7. Rebag

Rebag helps you sell designer handbags. If you want to sell, you can upload photos and get an online quote. If you like the quote, you can get a free shipping label from Rebag and send your bag in.

Once they examine your item, they’ll email you, letting you know they want your bag and that it matches the description you sent in. Then, they’ll pay you via check or ACH deposit. If you decline their offer, they’ll return the bag to you at no cost.

If they find the bag in a condition different from what was expected, they’ll send you a revised offer. You can accept or reject the revised offer. If you reject it, they will send it back to you.

Note: Rebag typically only accepts bags in near-perfect condition.

8. Mercari

Mercari is an online marketplace that helps you sell a wide range of items, including designer handbags, clothing, fashion accessories, electronics, toys, and more. You handle listing (it’s easy and takes just a minute or so) and shipping the item once it sells.

Mercari helps you with shipping by offering reduced-fee shipping options. You can also offer free shipping, and Mercari will deduct the shipping fees from your payment. The fees you pay are based on several factors. See the Mercari website for more details.

Once your item sells, you get paid via Direct Deposit or Instant Pay.

Related Article: 15 Apps Like Mercari For Reselling Items

9. eBay

eBay is a great place to sell designer clothing and earn some extra money. Their platform for used goods is vast, with millions of buyers and sellers exchanging items like clothing, artwork, and cars.

When you sign up for an account to sell, you get 50 free monthly listings. eBay takes a 10 percent cut of the final price when your items sell. Please note that additional fees may apply for certain payment methods.

When you sell on eBay or anywhere else, for that matter, be sure to take really good photos. See what your competition is doing and ensure that your photos are clear, taken in bright light, and easy for online shoppers to get a feel for.

Whenever I list an item on eBay, I always use a tape measure to measure the edges of the item when taking the photo. It makes it easier for both the shopper and the seller to reference the item’s length and width quickly.

If the item is small, such as jewelry, include an easily identifiable object in the photo, like a coin. It helps the potential buyer understand how large or small the item is, since it’s sometimes hard to tell from the photo.

Popular Consignment Stores Near You

If you’re interested in finding a consignment shop near you, here’s a heads-up on what to expect, as well as a few tips.

Avoid weekends as most places tend to get crowded, and the wait is long (usually over 30 minutes)
Don’t bring your entire closet! Sift through the best items that are gently worn
Focus on bringing your name-brand or designer labels
Stick to items that are in season
Bring your state-issued ID or driver’s license
You must be 18 or older to sell

The consignment stores on this list offer cash on the spot, rather than a cut of the sales when the item sells. Typically, you would receive 30 percent of the store’s listed price. If you take store credit, you’d receive 50 percent.

For example, let’s say you sold a shirt that the store priced at $19. You would receive $5.70 in cash or $9.50 in store credit.

Here are some highly rated consignment stores in various cities across the U.S. Some of the stores listed have multiple locations in different states, while others are specific to a particular city.

10. Buffalo Exchange

Buffalo Exchange was definitely one of the pioneers of the consignment trend. The store has been around since 1974 and is one of the best places for consignment shopping. It now has locations in 20 states.

Since the store has multiple locations, those in fashionable areas, such as New York City’s East Village and Los Angeles’ La Brea, are always worth a look. If you want to sell at Buffalo Exchange, it’s strictly on a first-come, first-served basis, and if you come on the weekends, it’ll be crowded.

In the California and New York locations I’ve frequented, you simply wait your turn in line rather than putting your name on a list. The wait can sometimes be long, lasting about 45 minutes to an hour.

Whatever items you sell, you receive 30 percent of their listed price. If you want cash, you get 50 percent; if you choose store credit, you get 50 percent. You’ll have to show your driver’s license or ID when selling.

They mostly take gently worn designer labels and look for items that are in season, so if it’s summer, leave your winter stuff at home until fall rolls along.

In my experience, they can be picky about what they buy. If the item is worn out and not a designer label, you’re probably better off donating it.

11. Crossroads Trading

Crossroads Trading is similar to Buffalo Exchange, but the buying process is more streamlined. When you enter the store, you sign in (usually through an iPad), and they call you when they’re ready to look through your bags. Just like Buffalo Exchange, Crossroads looks for gently worn, in-season, trendy designer labels.

Similar to ThredUP, Crossroads offers a mail-in service for people who don’t live near a location. You request a pre-labeled bag, fill it up, and drop it in the mail. You can expect the processing time to be 1-2 weeks, and whatever they take, you get a check for 30 percent of the items or 50 percent if you take store credit.

According to their site, they are looking for designer labels from Madewell, Topshop, Anthropologie, Lululemon, Kate Spade, J.Crew, and Zara. They do not accept items from Old Navy, Forever 21, Target, or Walmart.

Crossroads locations in the U.S. include California, New York, Illinois, Texas, Oregon, Washington, and Washington D.C. Most are in California.

12. Plato’s Closet

Plato’s Closet has numerous locations throughout the U.S. and specializes in clothing for 20-somethings and teens. It sells trendy clothing, shoes, and accessories rather than vintage fashion.

Examples of brands they regularly accept include H&M, Billabong, Steve Madden, Tory Burch, and Nike.

13. Wasteland

Wasteland is one of my favorite consignment stores. I’ve successfully sold many of my vintage designer items there, but shopping there is also really fun because they seem to have a lot more unique items than you can find in other consignment stores or the mall.

According to their website, you can drop off your bags, and the average wait time is 5 to 20 minutes. They look for items in new or almost-new condition.

Wasteland pays 35 percent of the total marked prices. According to their site, if they don’t buy your items, it means they already have too much of it or that it may not be in season.

14. Beacon’s Closet

Beacon’s Closet is an excellent local consignment shop in New York City, with locations mostly in Brooklyn and one in Manhattan. They pay the highest percentage of any consignment store—35 percent in cash or 55 percent in store credit.

If you want to sell there, items should be gently used, clean, and in excellent overall condition. They also recommend not bringing more than four large bags when you sell.

You can drop off your bags and return later to see what items have sold. Beacon’s Closet is open seven days a week. You must be 18 or older and have a valid ID or driver’s license to sell. Whatever you don’t end up selling can be donated by the store.

15. OfferUp

OfferUp is an online portal and app where you can buy and sell almost anything locally. Simply type what you are looking for into the search bar, and you will see many options for the item.

You can filter it by new, reconditioned, or used. You can even buy cars using OfferUp. All communications are done directly via the OfferUp app, so you do not need to provide your phone number or other potentially identifying information.

You can ask for more information about the product’s condition or even try to negotiate the price. You can also view the sellers’ profiles and ratings from previous transactions.

Items can be shipped, but for the bigger items that require face-to-face meet-ups, OfferUp has a list of “safe trade spots.” Law enforcement agencies have deemed them to be safe locations for in-person transactions.

16. Depop

Deepop is an online consignment clothing store transforming fashion one item at a time. It offers reasonably priced menswear, womenswear, jewelry, and other beauty options. The store also sells art, sports equipment, books, and many other odds and ends.

It is definitely more on the trendy side and has a very social-media vibe throughout the platform. Listed items are attached to a seller profile that tracks how many items they’ve sold through Depop and how active they are. Every transaction is covered with buyer protections through Depop.

So, if the item you purchased doesn’t arrive or if what you received is significantly different from what was described online, you will get a full refund for what you paid, so long as you report the claim within 180 days of the date of purchase. This service is available to everyone upon completion of the transaction through the Depop app.

17. Re-SEE

Re-SEE is “the premier online destination to shop exclusive and authentic Vintage and second-hand fashion and luxury handbags.” They were founded and are based in Paris, but they do offer shipping worldwide.

However, if you ever find yourself in Paris, you can frequent their vintage shop. Keep in mind it is by appointment, though. Every item listed for sale on their website is personally curated by Re-SEE and fully authenticated before being posted.

One unique feature of Re-SEE is its ability to filter items by decade. So, if you are looking for a specific fad or trend from a different era, it is easy to find on their website.

Keep in mind, this is a luxury website. Although it is technically a second-hand website, the prices are still quite steep. Since they are based in Paris, shipping costs are higher than for a typical online purchase.

The shipping charge still seems reasonable, since they use DHL as their courier. For example, the shipping charge for a purchase of two handbags was about $40.

If you find a steal for something you’ve always wanted, at least the shipping cost isn’t astronomical.

Why Sell Items At Consignment Shops?

Selling at consignment shops is a great idea. If you are looking to declutter your house, closet, or shed, but the items are still in good working order, using a consignment store to take your goods just makes sense.

They usually provide less stress and inconveniences, and virtually no risk to you. You can recycle your items and help prevent unnecessary waste from ending up in landfills. It also saves you a lot of time, allowing you to complete spring cleaning before you lose motivation.

Consignment shops are also good if you want to make extra money or start a side hustle. Some retailers will take your items and offer you cash up front.

Alternatively, if you use online second-hand marketplaces, they will handle all the legwork and only take a small percentage of the transaction once the sale is complete. So you can still make a nice chunk of change.

Selling at online consignment shops has become trendy these days, and people are really enjoying the side hustle!

Summary

Before you can stand to look at your overly stuffed closet one more time, start taking out all the items you no longer wear and get moving on selling them at one of the consignment shops mentioned in this article.

Whether you sell at a consignment store near you or online, you can recycle your fashion and make some extra money.

Recommended Reading