Thrift stores are sometimes an underrated aspect of Lakeland shopping. Truth be told, you can find a lot of the same stuff in thrift stores that you see in flea markets. One benefit to thrift stores though, is that you don’t have to venture out very far in the cold/rain in order to enjoy these stores.
There are a lot of reasons why people choose to shop at thrift stores. You can find a lot of surprising finds at these shops, from vintage items and clothing, to antiques. It’s not difficult to find either, as long as you know what you’re doing. Here is a guide to shopping at thrift stores.
Check out what’s new regularly
You may find yourself visiting a thrift store for the first time, and walk away disappointed and discouraged from ever shopping at a thrift store instead. You never know what you can find at thrift stores, which is why these shops are so great. However, just because you didn’t find anything you like one time shouldn’t mean that this should stop you from going back another time. You can check back after a couple of days to see if the store has anything new that you might absolutely love.
Bring cash
Not many thrift stores accept cards, so bring enough cash with you when shopping at thrift stores. It would be a shame to find something that you’d really like to take home with you, only to find that the shop can’t take your cards. Make sure you bring enough cash that you’re willing to spend with you. Having a set budget also helps you stay within your set budget and prevents you from overspending when you shop, so it’s a win-win situation.
Don’t haggle
Given the nature of these shops, many assume that it’s okay to haggle for a lower price. While there are some thrift stores that allow this, a majority of them do not. Do not act out or get angry is an employee refuses to hear your haggle offer. For shops that allow haggling, they may have a policy in place that only allows higher management to accept offers from customers.
Don’t assume you can exchange your purchase for something else
Thrift stores aren’t like typical retail stores. Shops in malls allow you to take back an item and exchange it for something else, or ask for a refund. Thrift stores rarely allow that policy, and many of them have a policy that prohibits returning or exchanging items.
So if you’re looking for something to match your walls or your furniture, take pictures of the thing you’re trying to match, and look for it in the store. Make sure that when you purchase something at thrift stores when Lakeland shopping, you’re willing to keep it around for awhile.