ThredUp Shopping Tips: How to Thrift Online

I’ve been getting more into fashion lately, trying to really hone in my personal style. But, I hate spending big money on clothes. I’m always looking for the best deals, which means I typically either shop my clothes at discount stores (TJ Maxx & Macy’s Backstage) or thrift stores!

I absolutely love finding gems at the thrift store, but I really have to be in the mood to go on the hunt. Going through racks and racks of clothing looking for the right style, fit and condition can be exhausting. So when I discovered ThredUp a few years ago, I was all in.

ThredUp is an online thrift store– or consignment store rather. Regular people can clean out their closets and send in their unwanted clothes to ThredUp. The site buys what they think is the best choices from the original owner (trendy clothes in good condition), and then re-sells them on the site. They sell men’s, women’s and kid’s clothing, jewelry, bags, and other accessories at budget-friendly prices that can’t be beat.

While ThredUp makes the thrifting experience a lot more convenient on its own, there are still some pro tips I’ve learned over the years of shopping the site to make it even easier to find what you’re looking for. They have such a wide selection with so many styles to choose from, and knowing how to navigate the site will help you get the most bang for your buck.

Keep reading for my best shopping tips for ThredUp to get the best deals and refresh your wardrobe on a budget. Watch the video above to see what I scored in my latest ThredUp haul!

Filter by Condition

When I thrift shop, I look for clothes that look new with no signs of wear on them. This makes me feel like I’m doing the most saving, since it looks like it just came from the original store but I’m paying way less. ThredUp lets you filter your search by condition: New with Tags, Like-New, Gently Used, and Signs of Wear. The first two are pretty self explanatory. Gently Used describes products that may show a small stain, minor fading, fabric pilling and other light imperfections. Signs of Wear indicates a product may have more noticeable flaws like a snag, stains, though can also indicate better condition clothing that is just missing a label if it’s been cut out. Whatever the specific issue is with the piece, it will be listed on the purchase page. I only filter by New with Tags and Like New so I know I’m getting something that is in great condition and will get a lot of use going forward.

Stumped on Sizing? Look for Brands You Recognize

One of the main issues shopping online in general is sizing. You can filter your search on ThredUp by size (both letters and numbers), but we all know that can vary between brands. When searching through ThredUp, look for brands you recognize and already own in your wardrobe so you have a feel for how something will fit. Alternatively, if there’s something you have your eye on but you’re not sure of the sizing, look for a sizing guide on the brand’s own website. With that said, I’ve discovered a ton of new brands from ThredUp that have worked out by just taking a chance. If something is affordable enough, pull the trigger and see what you end up with! You can always make an easy return for store credit.

Always Shop During a Sale

Here’s the best part about ThredUp: not only do they have thrift-store prices, but they also constantly run discount sales where you can get 15-20% off your total order! For this reason, I always wait to shop during a sale. Sign up to get emails and you’ll be alerted of their deals as soon as they go live. When you log in, you can also see personalized coupon codes at the top of the homepage— sometimes if I haven’t purchased in a while, they’ll give me a 15% off code even if there’s no other sale going on.

Put Things on Hold, But Don’t Let Your Cart Expire

Here’s the thing: just like a brick-and-mortar thrift store, almost everything on ThredUp only has one piece available. There aren’t multiples, no size or color options, what you see is what you get. For that reason, if someone else buys something you had your eye on, you’ve missed your chance! You can sorta put things on hold, though. Once you add a style to your cart, it will be unavailable to other shoppers for exactly 24 hours. So if you’re waiting on a paycheck, or are still on the fence about a style, you have a day to pull the trigger. After that, it goes back on the site for someone else to snag. With that said, don’t let your cart expire because you snooze, you lose.

Try a Goody Box

If you just don’t even know where to start, or you prefer being able to try things on, ThredUp has a new service that may be up your alley. Goody Boxes are customized shipments of curated styles based on your preferences, size, and budget. Basically, you have a stylist doing all the hunting for you! After taking a stylist quiz, you pay $20 (currently on sale for $10!!!) and receive ten items to try on at home. If you want to keep any of the items, your original payment goes towards buying them and you just pay the difference. Send back anything that’s just not your style. It’s a great way to try out styles you may not necessarily have found for yourself. Just keep in mind that you don’t get your original payment back if you decide not to purchase anything.

Have you tried shopping on ThredUp yet? Share your finds in the comments!