It's not the stores job to see to it that you get a great deal. It's your job to know what you're doing. We are all very aware of what a good brand is verses what is a brand that would be probably third or forth on your "I will actually buy this new with tags." list that we all have. Believe me when I say sometimes it is good to do a little research before jumping in the pool feet first. We will call this next section Dipping your toe.
In order to know that you are not going to be had it is pivotal to know how much this cost the person originally, and how it was sold..clothes for babies. Babies grow like weeds in case you were wondering... ask any new parent and they will tell you that little Johnny never even got around to wearing that adorable 0-3 month fuzzy bear sweater that aunt Sue got him because he just grew too big too quickly. (darn). Having said that people will typically donate things like Onsies, Layettes, Bodysuits and Sleepers sometimes even if they have never been worn. These are a set of onsies by Child of Mine a subset of Carter's. Carter's owns many brands, and it is important for you to know this as you go into stores looking for a deal, Carter's thought of just about everything. Carter's owns the following brands: OshKosh, Genuine Kids, Just One You, Child of Mine and Precious Firsts. Excluding OshKosh, Genuine Kids... Pay attention. A sleeper at Carters is $9.60, a sleeper from Target where Just One You is sold is $8.50 and a sleeper from Wal-Mart where Child of Mine is sold is $7.44. The exact same sleeper is being sold at three different prices, but it is coming off of the same line. It is up to you to be knowledgeable about what you are buying so that you are not caught in the midst of this we will get your money concept. If you look closely at the different products they are basically the same. Carters has more variety, but the product is the same. I thought this was interesting to point out for quality purposes. The quality is standard across the board, the only difference is price, store and variety. Below you will see a cute little dress, this at a thrift store will always be considered a deal because it sells at Ralph Lauren for $35, it does not matter if you pay $2.25 or $4.25 for this dress, it is a DEAL. But you knew that, anything with that little threaded Polo horse is a deal. 
So now I will let you in on another little secret...remember the thought about brands from above and how they are important...well this is true for a couple of reasons that may not just immediately pop into your mind. Price is determined by many things you learned about in Econ in college that I would never explain because I was on Facebook during that class...either way the price you pay for something originally will have something to do with the use you get out of it. Ralph Lauren clothing is durable, fashionable and it holds it color when washed because it is made by high quality materials, thus you will get the bang for your buck (sort of, some of their prices are ridiculous), but any Ralph Lauren clothing you see at thrift stores along with Brooks Brothers and other high quality brands are usually going to be a good deal, just watch for stains. Remember how things are sold originally: Onsies across the board except for maybe babyGap, Old Navy and Circo are sold in sets of either 3 or 5, ranging in price from $9.00 to $13; therefore unless you are buying these for $1 or 5 for $1 you may not be getting much of a deal at a thrift store, not to mention the fact that you will never find the entire set together.
Your job as the consumer: Goodwill in particular (my research continues on other thrift stores) has a one price fits all system. Second hand stores, consignment shops and resale stores usually accept certain items only and have an intricate system for pricing things. It does not matter to Goodwill if it is Ralph Lauren or Granimals if it is considered a Romper or Child's Tee it is going to be $2.25. This is where it falls on you, the consumer to know the difference. Obvious brands to always look for at Thrift stores: Vitamin Kids, Ralph Lauren, Nike, babyGap, Carters, Gymboree, Little Me, Circo, The Children's Place, OshKosh, Kelly's Kids, Bailey Boys etc. But don't forget the others, Just One You, Child of Mine, Gerber etc. Cheaper does not always mean crap, that point was proven with the Carters breakdown from before. Just remember that you will only get a deal if you are away with how much something costs to begin with. That is across the board, whether it is children's clothes or adult clothes knowing the price is important, duh.
"I am who I am and your approval is not needed." love that quote.
No comments:
Post a Comment