The thrift finds that are actually worth flipping
What makes a thrift-store object worth reselling: size, a readable brand, completeness, and a gap under real fees. No invented hit list.
Read the articleThrifting.
What to check in the aisle: marks, labels, condition, and the thrift finds that are worth carrying to the counter.
What to check before you flip a thrift find
A thrift-store sticker is not a profit. How to identify the item, read its condition, and leave room for fees before you list it on eBay, Poshmark, Mercari or Facebook Marketplace.
Pricing a garage sale find before you haggle
A garage or yard sale sticker is what the seller hopes for. How to tell a real discount from a used thing that costs about the same as new, before you haggle or walk.
Estate sale finds: what the tag leaves out
An estate sale tag is the company’s ask. What to look at on the object itself, and how a photo gives you a second number before you buy a find.
Brands worth slowing down for in a thrift store
A brand on a thrift label is a search, not a price. How to read Levi’s, Carhartt, Patagonia, Coach, and the names that are only names.
How to read a vintage clothing label
Union labels, care tags, and country lines date a garment better than a faded color. What to photograph, and what a missing tag means.
How to read sterling and gold marks
Sterling, 925, 14k, gold-filled, and plate are different marks. How to read them on flatware and jewelry without treating a stamp as a price.
Thrift kitchenware worth a second look
Pyrex, CorningWare, Fiesta, jadeite, and cast iron: which marks matter, which chips end the flip, and when a dish is just a dish.