Thrifting 101, Part 9: Thrifting Etiquette

So yesterday I almost got into a fistfight. While scouring Goodwill, on an endless quest for vintage maxi skirts and silk tanks and sequins sequins sequins, I happened upon a gorgeous vintage sequined crewneck sweater. It was just lying there, all sad and lonely and abandoned, on a rack outside the dressing room. Magpie that I am, attracted to anything sparkly, sequined and shiny, I walked towards the sweater in a trance-like state, hands trembling in anticipation. This lovely sweater was mine. Or so I thought. The moment I laid hands on it, a furious middle-aged woman flew out of the dressing room, screeching that the sweater was hers, and WHO DO I THINK I AM TAKING HER CLOTHES??? I consider myself pretty scrappy, but I'm not about to get shanked over an article of clothing. So I skulked away, head hung, muttering half-hearted apologies as I departed.

Thrifting is a complicated process. It is not about dropping into a store and immediately finding what you need. There are no guarantees you will find success. There are also no hints in regards to how long a thrifting expedition will take. Thrift stores are not the venue for you if you need instant gratification, are working with time limits, or are otherwise unwilling or unable to dig. It’s a delicate dance of give and take, steadfastness, perseverance, and restraint.  

Up to this point, Thrifting 101 has focused on tips for newbies and those dealing with the squick factor, advice regarding how to shop at a thrift store, thrifting for the clothing snob, recommendations for finding the best thrift and consignment stores, a post about determining what days are the best for thrifting, and I explained my love for thrifting.

While nursing my defeated ego yesterday, I realized that some of my fellow thrifters could use a post in Thrifting Etiquette 101. So I offer up a few hints to keep in mind for future thrift adventures.

• Don't shop down the racks in the path of another shopper. It's much easier to go with the flow, in the direction of other shoppers, even if that means following behind someone and not getting first dibs. You’ll also have more time to mull over items instead of doing that awkward sidestep-fall in the rack. In addition, don't let your cart monopolize the aisle. Park it within sight of where you are.

• If something falls off the hanger, pick it up. At the least, throw it over the rack so it’s off the floor. Maybe it's my years of retail experience talking here but it really bothers me when people blatantly see things fall on the floor and just step over it, or worse…step on it.

• Don't hide or secretly squander merchandise you think you might come back for. If you aren't immediately drawn to it, leave it for someone else.

• No taking other people’s stuff out of their shopping carts while they are indisposed in the restroom, the dressing room, or otherwise not smart enough to guard their things. This will lead to hostility on the part of the person returning to their cart only to discover that their vintage polka-dot blouse is now in someone else’s possession. Note my near-smackdown above for proof.

I have seen people gazing longingly at another customer's items piled in their carts. For some, the temptation is too great to bear. Before the unsuspecting shopper knows it, their cart has been pillaged and treasures stolen. I have been that unsuspecting shopper. The one-of-a-kind nature of thrift stores, filled with unique items, make perfectly normal people behave rather ungraciously (I yearn to use more colorful language, but I'm a lady and trying to work on my manners.) Unlike a traditional retail stores, there are no copies in The Back.

•  No stalking employees while they're wheeling new merchandise out onto the floor. It's creepy, and might get you kicked out. Store employees do not care that you MUST HAVE the red Christmas sweater circa 1984 on their rolling rack, the one you spied leaving the back room and have been stalking like a famished cheetah circles a herd of axis deer. That red sweater might be the jackpot in your virtual casino, but control yourself and wait patiently for said item to be hung. Then it's fair play.

 

Do you have any tips regarding thrifting etiquette? What's the worst display of behavior you've seen in a thrift store?