8 Online Thrift Store Inventory Ideas

If you have ever wanted to start an online thrift store, now is a great time to do it. To start, you need to consider what kind of inventory you want to have. Depending on your interests, there are many options to choose from. Some thrift stores sell a wide variety of merchandise while others specialize in a narrower selection. Take a moment to think about what you might enjoy selling while you consider these ideas.

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1. Apparel and Accessories

Before investing in a website or thrift store POS system, take time to research some of the top-selling inventory items that existing online stores are offering. When it comes to thrifting, apparel and accessories are always popular. The best part is that you can find high-quality items for great deals by spending some time browsing other thrift stores or checking out garage sales.

2. Furniture

Brand new furniture is expensive. When the unexpected happens, many people turn to thrift stores to help them replace damaged or destroyed sofas, tables and other furnishings. In addition, there is a large number of crafty folks who enjoy giving old furniture new life by updating pieces with a modern touch. Keep in mind, shipping may be tricky, so you may have to offer in-person pickup for larger items.

3. Home Decor

Sometimes a change in scenery can be a good thing for many reasons. If you want to be able to provide people with budget-friendly redecorating ideas, another fun and popular category to add to your store’s inventory is home decor. With this area of merchandise, there is a lot of room to get creative while also offering variety. You can sell anything from wall prints to clocks, lamps, candles, vases, cushions and more.

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4. Vintage Items

Some people might think wearing old styles is out-of-fashion, but others love to rock clothing and accessories from past decades. Not only are vintage items appealing to many people, but they are also an interesting category to stock up on. Depending on what timeframe an item is from, you can learn a lot about history while getting your own personal glimpse at a physical remnant of it. 

5. Collectibles

Have you ever bought something because it was especially rare, popular and/or worth far more than the price you purchased it for? If so, you probably bought some sort of collectible and you are far from alone. Indeed, this is another top reason people go thrifting.  In general, collectibles are anything that sells for a high price because only a few versions of it exist and/or because it is really popular. Common examples include antiques, toys, coins, stamps and comic books. 

6. Books

If you have a passion for reading, books are a type of thrift store inventory item that usually have a low-cost investment and the potential to change others’ worlds and perspectives. Although you might not make as much money selling most used books as you would selling high-value collectibles, that does not mean you cannot make a profit from doing so. In addition, there is an overlap between books and collectibles to consider when it comes to rare prints and signed editions. 

7. Toys

Raising a child costs a lot of money, and often, expensive toys sustain significant damage before kids have the opportunity to play with them very much. With this in mind, offering used toys in your online thrift store is another inventory idea worth considering. Not only will you bring joy to children, but you can also make their parents happy by saving them some cash.

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8. Seasonal Merchandise

If you enjoy decorating for the holidays (or helping others do so), one more category to consider selling in your online thrift store is seasonal merchandise. In addition to offering items for common holidays such as Halloween, Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year, consider getting festive for other fun but lessen know seasonal celebrations such as National Spaghetti Day, World Compliment Day, Science Fiction Day and World Bicycle Day.

With this list in mind, where do you think you will go from here? Whatever you decide to sell in your online thrift store, the most important thing is that it aligns with who you are and what you want to do with your store. Use this list for inspiration, but do not be afraid to think outside the box.