Tips for Starting a Thrift Shop Business

The thrift shop business does sound foreign to Indonesians because it is a new type of business.

It can be said that this business is a contemporary business with very promising business opportunities.

So, for those of you who want to know more about what a thrift shop business is, let’s see the explanation in the following description

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Get to know the Thrift Shop Business

To understand what a thrift shop business is, first know the meaning of the thrift shop business itself.

In language, thrift is a word that comes from English which means thrift with the aim of avoiding waste. Meanwhile, shop means shop.

So, a thrift shop is a type of business or shop that basically sells used goods but which are still usable, so it is  a trading company .

Goods sold also vary from clothes, bags, watches, shoes, and others.

Goods obtained also come from abroad or within the country.

The thrift shop business began to appear in Indonesia since 2013. Thrift shop sellers have also started selling used goods with well-known brands or rare items.

However, this business continues to grow and is not only limited to rare items or branded items.

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Thrift Shop Product Type

In the thrift shop business, many types of products can be sold, for example pants, clothes, shoes, hats, and many others.

So, here is a complete explanation of the types of products you can sell if you want to start a thrift shop business.

1. Clothing

The main option that can be sold in this business is clothing. Clothing is a type of product that is widely traded in the thrift shop business.

Product categories included in this type are shirts, clouses, jeans, vests, and other types of clothing.

Clothing products in the thrift shop business, you only need a capital of IDR 1,000,000 to be able to get  stock of goods  in the form of bales of clothing sacks.

If the clothes you sell have well-known brands, then the selling value of these clothes will also be higher, and vice versa.

2. Watches

Watches can also be a choice of products that you can sell.
But, not just any watch, but premium watches or from well-known brands such as Patek Philippe, Rolex, Hublot and other branded watches.

But, there’s nothing wrong with starting to sell local brand watches like Eiger, Woodka, and other local brands if you don’t have a lot of capital.

3. That

Who would have thought, it turns out that bags are also a thrift shop business product that is much loved by many people.

The better the brand of the bag you are selling, the higher the selling value will be.

However, you need to remember to sell goods that are in accordance with the target market, whether the target market is upper middle or lower middle class people.

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4. Shoes

Shoe thrift products are quite rare to find, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t promising.

You can also vary your thrift merchandise with shoes, especially limited edition shoes or rare shoes.

5. Jewelry

Jewelry is also one of the products that you can sell if you want to open a thift shop.

However, the thrift shop capital needed for this type of product is indeed quite a lot.

Usually a business that sells a large variety of products, uses  an inventory application  to be able to find out which types of products are selling best, and which are not selling well, so they know which ones should be  restocked  and which are not.

Why Should You Start a Thrift Shop Business?

For those of you who are still unsure whether to start a thrift shop business or not, please consider the following reasons why you should start a thrift shop compared to other types of businesses.

1. Thrift Shop is Favored by a Certain Age

The first reason this business is promising is because this business is favored by consumers from young or productive ages.

In a 2017 study, it was shown that teenagers or productive age are among consumers who have high consumptive behavior.

In addition, Indonesia also has a population of high productive age.

2. Contemporary Business

Thrift shop is one of the contemporary businesses in Indonesia and is becoming a trend nowadays.

Not only is it a contemporary business, but this business also has a lot of enthusiasts, especially people who make clothing a lifestyle.

3. Products Meet Needs

The products in thrift shops can meet the needs of many people, especially the lower middle class.

They can get what they want at pocket-friendly prices.

This is why the thrift shop business is suitable as a business with promising benefits.

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4. Small Capital, Big Profits

The next reason why you should choose a thrift shop business as  a home business  is because you don’t need too much capital.

However, with this little capital you can make big thrift shop business profits.

It is very suitable to be a business choice for people who have little capital but want big profits.

5. Options in Shopping

Not a few people are starting to switch to thrift shops, because the prices are cheaper but the quality of the goods is still usable.

Therefore, not a few people make thrift shops as one of the options when shopping.

6. Many enthusiasts

Enthusiasts of used goods or thrift shops are quite a lot, especially among young people.

Especially for youth groups who like to follow current fashion trends who are willing to spend money on the latest trends.

The thrift shop business is the solution because they don’t need to spend too much money, because the price is certainly not as expensive as the price of the new item.

7. Multiple Platforms for Thrift Shop

The final reason why a thrift shop business can be a promising business opportunity is that there are many online platforms such as e-commerce that can sell thrift products.

With  an online business , you can find buyers more easily.

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How to Start a Thrift Shop Business

After you have read and understood all the reviews above, maybe you are wondering what is the right way to start a thrift shop business.

Well, you don’t need to worry and be confused anymore because below is a guide that you can follow if you want to start setting up a thrift shop.

Here’s how to start a thrift shop business, including:

1. Selling One Specific Product

The first step you should take is to determine what specific products you will sell.

For example, you can focus on a thrift shop to sell only hoodies, only blouses, only shirts, and so on. Don’t forget that with very high product similarity, it will be easier if you record it with  inventory software , to find out which products are still available and have been sold.

What is the purpose of selling this one specific product? The goal is for your store to have a special characteristic that will differentiate it from most other stores.

Not only that, selling one specific product is also useful for making your shop a reference shop if you are a consumer who needs a particular product.

2. Determine Product Supplier

The next step is to determine the origin or supplier of the product. The point is that you have to determine where you will buy the goods that will be sold at the thrift store.

Instead, look for various thrift shop suppliers who have good quality and affordable prices, then compare the buying and selling prices through  accounting software  so that the profits you get can be maximized.

3. Choose a Brand Name for the Product

Next, don’t forget to provide the brand name of the product you have chosen. Even though they are used goods, you can add labels or stickers so that potential customers get to know the brand thrift of your product.

Also provide a logo that describes your thrift business, so that consumers also feel like buying a new product.

The choice of a product brand name is also useful for marketing strategies to introduce products to consumers.

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4. Pay attention to the cleanliness of goods

The next step that is no less important is to always pay attention to the cleanliness of the products you sell.

This is because the products you sell are not new products from the factory, but used goods that are not necessarily hygienic.

Therefore, wash the items you are going to sell first until they are clean, perfume them, or iron the clothes if necessary.

5. Product Photos for Marketing

Introducing products through social media is very important as a brand marketing tool for your business products. Product photos can be displayed on various social media, such as Instagram, Facebook, online stores, and  the WhatsApp Business API .

This product photo can save you a budget using a smartphone with light selection, product placement and how to take photos from a nice point of view.

6. Determining the Selling Price

The selling price of the product must be calculated precisely and in detail. Adjust the selling price with market prices, product quality, business operating costs, capital, and others.

Do not make the selling price too expensive and too cheap. Make sure you still get profit, even though the product being sold is used.

7. Product Marketing

Well, the next step is product marketing. Create marketing content that matches the product target. For example, currently many young people use the TikTok Shop, try to create your product content on the TikTok platform.

Also provide interesting, persuasive captions and invitations to shop for your product. Other things that can be added, such as brand, size, material, price and others.

8. Business Marketing Strategy

The last point you can do is to make the right marketing strategy. For example, giving  product bundling promos  to attract potential customers.

Readjust the target market with your business product. Don’t forget to promote on various platforms, such as live TikTok, live e-commerce, and others.

To learn how to create a business and develop your business, Thus, consumers will feel calm if they want to buy used clothes at your thrift store.

So, that’s a review of the thrift shop business and I hope this article is useful for you.