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Get Free Returns at ThredUp: Here’s How!

October 2, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 6 Comments

I’ve blogged a few times about my love for ThredUp, and shown you some examples of the things I have found on this online consignment store for women and children, as well as the prices I have paid. Here’s the last ThredUp Haul I showed you, and here’s a post with 4 great tips for shopping on ThredUp with maximum success.

ThredUp has quickly become one of the primary places where I do my clothing shopping. Prices start, in general, at $4.99 and go up, just depending on the brand and the condition. It’s more expensive than shopping at a thrift store, but it’s SO much easier! Want to see what I ordered from ThredUp a few weeks ago? Here’s a video for you…see how far I stretched $66!

But what I DON’T love about ThredUp is the fact that you have to pay for the shipping on any returns you make. Do I understand the policy? Absolutely. Do I think it’s fair? Sure. Do I like it? Not one little bit! You see, as it turns out, shipping clothes, especially via the post office, is quite pricey. I have returned items 3 times now to ThredUp, and I can’t seem to pay less than $8 in shipping. The bill topped $15, one time. Yikes! I actually hesitated on that one, but I had around $70 in returns, so I bit the bullet.

How to Get Free Returns on ThredUP

My friends, there is a way to avoid this return shipping business altogether! You simply need to follow these steps:

1. Get a ThredUp account. If you don’t already have one, what are you waiting for? A coupon? Oh, well in that case, here’s $10 to spend for free when you sign up through my link (I get $10, t00, when you buy…free clothes for everyone! Woo hoo!).

2. Download the ThredUp app. This is critical for the free shipping piece, as you will need to make your purchase through the app in order to be offered free return shipping. The app is free.

3. Fill your cart with whatever you like, however you like. Listen, maybe I’m just an old fart, but I want a big screen when I’m shopping for clothes, and not my iPhone 4 screen (I know…I’m due for an upgrade…). So here’s my trick: I make sure I’m signed into my account on my laptop and I shop away, adding everything I want to my cart. Then I hop on to the app and proceed to check out from there. I shop the way I want, and I save the way I want. 🙂

And remember, if you spend at least $50, the shipping to you is free, and then if you bought through the app, the returns are free, too. This little trick should make ThredUp shopping that much thriftier, which is a very good thing, indeed!

Let me know what you buy, friends! Hopefully you don’t have to return it, but if you do, no worries, because now it’s free!

My Latest ThredUp Finds (And a $250 Giveaway!!!)

August 6, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 119 Comments

Referral links included. I only promote what I love!

Just 30 minutes ago my doorbell rang and my polka-dot box from ThredUp was waiting on my doorstep. I decided that it would be more fun to do a video unboxing so that we could get excited together about all the fun stuff (and the AWESOME prices) from ThredUp! I did it by myself, so unfortunately, I didn’t have anyone on hand to tell me that the picture was a bit fuzzy, so I apologize for that. Still worth a watch, though!

Ok, so if you are new to ThredUp, you can check out my ThredUp review (I give you 4 tips for making the most of your experience, so don’t miss it!), and I can also give you the Cliff’s Notes version right now: ThredUp sells gently used clothing (though I’ve also purchased items that still had the tags on them!). ThredUp also buys gently used clothing (or stuff sitting in your closet with the tags still on!) for women and children. The prices are higher than a thrift store, naturally, but the selection is outstanding. You’ll only find items in excellent condition and you can shop by size or by brand with a simple click of a button. Try doing that at a thrift store!

Don’t forget to spend a little time cleaning out your kids’ closets as the school year begins, too. Make room for those new (to you) duds, and for the coming fall season, and make a little $$$ in the process, too. 🙂 Get yourself signed up today and you’ll automatically get $10 to spend on the site, no strings attached (except for the cute ThredUp tags on the clothes, of course!).

Back to School Giveaway Time!

Just in time for back-to-school shopping, ThredUp wants to celebrate with Stuff Parents Need by sponsoring one seriously awesome giveaway!

Win it!: One lucky Stuff Parents Need reader and ThredUp member is going to win a $250 gift certificate to ThredUP to go on one heck of a shopping spree!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to enter my other current giveaways, found on the right sidebar of the page.

ThredUp Review: My Top 4 Tips for Successfully Buying Used Clothing Online

July 9, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 10 Comments

Affiliate links included in this ThredUp Review. I only promote what I use and love!

Nobody give me the stink eye for saying it, but back-to-school season is right around the corner. I was at Walmart this morning and they already have their school supply section front and center in the store. You can run, but you can’t hide. It’s time to start thinking about the clothes your kiddos might need for the upcoming school year.

My little ones go to a Montessori school, and there is no specific dress code. But even for those of you whose kids are in uniform, you don’t get a free pass from clothes shopping…you still have to get plenty of khakis and button up shirts and all that good stuff. And of course, your little ones probably want to change into something more their own style when they get home!

ThredUp is a GREAT resource for parents of school-aged children, whatever your clothing needs might be! I recently did some shopping (ok, A LOT of shopping) on the site and I wanted to tell you exactly what the experience was like for me (the good AND the bad!). After all, buying used clothing that you have not been able to personally inspect before purchasing is a bit risky, right?

photo credit: susieredshoes via photopin cc
photo credit: K·FREE via photopin cc
photo credit: jen_rab via photopin cc

ThredUp: What They Sell

ThredUP sells clothing for women (including specialty sections like petite, juniors, maternity, and plus sizes). They also sell children’s clothing starting at size 12 months. They sell shoes for women and children, and they also sell handbags (including some NICE handbags if you love a quality bag but are on a budget) and some accessories like tights, scarves and gloves.

What They Don’t Sell

Nothing for men, I’m afraid. I was bummed about that, as I would have loved to made purchases for Tim while I was on my fierce shopping spree.

How (In)Expensive Is It?

I’ll tell you this: if you go to ThredUp expecting to pay garage sale or even thrift store prices, you will be disappointed. I found that most items started around $4.99 and went up. Could you find some of them cheaper at a thrift store or even a consignment sale? Perhaps. But remember, you are getting the convenience of having everything pre-screened with any notes on the condition (for example: new with tags, or slight pilling). And you can shop by brand, by size, by color, all from the comfort of your home any time you want. For me, that type of convenience is well worth it. I love going to the thrift store, but it’s always hit or miss, and I might find something fun, but it’s 2 sizes bigger than what I need. When I need to shop for something that my kids need to wear ASAP, thrift stores and garage sales can’t always provide what I need. Plus, shopping at them takes forever! I don’t think I’ve even been to a garage sale since Layah was born and I used to love them! So again, you are going to pay more, but the prices are still quite good for the quality, because ThredUP just won’t sell it if it isn’t in great shape. Here’s what will be Layah’s outfit for her first day of school!

My Finds

When I went on my shopping spree, I was chiefly looking for stuff for me, to be honest. Because both of my girls were born in the spring and summer months, my summer wardrobe is PITIFUL. I mean…it’s really sad. I had probably 3 or 4 tops that I was interested in wearing TOTAL, so I was on the hunt for casual but updated pieces. And I hit the jackpot, you guys! I spent $200 and I was sent 16 pieces of clothing, all in outstanding condition. I now have LOTS of fun choices for myself, and I scored a few fun finds for my kids, as well. While I was looking for casual stuff, they have no shortage of pieces that are appropriate for the office. Basically, they have something for everyone!

Tips and Tricks

I do have a few tips and tricks based on my experience shopping with ThredUp.

Tip #1: Plan to spend at least $79. Why? Because shipping is FREE once you spend that amount! 🙂 Honestly, what I do is go big, though, and spend $150 at one time. That’s because when you do that, you get free shipping, not only on that order, but on any order you place for the next 30 days (yes, even if you only order one thing)!

Tip #2: Pay CLOSE attention to the pieces you select. I was having so much fun shopping, that I got a little sloppy with paying attention to details, and I failed to notice that two of the tops I picked out had a bunch of sequins on them. I’m not anti-sequin, but I like just a touch, and both of these pieces looked like they were rolled and dipped in sequins. I wouldn’t have ordered them in the first place if I had paid a bit more attention.

Tip #3: You can send items back for a refund within 30 days of purchase, which I LOVE! But what I recommend is opting for store credit on any of your returns, for one VERY important reason: if you opt for store credit, you do not have to pay the return shipping costs (ThredUp gives you a pre-paid label to print from your computer). If you opt to get a refund, however, you have to pay for the cost of return. I did this once and once only, because I got some major sticker shock when I dropped off my package: $15 to send my returns from east Tennessee to San Francisco! Oy!!!

Tip #4: Look for brands you know fit you well. In my case, I purchased several Ann Taylor and LOFT items because I rarely have fit issues with this brand. I kept every single item from that brand, incidentally! There were also certain brands that I avoided (Express…their clothes fit like junior’s…a junior’s large WILL NOT fit me and will only make me feel bad!).

Bonus Tip! If you are new to ThredUP and shop through my referral link, you’ll get $10 off your first purchase (no minimum!). I get $10, too, so this is one heck of a win/win!

Want to Hear About Selling?

So the reviews I have read about selling on ThredUP have been mixed, at best. And as a result, I’ve been a bit hesitant to send in anything. But they offer you a 20% off coupon if you sell to them, and that’s pretty darn tempting. Are you interested in having me blog about what it’s like to sell to ThredUp? Leave a comment to let me know, because if you want to hear about it, then I’ll document the experience for you!

How to Shop Online for Gently Used Clothing (And Earn Money!)

March 21, 2014 · by Tiffany Merritt · 3 Comments

Referral links included. Read on to find out how you can get your own to share Twice with your friends!

A few months ago, I noticed that my little sister, Laura, was raving about an online clothing store called Twice. It reminded me a bit of ThredUp, in that they both sell gently used clothing items online. Twice is limited to women’s clothing, though, and tends to have a “tighter” selection. By that I mean that they are pretty darn picky about what they will accept. The result is a lot of really nice clothes, so that’s really good for the buyer!

I also appreciate that Twice has a list of the brands they will accept. Plain and simple, if the brand you want to sell isn’t on the list, they won’t accept it, even if it is totally adorable. That might be a little frustrating to the seller, but unlike ThredUp, where you just send in everything you’ve got and hope for the best (and are often SUPER disappointed when 75% of it gets rejected), you at least have a good idea from the start if your clothing has a chance of being accepted.

How to Sell on Twice

If you want to sell clothes on Twice, you ask for them to send you a pre-paid shipping bag. The bag is sized generously, and can probably hold up to 15 items, just depending on their bulk. They provide good guidelines to help you determine if you should send something in or not.

I went through my closets and found three items I never wear and that I was ready to send to the thrift store. Why not send them in to Twice for a little cash, instead? I sent in one item from Banana Republic and two items from LOFT.

It took about 10 days for an offer to come through from them. One item was rejected due to having a small stain on it (I hadn’t noticed it, but I believe them that it was there, as I’m not exactly the world’s most observant person). The other two were accepted. I thought the payout was a little low (I earned $3.00 for both items, and I was offered an additional .75 if I turned the cash into store credit, which I did). For me, though, I ultimately felt at peace with the decision, as I sent in things I would have just donated, anyway. This way I earned a little credit to buy something new (to me).

If you feel like you could get close to what Twice is selling clothing for by selling it on your own, then don’t send it in for them to purchase, as they will likely offer you somewhere between 10-25% of what they plan to sell it for. But if you don’t have the time or the savvy to do that, then send it on in and be done with it!

How to Buy on Twice

Now for the buying part (which is the most fun!). One tip I have for purchasing clothing online is to go with the brands that you know work for you. I was very pleased to see that on Twice you can not only sort by size, but also by brand. I immediately started looking at their listings from Ann Taylor and from LOFT. I know this company well, and I have confidence that their pieces will fit me.

And what do you know? I found a pretty red tank from Ann Taylor on the site for $10.95. Is that more than I would pay at a thrift store? Yes. But I got a retail/online shopping experience while shopping for gently used clothes, as opposed to a thrift store experience, which takes quite a bit of time, and sorting through a lot of duds. I knew when I saw this that it had already been carefully inspected, and so I wouldn’t get it home and discover a stain or a hole (I have done that COUNTLESS times with thrift store purchases). And I didn’t have to leave the house to find it, either! Sometimes it is worth paying a bit more for things to come straight to your door.

How to Get The BEST Prices on Twice: Share!

While my tank was $10.95 plus a few dollars in shipping, I paid way less than that, because I had a $10 credit thanks to signing up through my sister, who was already a member. If you’d like to check out Twice, I have a $10 credit to offer you! They reward their members who spread the word. If you sign up and then make a purchase, you get $10 off your first order, and then they send me a $10 credit. If you want to sell something, you’ll get another $10 credit (and so will I!). And then if you tell your friends about Twice and send them your referral link (every member gets one), then THEY can get $10 for signing up and another $10 for selling enough to earn a $10 or higher offer, and you get rewarded just like they do. My little sister has earned over $100 in credit to the store just by shouting from the rooftops about her love for Twice. And here’s my favorite thing about the credits: they will let them apply to shipping costs! Most places never let referral credits go toward shipping, so kudos to Twice for really looking after their members!

To get your credit, all you have to do is sign up. That’s it!

If you sign up and buy something, PLEASE tell me what you found. I absolutely love shopping with friends and want to hear about your treasure hunt!