We all like a good bargain. Well did you know, there's some valley shops offering huge savings everyday? Contact 13 looks at the 3 major benefits to consignment shopping. It turns out, buying secondhand doesn't mean getting second-rate.
"That's pretty cheap," says shopper Jasmine.
Buying used, may not be as bad as you think. And these days you can buy almost anything secondhand: from clothes to couches, and from cell phones to designer hand bags. So why should you try consignment? Let's start with the first obvious benefit: the prices.
"I feel like I save a lot coming here," says Jasmine.
Shoppers at spots like Plato's Closet are saving about 50 to 70 percent, compared to what you'll pay at other stores. And the stuff hanging on these racks, aren't from your grandpa's closet.
"We kind of have an arrangement of all clothes for pretty much all people... We have any brand you can find at the mall," says Parker Bolliger of Plato's Closet
That's reason number two for shopping second-hand: the unique selection. And the options stretch way beyond just the popular brands. You can also find deals on rare, one-of-a-kind items.
"I love to shop like I'm shopping in somebody else's closet," says Lisa Bernal, owner of Ritzy Rags, where they promise bargains on luxury items.
"You can get vintage. You can get current. You can get activewear. You can get ballroom dancing. You can get a costume," says Lisa.
It's all here, and for a lot less than you'll pay on the strip. But let's not forget about the kids.
"She grows pretty quick so every other month I'm like, she needs new stuff," says mom, Susana.
You can find it all at Kid to Kid.
"Clothing, shoes, we get a lot of toys, equipment items," says Samantha Hall, manager at Kid to Kid.
And no matter where you go for previously owned items, you're going to find lots of options. That's the third reason for shopping consignment: the selection refreshes daily.
"We get new product every single day of the week. So even if you do come in every day, you're still going to find new things," says Samantha.
The great prices, selection, and fresh new choices are available for your large purchases too.
"They come in from the East Coast, the West Coast. They come from all over. See you get stuff you just can't find anywhere else," says Colleen Aiken, owner of Colleen's Classic Consignment.
Colleen's is just one of the valley's gently used furniture stores where you can find huge discounts of up to 70 percent off. It's also where we found one shopper with a unique piece of advice. Whenever you walk into a secondhand store, just take a deep breath and smell.
"I know that's a weird one. But it's the truth. Because usually the stuff isn't clean, it's not taken care of. But when you walk in and you don't have that kind of eww smell, it's like okay, I'm going to stay," says shopper Terra.
The deals really are amazing. In fact, there's two other key ways to save at consignment stores. First, you can sell some of your stuff. They'll give you cash or give you a percentage off your purchase. The other thing to keep in mind, many consignment shops offer a rewards program.
