The Thrift Store Alternative To Try That's Usually Full Of Affordable Treasures

Nowhere is the saying "One man's trash is another man's treasure" more apparent than at outlet and liquidation stores. According to Oregon Live, the savings you can get at these stores are anywhere between 20% and 70%, though the Krazy Coupon Lady website suggests that the savings might even be higher – up to 90% for some items. For people who often turn to secondhand stores to save money on home renovations or to buy the furniture to go with them, getting similar savings on items that are actually brand new is a dream come true.

Although both liquidation and thrift stores might feature similar products at similar price points, there is a big difference between the two types of stores in terms of where the stock comes from. At thrift stores, you can expect to find items that have most often been used and have come to the store's inventory via donations. Liquidation stores source their stock from product manufacturers and retailers: These stores get their wares at a substantial discount, but they still have to pay for them. 

In other words, liquidators don't resell donated stock like thrift stores do. Still, there are good deals on home and garden goods to be had when you shop at a liquidation store.  For example, do you need a kitchen buffet or sideboard for your house? Stores like Tuesday Morning or Big Lots might have it, often at a discount of 20% to 50%, or even more. Additionally, not all of the wares from a liquidation store are furniture items, of course. Some of the goods, like kitchen cleaners or batteries, relate more to household care and upkeep.

Many of these stores have brick-and-mortar locations, but others are online only. And while their stock may be cheap, the wares that they sell come from retailers with serious pedigrees. Want to shop at a place like Macy's for cheap? Your best bet might just be one of these liquidation stores. But it isn't just luxury stores like Macy's that offload their overstocked wares. Unsold items from places like Amazon, Walmart, and Target also find their way to one of these stores.

As for selling their items, each bargain basement store runs a bit differently. Some stores, like BlueLots Liquidation, have a bidding process, much like eBay, only in bulk, so be aware that not all liquidation stores are suitable for individual shoppers to frequent. On the other hand, many of these outfits that sell to the public buy stuff in bulk and then break up the lots they buy to resell individual items in their own stores, 

It's also the case that some of the stuff you'll find in a bargain store is slightly damaged, though still usable. That isn't so very different from the experience you might have at a thrift store. As such, you'll want to check every item that you'd like to buy before you take it home to determine if you can live with its flaws. In some cases, you might encounter items that shouldn't be sold, like recalled baby strollers. That's where research comes in. However, if everything checks out, then you just might find the comfy chair or cozy bed for the guest room you've been looking for at a price that's amazing, too.