23 Dec A Curated Box of Thrift Store Finds – thredUP Goody Box

“Thrift shopping takes too much time.”
“I never find anything!”

These are just a few of the complaints I still hear about thrift shopping. I mean, I get it. Thrifting *can* feel like hours of digging to never find anything. Or sometimes it means dealing with a push crowd. I guess the same can be said for shopping at any store, but there just seems to still be an overall frustration some people associate with heading into a thrift store.

Well, I was super excited to hear the online thrift shop, thredUP, has a new service for people who don’t have the time or patience for secondhand shopping. I first blogged about thredUP back in 2009 when they first launched as an online clothing swap and to say they’ve come a long way is an understatement.

I wrote the book on how to thrift shop {literally!}, so any time something new comes around that’s meant to make secondhand shopping easier and more accessible, I’m down to share it. 

The new service, Goody Box, just launched a few weeks ago and the premise is making thrift shopping easier and the process is pretty simple. You fill out a style quiz {specifying your sizes, style, brands you love, price points} and for $20*, thredUP sends you a Goody Box with 10-20 items. You keep what you love and return what you don’t. It’s not a subscription and you just order a box when you want. *You have to pay for each individual item of clothing you keep, with the $20 going toward the keepers*

thredUP let me try the service for free {total disclosure!} and here are the pros and cons I experienced and what you’ll need to know if you try it.

PROS

Time Saver: my Goody Box included 20 items. This would have easily taken me hours and even several different trips to the thrift store to find these items. So a single box arriving at my doorstep with all of these pieces? That’s a major pro. I think this box is great for people who are new to thrift shopping or have limited time. But also, it’s really ideal for anyone looking for clothes for a specific reason or season. You can buy a “fancy” or “holiday” box with flashier items or a work wear one with classic styles.

Spot On: the quick style quiz actually worked! The box was full of several of the brands I loved, prints, bright colors and all but three items fit. It’s always tricky receiving a surprise box handpicked by a person or a computer, but the algorithim was on point. This box actually had stuff that looked like it would be in my closet. Everything was so accurate that I had to go back and look at the style quiz I submitted and say, “oh yeah, I told them I liked this, that’s why it’s in the box.”

If you missed it on Instagram, you can see exactly what the box looks like {thredUP has the cutest packaging!} and what was in it. Check out the short video below. 

CONS

Price: the initial $20 isn’t a big deal, but take into account you’ll pay more if you choose to keep anything {and the box is so good, you’re bound to do so!}. My absolute favorite piece in the box is a BCBG Max Azria peplum top. It’s so me! The shirt originally retailed for over $200 {the box includes a list of what’s in the box and the prices for each item} and thredUP was offering it to me for $40. 40 bucks is a good price for the brand but I had to ask myself, if I was out thrifting in the store, would I pay $40 for this? The answer is no. So be mindful of a few things: this service is about convenience so you’re going to pay more per item compared to digging in bins to find a $2 designer shirt. Also, be intentional with what brands you select {they have everything from Gap to Gucci!} and/or have a mix of high and low so you stay within your budget.

Turn Around Time: I was so excited when my Goody Box arrived, but due to life and a hectic work schedule, it took me a few days to actually open it and try everything on. You have seven days to determine what you like and what needs to be returned. The actual return process is easy since they include a shipping label, but if you miss the 7 day mark and don’t return the unwanted pieces, your credit card is charged for everything. With 10-20 items in a box, the price can really rack up! I just wish this was a little longer, maybe 10 days? So open that box as soon as you get it.

[bctt tweet=”This curated box brings secondhand items {from Gap to Gucci!} to your doorstep” username=”PatriceJWill”]

Specify Your Don’ts: this isn’t a con, but more of a tip. There were only three pieces that didn’t fit me well and two of them were jeans. One was a size 28 Kate Spade bright skinny jeans and the other size 27 J Brand. Kate’s jeans wouldn’t even get past my hips and the J Brand jeans fit, but barely. During my quiz I should have specified in the notes that I didn’t want any jeans, because they’re typically so hard for me to find the right fit. If you know you have a “problem” garment or body part, definitely make a note of this so you have better odds of the right fit.

If you haven’t tried thredUP yet, use my code to get $10 off your first order {this doesn’t apply to the Goody Box though}. I’d without a doubt try thredUP’s Goody Box again. Probably for spring.