Do Thrift Stores Buy Clothes? Where to Sell Used Clothes for Cash

Most thrift stores don't buy clothes: charity thrift stores run on donations, so they'll take your bags but won't pay for them. The thrift stores that do buy clothes are resale shops, often called buy-sell-trade or consignment stores, such as Plato's Closet, Buffalo Exchange and Crossroads, plus online consignment services like thredUP.

This guide explains who pays, how much of the resale price you can expect as of 2026, and when selling online or donating makes more sense. Payout policies vary by store and change, so check your local store's page before you haul bags in.

Do thrift stores buy clothes, or only take donations?

It depends on the type of store. Charity thrift stores, the ones with drop-off doors and donation receipts, accept clothes for free and sell them to fund their programs. Resale stores buy clothes from the public and resell them at a markup.

Selling your own closet is different from flipping, where you buy clothes cheaply to resell at a profit. If you're curious about that side, our reselling for profit guide covers sourcing, pricing and whether it's worth your time, and thrift flipping shows what resellers look for on the racks.

Which stores buy used clothes for cash?

The national chains below publish how they pay. Most work the same way: you bring clean clothes, staff pick what fits their shop, and you choose cash or a higher amount in trade credit.

Plato's Closet

Plato's Closet buys gently used, brand-name teen and young adult clothing, shoes, accessories, outerwear and athletic wear. No appointment is needed: staff review your items while you browse, and if you accept the offer, you're paid cash on the spot. Location pages say you need a valid, physical government-issued photo ID. Plato's Closet doesn't publish a single payout rate on its main selling page, and stores are independently owned franchises, so offers vary.

Buffalo Exchange

Buffalo Exchange pays 25% of the price it sets for your items in cash, or 50% in trade credit, as of 2026. It buys clean, gently used clothing and accessories from open to close, seven days a week, with no appointment required, and you need a government-issued ID. Its sell-by-mail program ended in April 2021, so selling means visiting a store.

Crossroads

Crossroads pays 25% to 40% in cash, depending on what it prices your items at, or 45% in trade credit. It looks for on-trend pieces in great condition and turns down damaged clothing. Bring a government-issued ID; sellers under 18 need an adult with ID. If there's no store nearby, Crossroads runs a Sell by Mail program with a prepaid UPS bag, paying cash by Zelle or trade credit to a digital account.

thredUP

thredUP is an online consignment service: you order a Clean Out kit or label, mail your clothes, and thredUP lists what it accepts. You earn a share only when an item sells, the share depends on the brand and selling price, and a service fee comes out of your earnings after items sell. Depending on the option you choose, items it doesn't accept may be recycled rather than returned, so don't send anything you'd want back. Check thredUP's earnings estimator and current fees before you mail a bag.

How much will a store pay for your clothes?

Expect a fraction of what the store will charge, not a fraction of what you paid. The percentages above apply to the store's resale price, which is already far below retail.

Example (hypothetical): Buffalo Exchange prices your jacket at $28. At 25% cash, you get $7; at 50% trade, you get $14 in store credit. If the store passes on a piece, you get nothing for it and take it home.

Trade credit is worth more on paper, but only if you'll actually spend it at that store.

What do resale stores look for?

Resale stores buy what they can sell quickly to their own shoppers, so a rejection usually means "not for our customers this month," not "worthless." Plato's Closet focuses on teens and young adults, while Buffalo Exchange and Crossroads lean toward current trends, vintage and recognizable brands.

To improve your odds:

• Bring clean, folded clothes. Wash everything, remove pet hair and lint, and skip pieces with stains, holes or broken zippers.
• Sell in season. Bring coats in fall and shorts in spring; stores buy for what's about to sell.
• Bring brands and styles the store already carries. Walk the racks first to see what's priced well.
• Expect a partial buy. Stores often take only some of what you bring, so have a plan for the rest.
• Check the store's buying hours. Buying policies vary by location, and Crossroads offers a waitlist app to hold your spot.

Is it better to sell to a store or online?

A store wins on speed and simplicity; online apps usually win on money per item. The right choice depends on how many pieces you have, what they're worth and how much time you'll spend.

Selling online means photographing, listing, answering questions, shipping and waiting, but you set the price and typically keep most of it after the platform's fee. Mercari, for example, takes 10% of the item price plus buyer-paid shipping as of 2026; our guide on how to sell on Mercari walks through the process, and Depop vs Poshmark vs Mercari compares the main clothing apps.

A practical split many people use:

1. Higher-value pieces, such as designer, vintage or brand-name items with strong sold listings, go online.
2. Mid-value, current-season pieces go to a buy-sell-trade store for quick cash.
3. Everything the store passes on gets donated, if it's in good condition, or recycled.

If you sell your own clothes for less than you paid, there's usually no taxable gain. The IRS counts personal items sold at a gain as reportable income, and says income must be reported whether or not you receive a Form 1099-K.

Should you donate clothes instead of selling them?

Donating makes sense for clothes a resale store won't buy and that aren't worth listing online. It saves time, but the tax benefit is smaller than many people assume.

The IRS rules, as of 2026:

• You must itemize. A deduction for donated clothing requires itemizing on Schedule A. The new deduction for non-itemizers that starts in 2026 covers cash contributions only; clothing doesn't qualify.
• Condition matters. Clothing must be in good used condition or better to be deductible.
• Value is fair market value. That's roughly what similar items sell for in thrift stores, not what you originally paid.
• Keep records. Donations of $250 or more need a written acknowledgment from the charity, and noncash donations over $500 require Form 8283.

For most people who take the standard deduction, donating is about decluttering and helping a charity, not about saving tax.

Next steps

Sort your clothes into three piles: online, store and donate. Check sold listings for anything that looks valuable, call or check the page of your nearest resale store, and bring your ID.

• If you enjoy the process, our step-by-step reselling for profit guide explains how people turn it into a side business, with the real costs and time involved.
• To list your best pieces yourself, start with how to sell on Mercari or compare apps in the best reselling apps.

For other realistic ways to earn, see our guide to making money online.