Survey says business is booming at thrift stores across Canada
A new PayPal survey shows more Canadians are turning to thrift stores as a way to save some cash.
About a third of Canadians surveyed said they're buying second-hand goods more than once a month. Seventy-three percent said they do so to make their money go further, while 42 per cent of Gen Z Canadians are thrifting frequently.
At The Perfect Find, a thrift store in Kitchener, staff said foot traffic has picked up within the past 18 months – even topping pre-pandemic levels.
“I was not a thrifter, and you just become enveloped in it. I am such a thrifter now. It's very hard for me to shop other places,” said store manager Gwen Hamming.
Hamming said many people are looking for a deal in a high inflationary environment.
“A lot of times, we're about a quarter of the retail price,” said Hamming. “We have people that come specifically on Saturday to get clothes for a dollar.”
Discount lovers in Kitchener said it’s a good place to find unique things.
“I'm more of a niche shopper. I kind of like finding old vintage stuff, CD's, or like old classic movies or books,” said more shoppers.
“Prices here are so much cheaper than the mall. You go to the mall you can afford one shirt. You come here you can afford several items. You can afford a new outfit for the weekend,” said another shopper.
The manager at the new Goodwill in Waterloo said the second-hand surge is easy to spot.
“We've been seeing growth every single year ever since I’ve been at goodwill which is almost ten years,” said Rainer Voigt, the eastern regional manager at Goodwill.
Voigt said 1,200 customers came on opening day, but typically around 500 customers are expected on a regular day.
He said there’s been a 15 to 20 per cent increase in foot traffic year over year across his stores.
“With everything that's going on globally within our economies — sustainability, circularity, reusing, reduce, trying to eliminate waste into landfills; it falls right into what goodwill does,” he said.
In addition to the cost crunch driving traffic to thrift stores, re-sellers and those who enjoy the thrill of the hunt are keeping second-hand stores a first-rate business.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Signs of Alzheimer’s were everywhere. Then his brain improved
Blood biomarkers of telltale signs of early Alzheimer’s disease in the brain of his patient, 55-year-old entrepreneur Simon Nicholls, had all but disappeared in a mere 14 months.
Box tree moths have infested Ontario and experts say more are coming. Here's what to do to protect your garden
An invasive moth species is on the rise in Canada and, if you've planted a certain shrub, it could stand to ruin your garden.
Lyon-bound Air Canada Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner from Montreal turns back midflight due to pressurization alert
Passengers heading from Montreal to Lyon, France on Friday were forced to return home and depart the next day after a pressurization indication was detected in flight.
Oilers dominate Canucks, win to force deciding Game 7
The Edmonton Oilers avoided elimination from the NHL playoffs Saturday night, beating the visiting Vancouver Canucks 5-1 in Game 6 of their second-round series.
The eight most expensive homes for sale in Ottawa this spring
Ottawa's ultra luxury housing market is blooming like the tulips this spring, with a significant increase in the number of homes sold worth more than $2 million.
B.C. pipeline company argues its 'haulers' are not trucks, for tax purposes
A contractor working on the Coastal GasLink pipeline has been denied more than $333,000 worth of tax rebates because pieces of machinery it purchased – and claimed were not trucks – were deemed sufficiently truck-like in B.C. Supreme Court.
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
Usyk beats Fury by split decision, becomes undisputed heavyweight champion
Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury by split decision to become the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in 24 years.
To plant or not to plant? Gardening tips for May long weekend
May long weekend is finally here, and with the extra time off you may be getting the itch to head out to your garden and plant. However, the old debate whether you should plant now, or wait, is still ever-present.