50 Times People Discovered Such Surprising Secondhand Finds, They Just Had To Share Pics Online

Chances are, online groups like 'Vintage and weird things you have found' are going to be getting more and more content. As inflation continues driving shoppers to reach deep into their pockets, many are doing what they can to make or save some extra cash. One of those options is second-hand selling and shopping.

"We purchase 200-300 items every single day," Style Encore at Lake Charles, Louisiana, owner Stacey Buller said. An industry that was hurting during the height of the pandemic is now seeing more business with inflation-propelled costs.

"During Covid, it was pretty slow but then within the past couple of months, we've seen our foot traffic get heavier and heavier," Buller explained.

The market for bargains is growing and Buller said women are coming in looking for anything from work to athletic clothes.

"Ladies come in to look for a dress for church or their casual clothing, their athletic, a lot of people are getting back into the gyms."

Inflation price hikes are leaving many customers questioning, why pay full when there are racks and racks of steals and deals at second-hand stores?

"A lot of ladies are coming in to sell for that quick cash, or they're even shopping. All of our prices are 50-90% below retail of the big box stores so they can get a really, really good deal," Buller added.

But it's not just the physical stores where people can make an extra buck. An average American has 36 unwanted items in their homes, worth $3,675, that they could turn into cash, according to a 2021 report by online marketplace eBay.

The document took a look at what motivated its sellers of secondhand products over the past year, and learned that a majority of sellers who were new to eBay said they began selling pre-owned goods to simply make some cash.

The report reflects that the pandemic caused more people to buy and sell on its platform. Fourth-quarter revenue in 2020 was up 28% and gross merchandise volume - the value of the goods sold on the platform - was up 21%. For the full year, revenue was up 19% and gross merchandise volume was up 17%, to over $100 billion.