Consignment vs Thrift vs Resale: What Is the Difference?

The difference is who owns the goods and when you get paid: thrift stores sell donated items and pay nothing, resale stores buy from you outright and pay cash now, and consignment stores sell your items for you and pay a share after the sale.

Thrift stores

Goodwill, Salvation Army, church and hospice shops. Inventory is donated, prices are lowest, quality is mixed, and the proceeds fund a cause. You get a tax receipt, not cash.

Resale and buy-outright stores

Plato’s Closet, Buffalo Exchange, Crossroads and similar chains look at your items and offer cash or credit on the spot for what they want. Fast and certain, but the offer is a fraction of what the item will sell for.

Consignment stores

Independent shops that display your items and split the sale, usually 40 to 60 percent to you. Best money for good items, slowest to pay, and nothing if the item does not sell. Many shops now run a hybrid model, buying some items outright and consigning others; the listings here mark those as consignment and resale.

Consign, sell or donate: which to choose

Consign the items worth the wait: brand-name clothing in good condition, furniture, designer accessories. Sell outright when you need the space today. Donate the rest.

Find consignment stores near you, including which ones run a mixed consignment and resale model.