A thrift store price tag is drawing major backlash online after a Reddit user shared a vintage COOGI sweater marked at a staggering $599.
The post, shared in r/ThriftGrift, has earned nearly 1,000 upvotes. Many users said the post captures everything frustrating about so-called "thrift grift," which is when secondhand shops price items far above what shoppers expect from a thrift store.
It's no surprise the post resonated so widely. The cost of everyday essentials has surged, and there's a growing sense of unease among people who rely on thrift stores for affordable clothing, home goods, and other items.
For many shoppers, thrifting helps them save money. Others might enjoy the occasional thrill of finding a rare or valuable item at a steep discount.
A nearly $600 sweater, commenters said, feels much closer to boutique resale pricing than a community-minded thrift find.
The sweater post also points to a broader shift in the thrifting landscape.
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Some people believe that certain secondhand stores use resale market data to spot brands and vintage pieces with high online value and price those items accordingly. In other words, if something could sell for a premium on resale sites, thrift stores may now want a larger share. That approach may help stores bring in more revenue, but it can also alienate a majority of the people who rely on them.
When secondhand prices start creeping toward online resale levels, people looking for low-cost basics may leave empty-handed, or turn to buying new items, including inexpensive fast-fashion pieces that wear out quickly and cost more in the long run.
That creates challenges not only for household budgets but also the environment.
When it remains accessible, thrifting offers significant eco benefits. It helps keep usable clothing and household goods out of landfills, while also reducing demand for resource-intensive new production.
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Commenters on the Reddit post had plenty to say.
Many pointed out that a price like that defeats the purpose of thrifting altogether.
Others argued that if a store wants boutique-level prices, it should not present itself as a thrift shop.
"They think the Coogi is Gucci," one person commented.
One commenter highlighted the irony of a worker pricing the sweater: "I wonder what [it] feels like to get paid minimum wage but sit in a thrift store office researching ways to shaft others who also shop there because they get paid minimum wage."
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