Thrift stores are supposed to be treasure hunts, not legal minefields. But a recent Reddit post is calling out just how off-the-rails some stores have gotten in the name of profit.
One Redditor posted a photo to the "r/ThriftGrift" subreddit showing a rubber-banded stack of USPS flat-rate envelopes priced at $4.99 each. Not joking.
"What a steal! And also illegal," as the user put it.
And yep — illegal is the right word here. USPS mailers are free. Selling them isn't just tacky; it's a federal offense. So this isn't just a case of one rogue employee getting cute with pricing — it's part of a bigger issue. More and more thrift stores are "creatively" reselling things they got for free, hoping no one notices. Spoiler: People notice.
Thrift stores used to be all about scoring great deals, but now, for many, it's beginning to feel like a rigged game. When stores begin monetizing literal trash or selling free taxpayer-funded supplies, it's no longer about secondhand sustainability. It's about trying to see how much you can cheat customers and get away with it before someone complains.
And here's the thing: This nonsense doesn't just hit our wallets. It screws with the whole ecosystem of thrift shopping. When people stop trusting secondhand stores, they start buying new again. More waste, more shipping, more cheap junk clogging landfills. All because someone thought they could make a few bucks off some free envelopes.
Still, don't write off thrifting just yet. It's one of the easiest ways to save cash and shop more sustainably — you just need to shop smart. Use a good thrift-shopping guide to dodge shady pricing. Get creative with how you reuse your finds. Learn how thrifting helps fight fast fashion instead of fueling it.
No one appreciates being taken advantage of, so when it came to this issue, the Reddit crowd didn't exactly hold back.
"Don't even give them a warning, they don't deserve it," said one user.
Another advised, "Report to usps immediately. This has been happening at far too many thrift stores.
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"And someone joked, "I hope to see this in a store one day because I plan to just walk out with them."
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