Our Story

Thrift-em was born out of a simple idea: second-hand shopping shouldn't feel sketchy, cluttered, or complicated. Traditional peer-to-peer marketplaces are often filled with steep platform fees, impersonal transactions, and endless scrolling through low-quality items.

We built Thrift-em to be a clean, sustainable, and design-forward alternative. We believe that pre-loved clothing, unique collectibles, and everyday items still have plenty of life left in them. By choosing second-hand, you aren't just saving money—you're directly reducing waste, saving CO₂, and supporting real people in local communities.

Instead of spending heavily on corporate ad campaigns, we put our resources right where they belong: directly back into reducing the cost of circular living by subsidizing your shipping costs.

How It Works

  1. Discover & Shop Browse curated second-hand fashion, collectibles, and pre-loved treasures. Find something you love and buy directly through our secure platform checkout, submit an offer, or arrange a direct local meetup.

  2. List in Minutes (0% Platform Selling Fees) Got great stuff sitting around? Snap a few photos, set your price, and post your listing for free. We charge 0% platform commission fees—sellers keep 100% of their earnings, minus standard credit card payment processing fees (~2.9% + $0.30 via Stripe Connect).

  3. 50/50 Subsidized Commercial Shipping To keep buying and selling nationwide affordable, Thrift-em splits standard commercial shipping costs 50/50 with buyers on qualified parcel orders (up to 10 lbs / 18" max box size). You get predictable, low-cost commercial rates applied automatically at checkout.

  4. 100% Buyer Protection Guarantee Shop with complete peace of mind when using our online checkout. With our optional ~$1.00 Buyer Protection coverage at checkout, your payment is safely held in escrow by Stripe Connect until your package arrives. If your item never arrives or is significantly not as described, report it to us within 3 days of delivery for a full refund.

  5. Ship or Meet Up Sellers choose how they want to transact for each listing:

  • Online Purchase & Offers (Subsidized Shipping): Convenient, tracked nationwide shipping backed by Stripe buyer and seller purchase protection.
  • Local Pickup & Meetup (Off-Platform Payment): Direct, local meetups arranged via free messaging for neighborhood swaps, cash, or direct P2P transfers with $0 platform fees.

Step Into the Spotlight 🌟 Want more eyeballs on your shop? Get your listing featured right at the top of our homepage for just $2.00. Featured items get up to 5x more views from active thrifters! (To feature a listing, go to your shop dashboard under My Listings and select Step Into the Spotlight).