How To Increase Foot Traffic to Your Thrift Store

Your thrift store has amazing inventory — racks full of vintage denim, shelves stocked with unique home decor, and bins overflowing with hidden treasures.

But here’s the problem: not enough people are walking through your doors to see it.

And you’re not the only one dealing with it. Thrift store owners everywhere face the same challenge. Online shopping makes it easy for customers to browse from their couch. Big-box retailers dominate with massive marketing budgets. Plus, your store probably runs on a skeleton crew with limited time for promotions.

The good news? You don’t need a huge budget to increase foot traffic. You just need smart, targeted strategies that speak directly to thrift shoppers.

Let’s dig into 11 practical ways to get more customers through your door.

1. Maximize Your Google Business Profile

When someone searches “thrift stores near me,” does your store appear? If not, you’re missing easy foot traffic. Stores that dominate the local market capture 73% more “near me” searches than the competitors. 

Your Google Business Profile is free advertising. Here’s how to optimize it:

• Complete every section: Add your hours, phone number, website, and photos. The more information you provide, the more likely Google shows your store in local searches.
• Post updates regularly: Google lets you share updates directly on your profile. Post about weekend sales, new inventory arrivals, and special events. These updates appear in search results and keep your profile active.
• Encourage reviews: Positive feedback boosts your visibility and credibility. Ask satisfied customers to share their experiences. Make it easy by providing a direct link to your Google review page.
• Respond to every comment: Thank customers for their kind words and address any concerns professionally, offering solutions when needed. Being responsive shows potential customers you care about their experience.
• Add photos weekly: Upload pictures of your store, your best inventory finds, and happy customers (with permission). Visual content makes your profile more engaging and gives searchers a preview of what to expect.

Local search engine optimization (SEO) might sound technical, but it’s really just about making sure people can find you when they’re looking for thrift stores. Most thrift store customers search locally, so appearing in those results directly translates to increased foot traffic.

2. Invest in Attention-Grabbing, Low-Budget Signage

Your storefront is your biggest advertisement, but fancy signs cost money most thrift stores don’t have.

Skip the expensive route. Use chalkboards, whiteboards, and sandwich boards instead.

A simple A-frame sign on the sidewalk catches foot traffic you’d otherwise miss. Write your current promotion in bold letters: “50% Off Shoes Today Only” or “New Furniture Just Arrived.” Change the message daily or weekly to keep it fresh.

Chalkboard signs inside your store can direct customers to specific sections. Messages like “Designer Handbags This Way” or “Vintage Denim — Aisle 3” help shoppers find what they’re looking for faster. Better navigation means longer browsing time and more purchases.

Window displays matter too. Dress your mannequins in your best pieces, and rotate displays weekly to showcase different inventory. Passersby should see something new every time they walk by your store.

Static signage gets ignored. Dynamic, frequently updated signs create urgency and give customers a reason to stop in today instead of next week.

Related Read: 6 Thrift Store Display Ideas To Increase Sales

3. Make Donating Easy With Pickup Scheduling

Fresh inventory is your lifeblood. When customers see the same dusty items week after week, they stop coming back. But when your racks constantly rotate with new donations, shoppers return regularly to see what just arrived.

The problem? Getting those donations through your door consistently.

Many potential donors want to support your store but lack the time or transportation to drop off items. They have bags of clothing sitting in their garage or furniture they’d love to donate, but life gets in the way.

Pickup scheduling solves this problem.

Offering scheduled donation pickups removes the biggest barrier to donating. Customers can request a pickup online or by phone, and your team collects items at their convenience. This service dramatically increases donation volume, especially for larger items like furniture, appliances, and boxes of household goods.

Here’s how to make your pickup service successful:

• Promote your pickup service everywhere: Add it to your website, mention it on social media, include it in email signatures, and train staff to offer it when customers ask about donating. The easier you make it, the more donations you’ll receive.
• Set clear guidelines for what you accept: Nobody wants to waste a trip picking up items you can’t sell. Provide a detailed list of accepted and rejected items on your website and during the scheduling process. This saves time for everyone involved.
• Create a regular pickup schedule: Running pickups on specific days (like Tuesdays and Thursdays) helps you plan routes efficiently and manage staff time. Batch pickups in the same neighborhood to reduce driving time and fuel costs.

Window shoppers notice full racks and well-stocked shelves. Empty spaces and sparse inventory send the wrong message. A comprehensive pickup program keeps your store looking full, which naturally draws more foot traffic.

4. Use Color-Tag Pricing To Create Regular Traffic Patterns

Smart thrift shoppers learn your store’s rhythm. They figure out when new inventory hits the floor and when discounts happen. Color-tag pricing takes advantage of this behavior by creating predictable discount schedules that train customers to visit regularly.

Here’s how it works: Each week or month, you assign a specific color tag to new inventory. As time passes, those colors rotate through predetermined discount levels.

For example:

• Week 1: Blue tags are full price.
• Week 4: Blue tags are 25% off.
• Week 6: Blue tags are 50% off.
• Week 8: Blue tags are 75% off.

Customers quickly learn this system. Bargain hunters come in weekly to check which color just hit the deepest discount. Full-price shoppers visit when they know fresh inventory (the current week’s color) just arrived.

This creates consistent foot traffic patterns throughout the month. Promote your color schedule with signs at the entrance and social media updates. Customers will plan shopping trips around these announcements.

5. Run Seasonal Promotions That Match Shopping Patterns

Thrift shoppers think seasonally. They’re hunting for winter coats in November, not July. They want prom dresses in March, not October.

Align your promotions with what customers actually need right now.

Back-to-school season (August through early September) is perfect for promoting kids’ clothing, backpacks, and school supplies. Run a “Fill a Bag for $10” promotion on children’s items, and parents shopping on tight budgets flock to your store.

Spring cleaning season (March and April) drives up donation volume, which means fresh inventory. Advertise “New Spring Arrivals Daily” to bring customers in regularly.

Timing matters. A Halloween costume promotion in early October works because customers are actively shopping for costumes. Wait until late October, and you’ve missed the window.

Related Read: Seasonal Donation Patterns: When To Expect Your Best Inventory

6. Create Urgency With Limited-Time Offers

Scarcity drives action. When customers know an offer won’t last, they’re more likely to visit your store immediately.

Flash sales lasting just a few hours create intense urgency. “Next three hours only: 40% off all shoes.” Customers drop what they’re doing to catch the deal.

Daily deals give customers a reason to check in regularly. “Monday: $1 coffee mugs. Tuesday: 50% off books.” Repeat customers learn to visit on specific days for items they want.

“While supplies last” promotions work especially well for thrift stores because inventory is truly limited. “Designer jeans just arrived. 24 pairs only.” Customers know if they wait, someone else will snag the good stuff.

Just make sure your urgency is real. Don’t run the same “one-day sale” every week. Shoppers catch on to fake scarcity and stop trusting your promotions.

7. Showcase Your Unique Inventory Online

Social media doesn’t directly put customers in your store, but it reminds them you exist and gives them a reason to visit.

Focus on these content strategies:

• Post your best finds daily: That vintage leather jacket, mid-century modern lamp, or designer handbag deserves its own post. Show potential customers what they’re missing if they don’t stop by.
• Use local hashtags: #[YourCity]Thrift and #ShopLocal[YourCity] help nearby customers discover your content. Combine them with broader tags like #ThriftFinds and #SecondhandFirst.
• Go live during new inventory drops: Facebook and Instagram Live let you showcase fresh donations in real time. Customers watching might rush over to grab items before they’re gone.

The goal isn’t to sell items online. It’s to entice customers to visit your physical location. Every post should answer one question: “Why should I stop by the store today?”

8. Boost Last-Minute Traffic With SMS Marketing

Email marketing has its place, but most promotional emails sit unread in crowded inboxes. Text messages get opened within three minutes 90% of the time.

That speed matters when you need to fill your store on a slow Tuesday afternoon.

SMS marketing lets you reach customers instantly with time-sensitive offers. Send a quick text about a flash sale and watch people walk through your door within the hour.

Youth Homes Thrift Shop sent this text for their President’s Day sale: “President’s Day Sale! 50% off all clothing and shoes. Men’s and women’s and includes Curated Collection. One day only: Monday, February 17. Don’t miss out! Shop and make a difference! 10 AM to 7 PM. TODAY.”

The results? 172 purchases that day with a 16.5% success rate. Customers who received the text spent 18% more than those who didn’t.

The beauty of SMS is permission-based marketing. Everyone on your list wants to hear from you. They opt in specifically to receive your promotions. That means higher engagement and better results than email blasts to purchased lists.

9. Offer Loyalty Programs With Real Rewards

Repeat customers are the backbone of successful thrift stores. They visit regularly, spend more over time, and refer friends.

A simple points-based system works well. Customers earn one point per dollar spent. At 100 points, they get $10 off their next purchase.

Tie your loyalty program to SMS marketing for maximum impact. Send personalized messages about point balances, exclusive sales, and birthday rewards.

For example: “Hi, Maria! You have 85 points. Just 15 more to earn $10 off. Stop by this week to reach your reward!”

Give members early access to new inventory or let them shop sales a day before the general public. These VIP perks drive repeat visits and build customer loyalty.

10. Partner With Local Businesses and Organizations

Thrift stores thrive on community connections. Your customers are local. Your donors are local. Your impact is local.

Leverage those connections:

• Team up with nearby coffee shops or restaurants: Offer a “Shop and Sip” promotion where customers get a discount at your store with a receipt from the partner business, and vice versa.
• Connect with schools and youth organizations: Sponsor a fundraiser where a percentage of sales on a specific day goes to the school. Parents show up to support the cause and discover your store.
• Collaborate with local influencers or bloggers: A lifestyle blogger with a strong local following can showcase your store’s best finds. Micro-influencers often work with small businesses for free products or small fees.

Build ongoing relationships. A coffee shop displaying your promotional flyers year-round is more valuable than a single joint event.

11. Host In-Store Events That Draw Crowds

Events give customers a reason to visit beyond just shopping. 

Here are a couple ideas to try:

• Themed shopping nights: Host a “Decades Night” where customers dress up in vintage clothing from different eras. Offer discounts on period-specific items.
• Donation drives with incentives: “Bring five items to donate, get 20% off your purchase today.” Donors become shoppers, and you get fresh inventory.

Announce events weeks in advance through SMS, email, social media, and in-store signage. The more buzz you generate beforehand, the higher your turnout.

Drive Consistent Foot Traffic With ThriftCart

The strategies above work — but they work even better when you have the right tools to execute them efficiently.

ThriftCart is a cloud-based point of sale (POS) system built specifically for thrift stores and secondhand retailers. It handles checkout, inventory management, and powerful features designed to increase foot traffic. SMS marketing, loyalty programs, and color-tag pricing automation are built directly into the platform.

Staff can send targeted text campaigns in minutes. Customers earn points automatically at checkout. Discounts apply based on tag color with no manual calculations.

Your POS, loyalty program, SMS marketing, and reporting all live in one system. You’re not juggling multiple platforms or manually tracking results. Thrift store owners using ThriftCart report significant increases in repeat visits and same-day traffic from SMS promotions.

Build and Price your custom ThriftCart plan today to start turning slow days into busy ones.