How Online Resale Impacts Donation Volume: 3 Thrift Store Considerations

Online resale platforms like Poshmark, Depop, ThredUp, Vinted, and TikTok Shop have grown fast in the last few years.

For many thrift store owners, this raises a question: Are these platforms taking donations away from thrift stores?

The short answer: No.
The longer answer: They’re changing how and when people donate.

In this blog, we’ll look at the biggest changes to thrift store donations and what they mean for your store. Let’s dive in.

Online Resale Is Growing Fast (& Why It Matters for Thrift Donations)

Before we talk about donations, it helps to see how big online resale has become:

• The U.S. secondhand clothing market grew 14% in 2024 — 5x faster than regular retail.
• Online resale could reach $40 billion by 2029.
• Younger shoppers are leading the trend. About 39% bought secondhand through social platforms like TikTok Shop or Instagram in the past year.

This growth matters because the more people buy and sell secondhand, the more items eventually get donated. When items don't sell after 30, 60, or 90 days online, most sellers donate them rather than keep listing.

In short: Online resale speeds up the path from closet to thrift store.

Related Read: Thrift Store Success in a Digital World: 10 Expert Insights

How Online Resale Impacts Donation Volume

So, what does increased online resale mean for thrift stores? Let’s look at the biggest changes.

1. More Overall Donations

Younger shoppers, especially Gen Z and millennials, change their wardrobes more often than older generations. Social media trends move fast, and people like to refresh their style.

Many also care about sustainability, so they donate instead of throwing items away.

A common pattern today looks like this:

1. Buy a new item.
2. Wear it a few times.
3. Try to resell it online.
4. Donate what doesn’t sell.

That last step is where thrift stores benefit.

What it means for thrift stores: Donation volume will likely keep growing.

2. More Ups & Downs in Donation Volume

Donation patterns today are driven by trends.

When a style goes viral on TikTok or Instagram, people list similar items for resale. When the trend fades, many donate those items in bulk.

Trend cycles are much faster than they used to be. A style can go from popular to outdated in just a few months, or even weeks. This creates donation waves that are bigger and more frequent than traditional seasonal changes.

Common drivers of donation spikes include:

• Viral fashion trends (like Y2K, cottagecore, oversized denim)
• Seasonal resets (spring cleaning, back-to-school, post-holiday purges)

What it means for thrift stores: You may see slow weeks followed by huge donation drops. Back rooms can fill up quickly, and staff can feel overwhelmed if systems aren’t ready. Planning for these spikes is becoming more important than ever.

3. Better-Quality Thrift Store Donations

Younger donors are buying better-quality items than past generations.

Gen Z shoppers buy secondhand for the thrill of the hunt and the appeal of finding limited or sold-out items, which means they’re more selective about what they buy — and what they later donate.

Since many shoppers think about resale value when they buy clothing, they’re more likely to:

• Buy branded apparel.
• Choose classic styles that hold value.
• Pay more for items that can be resold.

Even fast fashion brands are improving quality. Consumers want items that last long enough to resell, so brands are responding with better materials and construction.

What this means for thrift stores:

You’re likely receiving:

• Better-condition clothing
• Recognizable brands
• Trend-aligned styles
• Items with higher resale potential

This can raise your average item value. But it also means sorting and pricing matter more. A generic pricing strategy may leave money on the table.

Related Read: Thrift Store Donation Management: 8 Best Practices

How Online Resale Changes Thrift Store Donor Behavior

With the growth of online resale, people are changing how they think about their closets.

Many now see clothing as temporary. Instead of keeping items for years, they treat clothing like a rotating collection.

As we touched on earlier, they see resale and donation as part of the same cycle:

• Buy.
• Wear.
• Sell.
• Donate.

This mindset makes donating feel normal and routine. It also means items move through closets faster, which increases donation volume over time.

For thrift stores, this shift is a big opportunity — but only if systems are ready to handle it.

What Thrift Stores Should Prepare for When It Comes to Online Resale

Taking the big picture view of online resale, here’s what thrift stores should expect:

• More donation surges: Trends, seasons, and economy shifts can cause sudden spikes in donations. Stores need flexible staffing, storage, and sorting processes.
• More sorting and pricing work: Better-quality items require better categorization and pricing. Recognizing brands and trends can significantly increase revenue.
• Higher customer expectations: Shoppers expect organized, clean, well-stocked stores. Donors expect easy dropoff and pickup options.
• Smarter planning needs: Data on donation patterns can help plan staff schedules, donation pickups, and merchandising. Guesswork is becoming too risky when volumes are this high.

How ThriftCart Helps Stores Handle the Online Resale Ripple Effect

As online resale keeps growing, thrift stores need tools built specifically for high-volume donations.

ThriftCart is an all-in-one point of sale (POS) system that helps thrift stores adapt by:

• Tracking donations: See where donations come from, how often they arrive, and when spikes happen.
• Speeding up sorting: Quickly categorize items so they reach the sales floor faster.
• Analyzing patterns: Spot seasonal trends and trend-driven surges to plan staffing and storage.
• Optimizing pickup routes: Plan donation pickups efficiently during busy periods to save time and fuel.

Want to see how it could work for your thrift store? Tell us more about your store on our Build and Price page, and we'll give you a free quote.