The most valuable items of Anissa Trinder’s thrifting career were waiting for her at the very bottom of a jewellery box in a North Canterbury op-shop.
“They sparkled differently – and they were $5 each.”
They are a set of diamond and sapphire rings – with a gold band. Assessed as 100% genuine – but as yet without a dollar figure on them.
“I didn’t have them valued because I was going to keep them,” Trinder told the Herald.
Op-shopping is not only a passion for her and her partner, it’s a way of life – and a business. A profitable business.
“Yeah. I’ve been able to live off it and so has Jack.”
On the face of it the model is simple. They comb through thrift shops for items of value – then sell them on their own platforms at a profit.
“I get a thrill from finding things that are under-priced for the market,” says Jack Woodrow.
Woodrow goes by the handle of NeverSlackJack and sells almost exclusively on TradeMe.
“It’s like treasure hunting. You get a thrill from finding something that is there and that maybe anyone could’ve found but you found it," says Woodrow.
Mid-interview, Jack spies a pair of mint green sneakers across the room at Christchurch City Mission’s Barbadoes St store. He returns excitedly with a bag full.
“I saw that they were $10 – to me they’re a $50 or $60 sneaker.”
The two thrifters share an eagle-eye for detail and whilst they frequent the same opportunity shops they hunt for completely different treasure. Jack is clear that he will supply what’s in demand.
“I want to be the best used men’s clothing seller in the country. I want to sell the most and have the most listed”, says Woodrow.
Trinder uses social media platform Instagram to sell her items. Her business plan is the reverse of Woodrow’s, the flamboyant stylist and makeup artist creates demand for her supply by meticulously modelling and re-styling her thrift-wear.
“I’m not out there scalping absolutely everything, I only sell 30 items a week maximum,” says Trinder.
Still, her profile on social media brings a steady stream of trolling from people who feel that re-selling thrifted clothing is somehow immoral.
“I cop a lot of flak on Instagram. The worst of it is people telling me to kill myself” says Trinder without batting a perfectly painted eyelid.
“I think it comes down to people feeling that I’m a class traitor, where I’m actively taking clothing from poor people.”
Rosie Searle operates “Curate” by City Mission. It operates largely by appointment viewing and specialises in more sought-after labels with prices that reflect their popularity.
“Anything higher end we’ll do for Curate like Karen Walker, Annah Stretton that kind of thing,” says Searle.
She’s supportive of re-sellers like Trinder and Woodrow.
“I think it’s awesome - the more the better. They’re purchasing from us, we’re still profiting and then they’re also running their own businesses and encouraging people to shop second-hand. There’s enough to go around” says Searle.
“If you talk to any op-shop or charity shop, none of them will tell you that there’s a shortage of clothing” says Trinder.
Regardless of who buys from the City Mission – the proceeds go towards running the foodbank, emergency shelter and other services that benefit the city’s most vulnerable.
The difference with re-sellers is that they then on-sell those very same items for more – or at least that’s the perception. Woodrow says the reality is that the mark up comes from the work that goes into finding those thrifted items and making them more desirable.
“I have to wear a lot of hats in my business. I have to be the photographer, I have to source, I have to list the items, I have to wash stuff and clean it, I have to be the courier despatcher” says Woodrow.
“A lot of it is finder’s luck – you’re paying a finder’s fee, people are willing to pay for that convenience,” says Trinder.
There is undoubtedly a skill in sourcing the right items. Finding what is popular takes patience – and luck, finding what is going to be popular takes a whole lot more.
“When I find something that’s coming into trend – I’m like bang! I’ve got it,” says Trinder.
“Anissa’s very on the money with what’s going to come into women’s clothing” adds Woodrow.
And she has an idea of what she’ll be flicking through clothing racks for next.
“The next facet of clothing to come back into fashion is like mid 2000s. And they call that indie-sleaze. A lot of muted colours, browns and dark greens and plums.”
Anissa won’t wait for opportunity to knock. Quite the opposite.
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