Function

• Second hand clothing stores are a convenient place for people to obtain used clothes and other items at a much lower price than what new clothes would cost. Most of the used clothes in a second hand store are donated by people who no longer need them, and are then sold for a nominal price. Usually, the selection at a second hand clothing store is remarkably diverse, and the clothes are often in reasonably good to nearly new condition.
  
  

Features

• In the case of Goodwill stores, clothes are not the only item type sold. Goodwill also offers second hand furniture, books, media, and appliances at a nominal price. Perhaps the greatest aspect of shopping at a Goodwill retailer is the knowledge that the profits made from sales go to Goodwill's many other assistance programs.
  
  

Misconceptions

• It is a common misconception that second hand clothes stores only sell used clothes. When clothes manufacturers produce clothes that are slightly flawed or have deviated from their intended design, those clothes are often discounted for sale at second hand clothes stores. Defects are usually minor, and can range from an unintended color to a misplaced logo or button. The defects are usually easy to correct.
  
  

Potential

• The potential money savings from buying clothes at a second hand store is enormous when compared to buying the same clothes brand new. A shirt, for instance, that might retail for $40.00 in a department store might sell at a second hand store for only $4.00, even if the shirt has never been worn. When entire wardrobes are purchased second hand instead of through an expensive department store, those savings can easily reach into the hundreds or thousands of dollars, depending on the amount purchased.
  
  

Expert Insight

• One of the most common reasons that people don't wish to buy clothes from a second hand clothing store is that they worry about germs or other contaminants that might still be in the fabric of the clothes. Although second hand stores usually have a rigorous standard of sterilization in this regard, the problem is still an easy one to solve. When second hand clothes are purchased and taken home, simply wash them using a color safe detergent with a bleach alternative, and the clothes will come out smelling new.