Shoppers Turning to Thrift Stores to Avoid Tariff-Driven Clothing Price Rises

As concerns mount over import tariffs and higher retail prices, customers are increasingly choosing the tariff-free secondhand market.

U.S. consumers worried about the impact of recent tariff moves and related trade tensions are flocking to thrift stores for clothing purchases, according to operators of a major nonprofit network, signaling a shift in demand toward the secondhand market as a potential hedge against rising retail prices.

Evergreen Goodwill, a Washington-based network of 23 thrift stores, reported that weekly foot traffic rose 6% year-over-year in the first half of the year — double the roughly 3% annual growth the organization typically records. At Evergreen’s Seattle flagship, the largest Goodwill store in the world, visits climbed 9%, drawing about 16,000 shoppers each week. “Last Monday, we had a little over 80 people in line waiting to get in,” said Kahina Boufnar, a production manager at the Seattle flagship who helps sort and price more than 57,000 items for sale each week.

![Shoppers browsing clothing racks at a thrift store](https://nypost.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/08/people-looking-clothing-racks-used-109637259.jpg?w=1024 "Shoppers browsing clothing racks at a thrift store')

Operators and customers describe the secondhand market as effectively “tariff-free,” since used goods generally do not carry the same import duties as new, imported apparel. That status has become more salient as trade experts and market participants weigh the potential for tariffs to push up consumer prices for clothing and other goods.

For months, economists and trade analysts have warned that tariffs could feed higher prices by increasing the cost of imported goods. Recent price data pointed to rising costs earlier in the supply chain: wholesale inflation accelerated at a hotter-than-expected 3.3% pace in July, while consumer inflation remained comparatively muted, indicating that businesses have so far absorbed some of the extra costs rather than passing them fully to shoppers. Apparel prices showed signs of upward movement during the period, according to market reports.

Industry observers say consumers often turn to lower-cost alternatives when facing price uncertainty. Nonprofit thrift operators and for-profit secondhand retailers have long competed for customers seeking value, and the recent uptick in interest at Evergreen Goodwill reflects broader consumer sensitivity to apparel prices and a desire to avoid additional import taxes embedded in new goods.

Boufnar said the increased traffic has put pressure on store operations, from sorting donations to pricing and restocking. Evergreen’s Seattle outlet processes tens of thousands of donated items weekly; Boufnar helps oversee the flow of roughly 57,000 items that enter the store system each week and must be inspected, tagged and displayed across multiple sales floors.

Retailers, trade groups and policymakers have shown close interest in the pathway by which import costs translate into consumer prices. Wholesale price spikes can precede retail inflation, but there is frequently a lag while businesses decide whether to absorb costs, cut margins, restructure sourcing, or pass charges on to end buyers. The recent divergence — faster wholesale inflation paired with relatively subdued consumer inflation — suggests that some firms are temporarily shielding shoppers from full price effects.

Retail analysts caution that secondhand market gains could soften if broader inflation turns more persistent or if tariffs and other trade measures become larger or longer lasting. But in the near term, thrift stores represent a low-cost, low-tax option for budget-minded shoppers and those seeking unique or sustainable clothing choices.

While Evergreen Goodwill provides specific data for Washington state, broader national statistics for thrift-store traffic were not provided in the report. Still, anecdotal reports from staff and customers at multiple outlets point to longer lines and fuller racks in recent months, a trend managers link to both price sensitivity and growing social acceptance of secondhand apparel.

Observers say the secondhand market’s appeal extends beyond immediate cost savings. Some shoppers cite sustainability and the environmental benefits of reuse, while others appreciate the variety of styles and the thrill of bargain hunting. The “tariff-free” characterization blends the financial calculus with an easy-to-understand contrast to new, imported goods that are more likely to carry additional duties.

Evergreen Goodwill’s reported growth arrives amid a broader conversation about how trade policy influences everyday prices. Tariffs are designed to alter trade flows and protect domestic producers in some cases, but they can also raise input costs for retailers and manufacturers that rely on imported materials or finished goods. How broadly and quickly those costs show up on price tags depends on firms’ cost structures, competitive pressures and the duration of the tariff regime.

For thrift operators, rising demand presents operational and strategic questions. More shoppers can translate into higher revenue and expanded mission impact for nonprofits that fund employment programs and community services, but they also require expanded sorting capacity, staffing, and store management. Evergreen’s reported increase in weekly shoppers and the large volume of incoming donations have required staff to adapt to denser crowds and faster turnover of merchandise.

“If foot traffic continues at this pace, we’ll need to rethink scheduling and allocation of staff on busy donation and sales days,” Boufnar said, describing how her team has adjusted to longer lines and heavier customer flow at the Seattle flagship.

As consumers weigh whether to shift spending across retail channels, thrift stores remain a variable that can blunt direct exposure to import tariffs on clothing. How long the pattern persists will depend on the trajectory of wholesale and consumer price measures, changes in trade policy, and the retail sector’s response to cost pressures.

Sources

• https://nypost.com/2025/08/29/business/us-shoppers-flock-to-thrift-stores-to-skirt-price-hikes-on-clothing/