A lucky thrift shopper struck gold — or ceramic, rather — when they found a like-new Jonathan Adler canister on sale for only $9.
The shopper said excitedly that it was their “first jaw drop moment at the thrift,” in the post on the subreddit r/ThriftStoreHauls.
“I am so happy for you but also green with envy!” one commenter joked.
Not every commenter was familiar with the well-known ceramic brand, which features canisters like this that often sell for several hundred dollars. “I would have thought it was nothing but trash at best,” one person said, prompting virtual eye-rolls from fellow thrift shoppers in the comments section.
“I found a bunch of Adler dishes at a thrift store once and sold them for over $500,” another commented.
Indeed, finding and reselling unique treasures — from rare Bob Dylan records to hard-to-find Dr. Martens boots — is a key reason that many people have become hardcore thrift shoppers.
🗣️ If you buy refurbished products, what’s your primary motivation?
🔘 Saving money 💰
🔘 Salvaging old stuff 🗑️
🔘 Helping the planet 🌎
🔘 I don’t buy refurbished products 🚫
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
And even for those who aren’t profiting off their finds, thrifting is a great way to realize major cost savings in many spending categories.
With people donating everything from furniture to wedding dresses, thrift stores provide an opportunity to source both rarities and daily goods for unbeatable prices. It’s one reason that 93% of Americans shop secondhand to combat inflation, according to OfferUp.
The average shopper saves $1,760 annually just by making thrift shops a regular part of their shopping rotation, according to CouponFollow.
Buying secondhand is also exponentially better for the environment.
Each year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, nearly 85% of all textiles in the U.S. are landfilled (or burned as landfill waste), largely because of the wasteful practices of the notoriously toxic fast fashion industry. In fast fashion, waste production and resource use are so extreme that many view the industry as the cause of an environmental crisis.
For all of those reasons, secondhand shopping continues to grow in the U.S. and beyond. Resale grew five times faster than the broader retail category in 2022, and it’s expected to grow nine times as fast by 2027, according to the 2023 report from clothing reseller ThredUP.
Sharing unique, interesting finds like this Jonathan Adler canister goes a long way toward encouraging people to start dipping their toes into the thrifting world.
“You win!” a Reddit commenter said.
Another was spurred to action: “You’ve inspired me to go to Goodwill today!”
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