The Real Reason Walmart Is Selling Used Fashion

As if Walmart wasn't successful enough, now the retail giant has decided to join the very-of-the-moment $32 billion resale market, and will now sell used clothing, accessories, and shoes on its website, in partnership with resale site ThredUp, according to Business Insider. Walmart's pre-owned styles section offers shoppers a wide selection of fashion for the entire family from well-known designer names like Coach and Michael Kors. Yup, you read that right; other top labels you can score at Walmart (of all places, right?) include Madewell, Nike, and even Chanel. 

Examples of discounts on the pre-owned clothing include a Brooks Brothers suit skirt for $26, a Juicy Couture jacket for $38, and a Kate Spade beanie for $16. The site promises to showcase 750,000 items in 2,000 categories ranging from belts, to scarves, kids' clothes, bags, and hats. "It's an incredible online assortment, the resale prices are outstanding, and we are thrilled to offer our Walmart customers the opportunity to reuse garments," Denis Incandela, head of fashion for Walmart e-commerce said about the launch.

So how do we know the pre-owned items are in good shape? ThredUp, which bills itself as the largest online thrift store, will evaluate each item to make sure it's "like new" or close. Don't like your second-hand Chico's belt? Walmart is offering free shipping on orders over $35, so the risk is rather low for shoppers, especially considering they can return items in Walmart stores as well as online.

Interestingly, the partnership between Walmart and ThredUp has been in the works for the past year, well before coronavirus made online shopping for budget-conscious goods a basic necessity for many families (via Fox News). Clearly the offering couldn't come at a better time for shoppers who need to get the most bang for their buck, but may not want to sacrifice style (even if we are only seeing it via Zoom calls for the time being).

It's worth noting there may be some overlap between what you'll find in Walmart stores and online, and what's being offered in the resale section (we spied some pre-owned Faded Glory items). But the used clothing and accessories will not be in season; good to know if you are a planner!