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ThredUP Review *from a real consumer

/ rhoadsscarlett / Leave a comment

Have you heard about the latest craze of consignment clothing? ThredUP advertises as “The Largest Online Consignment & Thrift Store.” They feature brands such as Lululemon Althetica, J Crew, Kate Spade New York, Roxy, etc. etc. They literally have every brand you can think of for a discounted price; whether the clothes are gently used or sometimes brand new the prices are too good to beat!

The question is, is it too good to be true? Well, I decided to test them out for you and below is my review.

PRO: They have thousands of brands.

When you sign up with ThredUP, they have you put in your sizes which is always on as a filter (unless you close out of it) so the clothes that are being shown to you are in your size.  There is nothing I hate more than falling in love with a piece of clothing and realizing it’s not in your size, ugh don’t get me started I feel my blood pressure starting to rise thinking about it!

CON: They have thousands of brands.

I know, I know, how can this be a pro and a con? But while this can be a great thing, it can also be extremely overwhelming when you first look at the website. I mean, all these things they are showing are brands I’ve never heard of or are definitely not my style. How in the world do I find anything that I like?

I started off with searching for my favorite brands (check out the pictures for how to search).

I know it seems so simple but when I first started it definitely overwhelmed me and I always drew a blank as to what my favorite brands were. I mean I shop for look and style not usually the brand!

PRO: After a few purchases and searches the website’s algorithm starts to tailor to your likes and frequently searched brands.

*Don’t get me wrong, it’s not perfect for sure. I still get some weird things that show up on the feed but for the most part it seems okay.

PRO: You can save any specific searches in your favorites and receive notifications anytime a new item gets added that meets your search requirements!

This is great especially if you are looking for a specific item in a brand you like and have some time to wait for it to come around. Check out how to save a search!

CON: Sometimes things get labeled wrong.

I’ve seen somethings get the wrong brand label (like LuLaRoe leggings get labeled as Lululemon, big difference).

PRO: You can save an item to come back to later if you like but need to keep looking.

There is a little heart next to each item, click it and they all store in your favorites!screenshot_20190411-131332_thredup

CON: Depending on the item, it can go fast!

Once you add something to your cart you have 24 hours to purchase it before it goes up for grabs again. Unfortunately, some people have like alarms set or something for when their 24 hours are up because I know those Lululemon pants have been in someone else’s for like 3 days now.

CON: The ‘Shop Similar’ button is a joke.

It has yet to work for me, every time it pulls up something completely unrelated. I’ve just stopped using it all together.

PRO: Check out process is quick and easy.

You can add your PayPal account for quick and easy check out. There is also a timer at checkout that lets you know how much time you have before your item becomes available to others again.

CON: Shipping is SLOW and everything comes in multiple packages.

It takes up to two week every time I order something, I don’t understand why it takes items so long to get to me when everywhere else I’ve ordered from arrives within a week. Anyway, many of the items are at different wear houses so they come from different places increasing the amount of packages you receive. While that can be fun, it also seems extremely wasteful and annoying to not receive all your items together.

Now they do have a Bundle and Save option where they promote less packages and cheaper shipping options but it seems like it’s a month before you get everything and I’m just too impatient for that. Have you tried it?? If so, let me know!

PRO: If you order over $150 during one calendar month you receive free shipping for the remaining of that month and the next month!

I’m all about free shipping.

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Review on the clothes themselves:

You’ve searched, found the one, waited for shipping and finally received your item…is it all it’s cracked up to be?

So far, YES! Everything that I have ordered looks brand new (or is because it still has the tags on it). I have only received two items that didn’t fit right because I’m a little in-between sizes but unfortunately I was unable to return them because they were non-returnable (they were only $5 each, so no sweat). I haven’t had to return anything yet but it seems like a pretty easy process.

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Selling on ThredUP:

ThredUP also buys your gently used or new items through their Clean Out program! I ordered a clean out kit over a month ago but have yet to receive it. So I don’t know what their payout is yet or how the process is. When (or if) I receive it, I will definitely update and let you know!

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Interested?

Despite some cons, I will definitely continue to be ordered from ThredUP! Are you interested in trying them out? Use my link for $10 dollars off your order! Save here!

Happy shopping 🙂

 

*I am not an affiliate of ThredUP. However, if you use my link I will receive $10 towards my account.
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5 Best Travel Tips

/ rhoadsscarlett / 1 Comment

 

I don’t know about you, but I absolutely LOVE traveling! Getting to explore new places, eat new foods, meet new people, etc. etc. I grew up on the road (like, I’ve been to 48 states, grew up on the road) but still going to new places (or returning) fills me such a sense of awe.

My husband’s company Christmas party was a couple weeks ago (in January, lol) in New York City. When I learned they were going to pay for spouses to come as well, I flipped out and began immediately scouring the internet for all things New York City! We lived in Connecticut for a few months when I was growing up and we drove over the George Washington Bridge a thousand times with my dad but we never had the opportunity to go into the city. When I typed in Pinterest, things to do in NYC, I was completely overwhelmed with the amount of pins proclaiming ‘New York Itinerary, What to Do and See in 4 Days in NYC,’ ‘How to Spend Three Days in NYC,’ ‘29 Free Things to do in NYC,’ ‘12 Things You Have to Eat when in NYC,’ to simply name a few that stuck out to me. From these I was able to come up with a list of attractions, things to do, and where I might want to eat. I got to thinking and was like, I can make one of these lists for my favorite things to do while I’m in NYC! However, the more I looked through lists the more I realized, none of them touched on the things I like to do when I go to a new city. I thought, instead of a list of things to do in NYC (since there are literally thousands of them), how about a different kind of list, things to do when visiting a new city? So here you go, my top 5 things I like to do when visiting a new city!

5. Eat Like a Local

I wish this didn’t have to be said but my husband is the type of person who won’t try anywhere new and will just stick with fast food/chain restaurants. For me, breakfast, lunch, and dinner is always all about local places. For one, I’m a huge fan of supporting small businesses and when you visit another city you literally can’t get that same food back home. Don’t be afraid to try new cuisines (I tried Indian food in NYC and I am now a huge fan). Pull out my friend Google and type in food near me, check out the ratings and browse the menus. Don’t get stuck in the fast food/chain restaurant rut. One of my dad’s favorite things to do is look up to see if the city was featured on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, he wishes he could be Guy Fieri. Ask the people at the front desk of your hotel, the bartender, or your host (if you like to AirBnB it). Just don’t ever eat at a chain restaurant, you’re literally robbing your taste buds of something fantastic and I just can’t let you do that.

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Okay, maybe locals don’t eat at Tiffany’s Blue Box Cafe (unless they’re crazy rich) but don’t be afraid to splurge a little too! Some things are once in a lifetime opportunities. Also, instead of getting what was preset on the menu, I got the chef’s special for something extra different!

 

4. Look for the less common things to do

Obviously have your list of must sees but also look for the hidden things to do. Check out Facebook events, look for the local news website (watch the news when you get there!), and even get on snapchat and see what’s going on around you. There is always something off the beaten path that is a must see and what makes the city you are visiting unique.

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While in Charlotte, I joined the local mom Facebook group and asked them what were somethings we should do while visiting. One mom told me about Tiger World, in all my searching this never came up! (Another great idea to go with tip number 2!)

 

3. Visit downtown and go shopping

Find downtown and go exploring, don’t be afraid to get lost or to wander around aimlessly (more on this later). Find the place with the most local shops and take time to poke around, it makes for some great gifts to bring back or something unique for your home (instead of the typical shot glass or fridge magnet).

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2. Make friends with the bartender

Staying in a hotel? Hang out at the bar, even if you don’t drink you can order a soda and maybe some snacks. Strike up a conversation with the bartender, find out what they like to do in their free times, where their favorite spots are to eat, and where to get the best deals.

Not staying at a hotel? Find a spot near you, a bakery, coffee shop, bar, anywhere local and strike up conversation with one of the workers.

Just a spot of advice, I wouldn’t immediately get into asking them questions or else they may not give you the best suggestions, spent a little extra time just making small conversation and getting to know them before jumping into the touristy questions. Bartenders are people too, so don’t forget to tip them for their amazing service and advice.

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We found the most amazing bakery one block from where we were staying in Charlotte. Be sure to check out Villanis Bakery if you’re in the area!

 

1. Don’t be afraid to get lost!

This is literally my favorite thing in the world to do anywhere I go. Take a day and just drive around (or walk), take the first turn that seems interesting to you. If you see something that looks cool down one street, take a walk down that street. When I was in NYC, I literally walked 5 miles aimlessly around the city because I loved seeing everything. I can’t stress this one enough because it is such a carefree feeling to walk or drive around ‘getting lost,’ not having an agenda and not feeling like you have to get xyz done since you’re only visiting for a short amount of time. I promise, try this one time (even if it is just for a couple hours) and let me know how it goes. Once you are fully lost and ready to head back, my friend Google is right there to help you get home.

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We randomly stumbled upon an authentic Banksy in NYC and I just about lost my mind!

 

That’s it, my best 5 travel tips for visiting a new city (or revisiting one)! What else would you add? What are some of your favorite things to do? Did you try any of the things off my list? What was your experience like?? I want to hear from you!