How to Sell Your Clothes at Buffalo Exchange or Crossroads

Hi friends and lovers. I asked y’all on Instagram if you’d be interested in a blog post about how I sell my clothes at Buffalo Exchange, Crossroads and other “buy/sell” retailers. And the response was overwhelmingly positive, so here it goes.

If you aren’t familiar with Buffalo Exchange or Crossroads (they’re effectively the same business model with different names, from here on referred to as “Buffroads”), here’s a quick breakdown. Buffroads is a fashion resale retailer that buys and resells used clothing. You can buy used apparel as well as trade in your own used clothes. Your clothes are bought in-store by a trained buyer, and then you receive a percentage of the value of your clothes in cash or store credit. You receive either 50% in trade (store credit) or 30% in cash (33% at Crossroads).

It looks like nowadays you can also mail in your clothes to Crossroads. While this idea sounds cool, I only recommend it if you are a seasoned seller.

I have been selling my stuff at Buffalo Exchange and Crossroads for the last 10+ years. I go at least 3 times a year, always at the beginning of each season. Sometimes I have more luck than others, but usually I am able to leave with a decent amount of cash, or some new (to me) loot. Here are my tips and tricks for successfully offloading your pre-loved pieces and walking away with some cold hard cash money.

1. Comb through your pile and organize your pieces by season. Sell your goodies at the beginning of each season. If you’re not sure which season Buffroads is buying for, call or check their website. They are totally transparent about what they are looking for, so you can even ask them questions about styles and trends they are currently buying.
2. Consider the wearability and trendiness of each piece. Items that are mass-market friendly will sell better than anything niche (funky vintage doesn’t usually fly). You likely won’t have much success selling anything on the edges of the wearability spectrum, like fancy gowns or sleepwear.
3. Make sure your clothes are clean and in good condition. Look for stray threads, missing buttons, snagged hems, and make sure your garments are free of stains or other marks. Shoes: clean soles thoroughly and spot clean the uppers.
4. Neatly fold and/or hang everything. Pack your clothes neatly and organize them by style (shoes in one bag, dresses/tops together, pants together). Presentation makes a big impact.
5. Wear a cute outfit. Seriously. This sounds stupid, but I swear it makes a difference.
6. Lastly, once you’re in front of your buyer, be helpful and nice. If the brand of one of your pieces is obscure, tell them where you bought it and how much it was. Let them know if any of your pieces are high-quality fabric (silk, cashmere, wool, etc). If they choose not to buy a piece, feel free to ask them why. Their insights can help you better prepare your haul for next time.

Do you ever sell your clothes at resale stores? What tips and tricks have you learned? Share them with me in the comments!

PS: If they don’t buy all or any of your clothes don’t take it personally! There are forces beyond your (or their) control at play: current trends, their inventory levels, the season, what they bought earlier in the day, etc. Don’t get discouraged!

Pants: Topshop via Buffalo Exchange | Jacket: Topshop via Nordstrom | Boots: Modern Vice | Tee: vintage | Backpack: Zara | Disco Boot Pin (on backpack): Color Theory Shop | Earrings: ISLYNYC | Sunnies: ZeroUV