I Use This 2-Minute Vintage Shopping Hack & It's Saved Me Hundreds
Most weekends you can find me at some type of thrift store or flea market, whether I’m at home in New York City or traveling. When shopping for secondhand finds, I know the importance of scooping up a special piece in the moment or risking never seeing something like it again. So I’ve started using a simple hack that’s made me feel a bit more confident in what I’m bringing home versus leaving behind, and it’s saved me hundreds of dollars along the way.
What is this magical technique, you’re wondering? It’s the reverse image search feature on Google! Like many people, I’ll frequently reverse image search everything from home decor to clothing when shopping online from my laptop, but the function works just as well IRL. All you have to do is take a photo of an item in front of you, open the web browser on your phone, and let reverse image search do the rest. It takes just two minutes to scroll through the results, and you can get a good sense of what pricing is like and whether the item is source-able elsewhere for less.
A few weeks ago, I found myself admiring a gorgeous glass hurricane at my local flea but wasn’t thrilled with the price. I knew this could be a one-of-a-kind item but most likely wasn’t. So I took to Google to find out. Turns out an identical (and more pristine looking!) version of that same hurricane was on eBay for just $30 (compared to a whopping $100 at the flea). So I decided to place an online order instead, and I couldn’t be happier with the item — or the $70 I saved!
On the other hand, sometimes a reverse Google image search will show me a vintage dealer’s pricing is, indeed, quite fair — or is even relatively low, all things considered. By no means is this system perfect (in some cases, items are listed online for far more than they’ll ever actually sell for, which may give you a false sense of what something is “worth”). However, this process has ensured I’m not so quick to part ways with hard-earned cash when I can score an exact match of what’s sitting right in front of me at a 60% discount.
So charge up your phone before hitting the markets and thrift stores this weekend. Take a beat to take a picture, and run it through Google. You may be surprised at what reverse image search reveals along the way! And you might even be able to use it as a negotiation tool, if you feel comfortable making an offer versus just paying a seller’s first price.
Further Reading
We Tested (and Rated!) All the Sofas at Ashley — Here Are the Best to Suit Your Style and Space
We Tested (and Rated!) All the Sofas at Pottery Barn — Here Are the Best for Every Type of Need
See How a Stager Used Paint to Transform a 1950s Living Room
