We’re always searching for current trends and unique finds.
Before you come in to sell, please familiarize yourself with what we buy.Things that affect what we take in and how we price are primarily:
To a lesser degree, season and inventory.
Please understand we can only buy what sells well for us. Please do not take offense. Our buyers spend a great deal of time not only looking at current trends but doing markdowns to see what isn’t selling for us. That is the sole criteria by which we buy. You may have great clothes that simply don’t sell well in our store and if we know of another outlet that might be better for you, we’ll recommend it.
STYLE:
We look for items that are popular current trends that have been online, in malls or boutiques within the last 1-2 years along with select vintage. What’s current may be a matter of cut and fabric or in some cases, brand. Style is more important than brand; just because you have a high-end designer item doesn’t mean it’s something that sells well for us at this time.
We are currently buying select formals (prom) in College Station but otherwise don’t do well with them in Austin and San Marcos unless it’s something that can double as a cocktail dress.
There is a little more flexibility in men’s styles but we always seem to buy some items, such as long sleeve shirts, more than they sell. Trimmer fits in shirts, jeans, slacks and suits with smaller collars and lapels work best.
CONDITION:
Please pick the best of what you have.
Items should be freshly laundered and in like-new condition. If you bring in large amounts of dirty or damaged items or things we never buy such as used socks/underwear, we may reject your entire offer. If you are a smoker, please be aware that non-smokers are sensitive to the aroma and you must double check to make sure the items are free of any smell.
Our buyers go through thousands of items a day – if you bring in a lot of visibly worn, dirty or inappropriate things, it is simply not worth it for us to dig through all of them. However, typical problems people miss are small holes or stains in the armpits, collars or crotch. It does not matter if your items are “New With Tags” if they are out of style or if they simply don’t sell well for us.
BRAND:
We do not buy based on brand. An older, out-of-style piece from a popular manufacturer of high-end designer won’t sell well for us with few exceptions, mainly very specific vintage.
We are very selective with lower-end brands including fast fashion such as Shein, Forever 21, Old Navy, Target, Walmart and other inexpensive retailers. We take some of the very best styles but have to price them accordingly. We don’t buy large amounts as we can’t price them high enough to make it worthwhile and our customers often complain when they find a lot of that type of item on the racks.
Women’s styles that currently sell well for us often come from stores such as Free People, Anthropologie, Altar’d State and Urban Outfitters. We don’t do as well with brands such as Chico’s and Coldwater Creek but do buy them on occasion if the styles are ideal. Think modern rather than matronly.
We also don’t do much in traditional business suits for women. Suits have trended down and items that are strictly traditional corporate wear have been largely replaced by dresses and separates such as skirts and blazers.
Men’s is a little more flexible and doesn’t change as often but as with women’s, we do better with modern takes on classic styles.
SEASON AND INVENTORY:
We buy the best items for all seasons year ’round but we must also buy based on what we sell, which is affected by the season and what we have in stock. We are more selective with out-of-season merchandise, especially heavier winter items and prom.
Feel free to contact us if you have any additional questions!
We try to price about 65-70% off the current retail value, meaning the “street price” or what it typically sold for new.
We offer you 25-35% of the selling price in cash or 25% more in store credit that never expires. (Example: $10 cash or $12.50 store credit.) Payouts on luxury items are usually higher and we will be competitive with any reseller. Store credit can also be used for tax-free same-day shopping. We cannot split payouts on buys at this time. If you wish to get some credit and some cash, let us know WHEN YOU CHECK IN and we can do two separate buys, one for credit and one for cash if there is enough to do both. You must let us know in advance, BEFORE we start buying, as we cannot split the payment after your items are entered.
Our pricing and payout is standard for the industry but people new to the resale experience are sometimes disappointed by what we can offer. If you are bringing in clothes that sold new for $100, they will likely be priced in the $25-35 range, which would probably pay you out somewhere between $7.50 to $12.25. or $9.38 to $15.31 in store credit. If you have a lot of items and you’re looking to clear out and/or trade up, this is a great way to go. However, if you have specific items you want more for, selling on your own may be better for you if you’re willing to devote the time. Again, luxury items are priced closer to the current retail value and paid out at a higher percentage of the selling price.
*THESE ARE OUR ROUTINE HOURS AND LIMITS. IN THE AUSTIN STORE, DUE TO EXCEPTIONALLY HEAVY BUY VOLUME, STAFFING AND LIMITED STORAGE SPACE, WE MAY HAVE OTHER LIMITS IN PLACE. PLEASE CALL US AT 512-462-4646 TO CONFIRM BUY COUNTER HOURS AND HOW MUCH YOU MAY BRING IN.
You do not need an appointment to sell to Uptown. We buy every day and the buy counter is always open. Same-day processing in Austin runs from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM Mon-Sat and 11:30-5 on Sunday. In San Marcos and College Station, we stop same-day processing at 8 pm Mon-Sat and 6 pm on Sunday.
On days that buys are very heavy, we may close the buy counter for same-day processing early, so please call us within 2 hours of the normal time if you want your buy processed the same day. We always accept drop offs (up to the equivalent of two 30-gallon trash bags) for next-day processing at any time. If you have an exceptionally large amount of items, please call so we can plan accordingly.
For your own protection, please bring your items in a bag, box or storage container. We cannot be responsible for loose items getting misplaced. We prefer this to items on hangers and can process your buy more quickly that way.
For fastest processing, please lay your items FLAT if possible. It is much easier and faster for us to go through your items this way.
If it is your first time to sell, please fill out all of the buy form. State law requires us to have your address, driver’s license, phone number and e-mail. If you have questions, just ask. See our guidelines for drop offs vs. staying in the store on the next page.
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