Thrift Surge: 11% Traffic Jump as Tariffs and High Prices Reshape 2025 Holiday Shopping

Thrift stores are the new holiday hotspots. While traditional malls saw thinning crowds, thrift store traffic surged by 11% in the week leading up to Christmas. According to data from Placer.ai, Americans are swapping department store aisles for vintage racks, driven by economic anxiety and the looming impact of Donald Trump's tariffs on imported goods.

The Rise of the 'Trade-Down' Consumer

The data tells a stark story of retail divergence. Department store traffic fell 13.2% compared to 2024, and apparel-only retailers saw a 9% decline. In contrast, the second-hand sector is booming. Interestingly, the trend isn't just for low-income earners; the average household income for thrift shoppers hit $75,000 this year, up from $74,100 in 2022. As Savers Value Village CEO Mark Walsh noted, the high-income cohort is becoming a larger part of the consumer mix.

Disciplined Spending Lowers Return Rates

Shoppers aren't just changing where they buy, but how they buy. Adobe Analytics reported that return rates dipped 2.5% between Nov 1 and Dec 12 compared to last year. This suggests a more conscientious consumer who sticks to research-backed lists to avoid wasting a tighter budget. Despite the caution, online sales rose 6% to $187.3 billion, proving that the appetite for spending remains, albeit in a more calculated form.