If you’re wondering, “how much does Plato’s Closet pay for clothes?”, you’re in the right place. I find so many of my favorite brands for clothing and accessories at Plato’s Closet with huge discounts. It’s a great place to sell the clothes you’ve fallen out of love with or just never wear.
Since Plato’s Closet is owned by Winmark Corporation, each store operates individually, which means each store’s stock is different. But they do share some similarities, which I’ll tell you about here.
With all the looming shortages this year, buying secondhand is not only a good idea for the environment, but it’s also an awesome way to get high-quality designer clothes at bargain prices. And seriously, what teenager wouldn’t want a Gucci belt for Christmas for the price of a Walmart one?
Download the KCL app for more money-saving deals, tips, and coupons.
1. Shop the Plato’s Closet 90% clearance sale at least twice a year.
Plato’s Closet stores usually have clearance sales at the start of each season and on holidays, but depending on their inventory, they may have more. Also, each store holds their own sale events since they’re franchises. For example, some Plato’s Closet stores hold a back-to-school tailgate sale event every July and August.
2. Clearance items are marked with a yellow sticker and are at least 50% off.
Clearance prices change regularly with their sales. They are usually at least 50% off their regular prices but can also go up to 90%. They’ll usually have a rack dedicated to just clearance, but it’s always good to double-check the tag and make sure it wasn’t misplaced.
3. Look on Plato’s Closet Facebook for what they’re buying.
Plato’s Closet posts what they want to buy on their Facebook page. They’re almost always looking for boots, sneakers, and denim. Individual store locations also have their own social media pages, so you can see what the Plato’s store near you wants to buy.
The good news is, they’ll pay you on the spot for items they want. The bad news is, they’re picky about what they accept. If you’re asking, “how much does Plato’s Closet pay for clothes?,” start by washing your items to make them look nice before bringing them in. This will help increase your chance of selling.
Related: Here are all our best tips for selling your used clothing online.
4. How much does Plato’s Closet pay for clothes?
Plato’s Closet sells clothes for 60% – 70% off retail prices, so in order to make a profit, they don’t want to spend too much to buy them. So how much does Plato’s Closet pay for clothes? Your cut is typically a third of what they could sell it for. They’ll buy basic things like T-shirts for around $2.
To get the best payout, bring in some of the name brands that cater to their teen/young adult crowd. Think of brands like Hollister, Adidas, PINK by Victoria’s Secret, Guess, Ugg, Forever 21, Coach, and American Eagle.
5. They won’t buy clothes that are ripped or worn.
You have a much better chance of selling your clothes if they look new or nearly new. But how much does Plato’s Closet pay for clothes from designer brands, like a Burberry coat? In those cases, they’ll probably make an exception, but you won’t get as much money for it.
When store associates enter your clothing details into their pricing software, they determine pricing by the item’s age, condition, brand, season, demand, and type.
In my experience, bringing your freshly laundered clothes neatly folded in a clear bin pays off — no trash bags! Stores may also have limits on the number of bins.
6. Plato’s Closet typically buys girls’ clothes size 0 – 30 and boys’ clothes 28 – 42.
Though the size options vary by store, these are the sizes I found at my store. Plus, these are the sizes Plato’s Closet lists on their website and Facebook page. Many stores are starting to accept plus-size clothing, too.
7. Save up to 15% on discounted gift cards from Gift Card Granny or Raise.
One of the easiest ways to save a little money is by finding discounted gift cards on Gift Card Granny, Gift Rocket, or Raise. Plato’s Closet gift cards go fast, so you may want to set up an alert so you know when to buy them!
8. It takes about three weeks for Plato’s Closet to put items on clearance.
If you see something you’ve just gotta have, I’d grab it ASAP. But if you aren’t worried about losing it, come back in a few weeks to see if it’s made its way to the clearance rack.
9. Join their loyalty program to get up to 20% off your purchase.
Join the FiveStars loyalty program to earn points for every dollar spent. Rewards are different at each location, but most stores offer a dollar discount or a percentage off your purchase once you reach a certain points level. For example, I’ve seen a location equate one point to $10 spent before tax.
10. Take 20% – 25% off your purchase by picking up a part-time job.
11. Join the VIP Text Club and follow Plato’s Closet on Facebook for the best deals.
When you join Plato’s Closet’s VIP Text Club, not only do you receive exclusive offers by signing up, but you get a heads-up on when the sales are. The telephone number and text information to join the VIP Text Club depends on location.
Facebook is also a great place to get notifications about upcoming sales.
12. Students and military personnel get 10% off at select locations.
Unfortunately, my Plato’s Closet doesn’t offer military or student discounts, but some locations do. Call your store to find out if yours has them and when they are. You’ll need to present a valid ID to get the discount.
Related: We found tons of stores that give students a discount.
13. Unless there’s a special offer, get cash instead of store credit when you sell your clothes.
Imagine cold hard cash when you think, “how much does Plato’s Closet pay for clothes?” You can get in-store credit when selling your clothes, but at least for my store, there aren’t any perks. So unless you’re getting a special deal with the store credit route, stick with cash so you can use it anywhere.
Related: If Plato’s doesn’t give you what you want, look into these other places to sell used clothing.
14. Shop Plato’s Closet on Fridays and Mondays — avoid Saturdays.
Stores tend to stock new items right before their busy weekend and also right after to restock the picked-over shelves. So Thursday, Friday, and Monday are usually the best time to find the newest stuff.
Saturdays are their busiest day of the week. If you’re able to make it on a weekday, you can count on a shorter wait, especially if you want to sell clothes.
15. Grab accessories and basic wardrobe pieces for around $2.
If you aren’t having any luck in the clothes section of Plato’s Closet, the accessory section is a must. Most items are priced around $2. At that price, it’s a pretty great deal. Just be sure to sanitize earrings before using them!
16. Just because it’s cheap at Plato’s Closet doesn’t mean it’s a good deal.
I know that an $8 pair of Hollister jeans looks like an awesome deal, but don’t buy them without thinking it over.
Because they carry so many brands — and sizes vary between brands — it’s hard to know how everything is going to fit. Try on items in the dressing rooms before you buy, or you might pay $8 for something you’ll never wear.
17. Take your time to browse all the racks.
Because it’s a resale shop, they don’t have repeats of many items and don’t have the same stuff in every size. Make sure you look through every rack before giving up. It’ll be worth the time you spend.
18. Be sure to check out grand opening sales for free gift cards.
Because Plato’s Closet is a franchise, new stores open all over the U.S. Get on the email list and they’ll tell you when and where a new store is opening.
Each time a new store opens, shoppers line up because there are always freebies and giveaways. Some that I’ve seen:
Boone, North Carolina: The first 20 people in line get a swag bag filled with $5 – $25 worth of prizes, donuts, and coffee. Customers could enter to win a $25 gift card or a designer handbag.
Hazeldean, Alberta, Canada: Customers in line got free donuts and coffee, played trivia for prizes, and were entered to win a $500 shopping spree.