StitchFix Too Expensive? Meet ThredUP’s Goody Box Alternative ?

Ayooooo! I got my ThredUP Goody box on Friday!

The ThredUP Goody Box program is basically when a used online clothing company that (for $10) ships you a box full 10-15 pieces of second-hand clothes and you shop from that box. You can try things on, decide if you want to keep them and return the rest. Whatever you keep is deducted from the $10 you already paid. The $10 fee to ship and return the box is not refundable so if you keep nothing, it’s still $10 spent.

If you want to try a ThredUP Goody box – sign up with my invite link and you can get a $10 free in ThredUP credit.

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• StitchFix Alternative: My 1st ThredUp Goody Box Review
• Another Look: My 2nd ThredUp Goody Box Review

? It is NOT a subscription box!

It’s a one-time cost, one-time order thing. Thank freakin’ god because anytime someone says “subscription box” I think…?

Before we get into it I just wanted to give these glaring disclaimers:

*I don’t really care too much about fashion nor am I too much of a clothes shopper so this is not expert fashionista advice. On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being someone who has a devote fashion blog), I am a 3 ½ on a good day. I proudly donate that portion of my wallet to my stomach haha.

*I ordered the Goody box to save time. Ever since I started doubling down and building on my side projects, I have been cutting back everywhere to conserve time. I am petite so it takes longer to find something for me in a thrift store that I could hold to a standard.

*The Goody box won’t beat thrift store prices. It’s not going to be as economical as jumping into Value Village on $1 days or going on Swap.com. BUT it gives you a chance to try new (to you) things without having to go hunting for hours. With that said, I will say that your local thrift store is probably underutilized by you, just like the library, so if you have some free time – go and dig for treasure! I still do it when I have the time 🙂

*Clothes testing for the holidays. Every year, I buy new clothes for Christmas (but usually around November). I look forward to Christmas *all year round* because hubby’s family makes it so awesome.

*Your miles will vary! Even if I like it, it may not work for everyone because there are so many factors. What’s the most important is if you think it’s fun and helpful to your life after you try it.

ThredUP Goody Box Is An Alternative to StitchFix

I didn’t tell you guys but I almost signed up for StitchFix myself last month.

I went through the entire survey and even hooked up my Pinterest account! I couldn’t pull the trigger because StitchFix clothes are new and fancy. They’re way more expensive than what I need. Most of my clothes are used or hand-me-downs and I love them. 

I’m a discount bin person, it’s built into the cockroach DNA that I’m oh so known for.

StitchFix sells new clothes curated to your survey style. I had some problems with the “new” part…because…man…the thrift store is just like the public library: underrated and so underutilized. I talked myself out of StitchFix because of the price tag and it cost $20 to ship.

One of my friends has the StitchFix subscription and she had a really cute StitchFix chiffon, pink scalloped top that I’ve been eyeing. It was last years so I went on Poshmark and found it for $12 with free shipping, new with tag.

UHHH. She paid $36 for it from StitchFix.

Some people swear by StitchFix but secondhand clothing is a lot more cost-effective and environmentally conscious, so ThredUP is more “me.”

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ThredUP Goody Box

I usually mull over purchases but this was a quick sale for me. A box cost $10. One time charge. It contains 10-15 items in a big’ ole dotted box, shipped to you. You open it and try on the second-HAND clothes and check what you want to keep vs not. If you keep something that’s $15 then you’re only out $5 because you paid the $10 before. If you don’t keep anything, you’re out $10 to cover the shipping and return shipping.

I went through the survey process. It’s less engaging than the StitchFix’s survey. I had sizing questions. I remember the StitchFix form came with size instructions and picture examples of what’s considered “feminine” or “classic.”

But whatever – $10 a box, I got $10 free for signing up anyways, I’m out nothing if I don’t like anything.

I played it safe and selected $10-$25 (the cheapest option) which they definitely kept under.

My guess on their biz model is that ThredUp is losing money on the $10 to ship and return. They’re using it as a loss leader for a chance to try to match you up with as many pieces that you would love. New (to you) clothes for customers and money for them. Clever!

My Experience

I told you I’m not an expert at clothes. Since I don’t shop very often, I didn’t know my pants size. I assumed because I’m not as skinny as my college days…a distant 6 years ago…I should go up a size and put down a size 4-6 in pants.

Well, whoops. More than half my box had pants…which is great except they’re in totally the wrong sizes.

Make sure you know your clothing sizes! That’s really the only thing that you can get wrong.

My Boxed Contents

Delivery came on time, the box was not damaged, all contents inside covered with tissue paper with clothes piled on inside.

The tops and dresses were all really cute but some of them had awful fabric. It’s probably because I toggled the lowest $10-$25 price range.

But I asked for muted, casual, everyday colors and this box had that! Whoever curated and read my description in the survey got it dead on. I think they did a great job curating colors and sizing me.

The prices that are crossed out are super high markups. I wouldn’t think too much of them.

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Some items were grossly overpriced. It says $27.99 but I’ve seen similar bags at $1.99 at the thrift store so that was the biggest fail in the box. It can’t beat your local Goodwill. But some items were great and comparable to Goodwill prices, so miles will vary for everybody.

Overall, I do like ThredUP took that $10-$25 range seriously and hardly gave me anything over the $25 threshold. However, I was not particularly happy at the…mall rat clothing brands that I received but for my low $ range, oh, I think I had it coming.

OK less talk, more pics.

…SO PICS DUMP!!!

These were the hits from the box. I liked a few more things but…they were quite revealing and this is a PG-13 blog. The June & Hudson red blouse made me look like I was a great candidate…for open chest surgery ? Since I’m mainly getting clothes for Christmas….that wouldn’t float over well over Christmas with the in-laws haha…???

Keepsake dress that I liked but didn’t 100% work for me. If you guys recall I already have something shaped similarly to it already. Plus the fabric on this did not agree with me. It wrinkled too much.

Hubby and I were just playing around outside with our doggy, testing out the wear of these clothes.

ModCloth top ($15) – it has flowing sleeves! But it was too small in the armpits or else I would have kept this one. (Sorry, best photo I got that wasn’t blurry.)

This is the coincidence & chance dress ($15) by the way! It’s sooooooooo cute, so much loves!!! And only $15. I really wanted to keep it but my husband said I have a babydoll top just like this (I do) and we’re supposed to be decluttering. Not doubling.

But I love anything with lace and peter pan collars oh my god!!! >_<  It was at that awkward length when it looks like it’s a very short dress or a very long shirt so I passed. It goes with leggings but…I always rip my leggings and hoses so it’s a money trap for me.

P.S. look at my epic raven locks of hair! 10/10 headbangers approve! ???

This was my FAVORITEEEEEE. This is the Chelsea28 chiffon black dress ($24.99) and I really liked how it fit me and how cool it was in the 85 degree heat. Also, I look magically 10 lbs slimmer in it. Look at the photo proof!! Crazy! I actually debated with my hubby. He said (and I quote), “it’s almost perfect.”

The collar was too high for my neck (I folded it down in the picture above) and although I really wanted to keep it, folding down the collar every time I wear it bothered me. For $25, I decided to return it. 50% of me regret it but the other 50% of me is saying to keep looking. But man was it a hard decision.

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Total Scores

I didn’t keep any items which you can say was a lose-lose.

BUT to be fair, I killed 50% of my selection by putting down the wrong pant size so it’s more like I wrecked the game for myself. There were 2 pairs of pants that I loveeeee for summer but they were way too big. So who knows how many things I would have kept if I knew my clothing size.

They did gain a semi-addicted customer because I already ordered another box LOL!

Shipping ($10): A

Value: C-

Ease of Return: A-

Item Quality: C+

Selection: A-

Survey/Style Offered: B

Content (for me): B

Overall Grade: B

How much I liked the FUN FACTOR: A- (It’s like paying someone $10 to rummage in their closet for a few days haha.)

What I Love

I like getting surprises in the box,  I like having strangers shopping for me, I like trying clothes on without a single thread of sales pressure, I LOVE that they’re second hand!

In the CEO’s letter, they firmly state they’re not a subscription box or even a curation box. They’re a secondhand clothing store with this cool feature and I like that. Good business move. It fills a niche for me personally and I want to keep exploring this product.

Whenever I get on the Real Real or another fancy secondhand website, I get so lost (once again, not a clothes expert) and I find it very hard to pull the trigger on anything. This particular box forces me to try new things without the pressure and it made me pick and love things that I never thought I would.

What I Didn’t Love

If you are talking value, at the $10-$25 price point that I chose, I give it a 2.5 out of 5 stars for value. It doesn’t come close to thrift stores prices (but then again what does.)

There’s a lot of these brands and dupes in the thrift store at 1/3 of the price. I didn’t want anymore mall rat clothes. In hindsight, I shouldn’t have picked mall rat prices then. I think the survey should have been more clear what each price range will give or more likely to include.

What I Will Do Differently

*Get the right pants size down this time.

*Take the written description more seriously than just telling them “I’m an Asian girl” (although telling them my race did help I think.)

I’m never shopping eBay for clothes anymore. This is much more fun! I already ordered my second box but this time…GET THIS…

I went for their highest price bracket. Just to experiment.

And because technically we can afford it so…shooo, shoo guilt.

And because I want to give my husband a heart attack when I decide to keep that YSL bag.

(Lol I’m kidding.)

This is what happens when I’m curious about something, I end up wanting to test every avenue until the mystery is solved and I know how the game is played. Why do you think I’m still blogging? It’s a puzzle game!

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Extra Stuff I Probably Forgot to Mention…

*Oh, shipping took a little over a week I think. I’m not sure what’s standard but 7 business days isn’t bad for door delivery to me.

*OH – the ThredUP goody box does not contain shoes. My guess is it’s a lot harder to clean a shoe.

*Yes all the items were clean! Nothing was stained or smelly. But I could tell they weren’t NEW-NEW so don’t expect pristine. The clothes do smell like the clothing department at a thrift store. I thought that was sort of funny.

*ThredUP has non-mall rat brands whereas Swap.com has mainly mall rat brands for half the price of ThredUP.  That’s why my box was a 2.5/5 for value. I can just buy Forever 21 and LOFT stuff from Swap. Maybe ThredUP could carve itself out between a frugal Swap (low end) and StitchFix (overpriced).

*By mall rat clothes, I don’t mean to offend anyone more than how El Cheapo has already offended the Spanish language. It’s just those brands that every mall has and its mass-produced + overpriced for what it is at the mall.

*No tax for the box! It’s $10. I don’t know why the website says it’s $20 and then crosses it out. If it’s $20 (same price as shipping for StitchFix) then I would be a little remiss about getting another box so willy-nilly.

*I ordered a clean out bag (free) from ThredUp already and I’ll follow up on it in a few weeks. I wanted to try their consignment service. I have 2-3 pieces of ‘luxury brands’ in my closet that I don’t wear anymore so I’ll give them a try. I’ll review the clean out bag separately when I complete it later.

*Remember to SHIP IT BACK WITHIN 7 DAYS after you get the box or else they think you kept everything.

Get Your Free $10 at ThredUP!

I had a lot of fun writing this (if you couldn’t tell aha) but what’s more fun is we’re raising the stakes for the second ThredUp goody box to the $25-$100+ price range. I wonder what I’m going to get!

If you want to try ThredUP, sign up with my invite link and you can get $10 towards your first purchase.

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