Fashion and Finance: Make Money and Save Money With the Buffalo Exchange

With the holidays around the corner, it’s a great time to give. While we’re all looking to save money, wouldn’t it be great to know that you can clean out your closet, make some money and restock it at the same time? That great deal is possible thanks to a company called Buffalo Exchange.

For more than 40 years, Buffalo Exchange has been providing quality clothing and helping people feel good about selling their old clothes and getting new ones. The company has 49 stores in 20 locations. RewardExpert spoke with Marketing Director, Stephanie Lew, about why it makes sense to save money, help the environment and get a new wardrobe at Buffalo Exchange. Lew said, “We give customers the chance to find current, like-new items for a fraction of the price.”

High End Fashion at Discounted Prices

Think about it this way. You’re staring into your closet at a bunch of clothes you haven’t worn in a while or just feel that it’s time for a change. With the New Year coming up, you can trade in those clothes for something like-new.

“Buffalo Exchange is unique because we buy, sell and trade clothing and accessories for both men and women, giving customers the option to take cash or store trade on the spot. We offer affordable prices for a wide variety of clothing, ranging from mall brands and athletic wear to designer labels and vintage,” Lew said. For the items Buffalo Exchange decides to buy, it pays its customers 30% of their selling price in cash or 50% in store.

The company began in Tucson, Arizona in 1974 and was founded by Kerstin and Spencer Block. Lew described the Blocks’ business idea as game-changing. “We were able to give people a chance to actually make money from their closet cleanout or trade it in for store credit. It used to be that you could only really give these items away. If you trade clothing at our store, you can basically shop for free.”

Sell Online or In-Store

It’s easy to get started with Buffalo Exchange. All you need is a valid, government-issued ID and freshly laundered clothes you want to trade. Lew noted that even if you don’t live in an area where there is a Buffalo Exchange store, there is a simple Sell By Mail program. “You just request a prepaid bag online from BuffaloExhange.com/SellByMail, fill it up with your cleanout and drop it off at a UPS store. Once we receive your bag, our Sell By Mail team will process it within a couple of weeks. For anything we’re not able to buy, you can choose to donate it to a charity or else have it returned to you for a $14.99 shipping and handling fee.”

In addition to clothing, Buffalo Exchange also accepts shoes and other accessories such as purses, jewelry and hats. During the holidays they also sell some seasonal items, but Lew says you can sell various items to them any time of year. “We always buy the best of all seasons, meaning that we sometimes take current, high-quality pieces in excellent condition even if they’re out of season.”

The Buffalo Exchange Difference

So what makes Buffalo Exchange different from other discount retailers? “Our customers love shopping with us because of the unique diversity of styles and brands we offer – you never know what you’re going to find. Customers also love the friendly, neighborhood feel in our stores and the fact that shopping with us is environmentally friendly.”

Buffalo Exchange is a sustainable clothing store that works to protect the environment by reusing and recycling clothing – essentially giving used items a second chance. As Lew noted, “By selling your closet cleanout, you give the pieces you’re no longer wearing a second life and help keep them out of landfills.”

Buffalo Exchange also places a high value on charity work. Since the company created its Tokens for Bags program in 1994, Buffalo Exchange has raised over $704,000 for thousands of local non-profit organizations. In addition, through their annual Earth Day $1 Sale, over $613,000 has been raised since 1997 for numerous charities and environmental causes.