A budgeting Aussie has been rewarded for her dedication to op shops after she unknowingly bought a $995 luxury bag for just $12.
Brisbane woman Heidi Eiser visited North Ryde Vinnies while holidaying in Sydney over the Christmas holidays and found a Mansur Gavriel handbag in near-perfect condition.
‘I had an absolute op shop win,’ Ms Eiser told her followers.
‘The moment I found this bag I was like, ‘This is cute, really good size, I like it’.
‘It’s only $12 so I grabbed it, took it home, and I’ve scuffed it already but then I looked at the brand.’
After searching Mansur Gavriel on Google, Ms Eiser found she’d scored a $995 Bucket Bag at the charity shop.
The brown version of the Bucket Bag is no longer available and there’s a waitlist to order it in black.
Many commenters were happy to see Ms Eiser find the bag and shared their advice on how to care for it.
Heidi Eiser found a Mansur Gavriel Bucket Bag (pictured) in near-perfect condition for just $12
‘Nice work! It’s gorgeous as a handbag girly, please condition and waterproof it. My bags don’t leave the house until that’s done,’ one wrote.
‘I’m so glad you and this bag found each other, you deserve nice things,’ another said.
‘I knew what that bag was straight away. She’s absolutely beautiful. What a great find!’ another wrote.
Ms Eiser is well-known for her container to couch series in which she collects cans and bottles to exchange for cash in Queensland’s Return and Earn scheme.
Being a strict budgeter, Ms Eiser was stoked to add a quality piece to her wardrobe.
She told Yahoo she and her partner moved into together a year ago and bought the majority of their furniture from op shops.
Ms Eiser is also a fan of shopping for clothes, crockery and vases second-hand.
However, a disappointing trend she’s noticed is many charity shops have begun marking-up their goods in response to the growing trend of buying used items.
‘It’s disappointing to see because I feel like op shops are there to be accessible for many people, but occasionally you can still find a really good bargain,’ Ms Eiser said.
‘My tips for finding a bargain are to go to op shops regularly, and search Marketplace and Depop regularly. Good finds go quickly. So if you’re there first, you’re in.
‘You can find some incredible things. And I’ve had such genuine experiences purchasing from people and hearing the backstory to their pieces.’
Consumer specialist Professor Gary Mortimer from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) said many op shops have raised their prices in response to the growing demand for second-hand products.
‘What we’re seeing is the growth of demand for secondhand clothing, charity shops, and secondhand luxury goods. I think sustainability is still top of mind for consumers this year,’ he told the outlet.
