Get used to stretching your dollar

Recently, the Consumer Price Index increased at the slowest pace in over three years. But the cumulative effect of increasing prices over that time—including a 40-year high in June 2022—has put dents in a lot of Canadians’ wallets. 

Whether you’re returning to school and need furnishings for your apartment, or are going back to work and need a few articles of clothing to complete a capsule wardrobe, there’s always the second-hand option. And as our data indicate, you’ve probably got a store near you!

In June 2024, the used merchandise retailers industry group had 3,021 business locations across Canada. Locations were counted in every province and two of the three territories, as well as in every census metropolitan area and census agglomeration—the two largest types of population centres tracked by the Census of Population.

In June 2024, about half of the locations reported staff numbers. Of those, about 1 in 3 locations (33.5%) had 1 to 4 employees, while just under 1 in 4 locations (23.2%) employed 20 to 49 staff. Most of the remaining locations had 5 to 9 employees (17.4%), 10 to 19 employees (13.4%), or 50 to 99 employees (12.3%).

Establishments in this industry group retail a wide variety of used merchandise, including clothing, furniture and home furnishings, sporting goods, and video games. Also included are flea markets (with permanent stalls), and consignment shops. There’s nothing like the perfect thrifted find!

Retail sales

There were nearly $454.0 million in retail sales of antiques, and used or second-hand merchandise (except motor vehicles and mobile homes) in the first quarter of 2024, down from $550.3 million in the previous quarter.

Nearly all sales (97.4%) in this product category were at sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, book, and miscellaneous retailers, the industry subsector which includes used merchandise retailers.