Fashion

FRESNO, Calif. — Maybe it's the $10 Abercrombie T-shirt. Or the $150 drop-leaf dining table and chairs. Or just maybe it's the $5 Hello Kitty overalls.

Whatever the draw, customers are flocking to resale shops — a sector that includes thrift stores, consignment shops. And sales are up dramatically.

Bad economic times are driving the traffic, experts say.

"Whenever there's a slow economy and the word 'recession' starts getting thrown around ... of course resale (sales are) one of the first things that comes up," said Adele R. Meyer, executive director of the Michigan-based National Association of Resale & Thrift Shops.

A survey by the association of its members found that 75 percent reported sales increases in April. The average increase in sales was about 30 percent. A more recent survey is turning up almost identical results, Meyer said.

Because cash is tight, sales at luxury stores, department stores, even regular apparel stores are declining. All those categories declined between 3.5 percent and 5.5 percent during the first nine months of year, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers.

Resale shops join discount stores and wholesale club stores as retailers that do well during economic downturns. Sales at discounters such as Target saw a 2.4 percent increase and wholesale clubs saw an 8.1 percent increase.

Off-price retailers such as Ross, Marshalls and T.J. Maxx also have reported increased sales.

Tough times also bring new customers who never shopped resale stores before, said Meyer of the resale association.

About 80 percent of her members saw an increase in new customers.

Other factors play into the increase at all resale shops, too, workers say. The public is becoming more aware of the importance of recycling, label lovers continue to search for designer brands at cheaper prices, and people are becoming more savvy about tax deductions from donations.