Op is hot as Queenslanders think thrifty for Christmas

There’s an age-old question that comes up this time of year – is it hit or miss to thrift the Christmas gift list?

With more Queenslanders struggling under rising cost-of-living pressures, preloved ‘Thriftmas’ presents are fast losing their stigma, with a recent Vinnies survey finding 9 in 10 Australians are open to receiving a pre-loved Christmas gift.

Vinnies Queensland General Manager – Operations, Drew Eide, said as the pre-loved retail market continued to grow, so did attitudes towards op-shopping.

“We’re not just seeing more people shopping pre-loved, but the average age is getting younger too,” he said.

“People’s priorities are shifting – younger shoppers tend to be more conscious of sustainable shopping and across the board, people are looking for better value for money during a cost-of-living crunch.

“More than 70 per cent of Australians bought a second-hand item in the last year and more than 50 per cent bought from an op-shop.”

“At Vinnies Queensland, we're continuing to see record numbers of shoppers, with more than 9.5 million items sold across the state in the last financial year.

Drew said the op-shopping surprise factor can often be inspirational when shopping for ‘the person who has everything’.

“Thrifting is about the thrill of the hunt and those unique discoveries – every Vinnies store has something different,” he said.

“With the average cost of an item at a Vinnies Queensland Shop just around $5, it’s also a great place for stocking stuffers and secret Santa ideas.

“Every gift you buy at an op-shop is also like two gifts in one, as every item sold raises valuable funds to support Queenslanders in need in your local community.”

Drew said after a record year, 2026 was set to be even bigger.

“Already we’re looking to open new shops and relocate existing shops to bigger and better locations,” Drew said.

“It’s an exciting time to be a thrifter in Queensland. You never know what you might find at Vinnies!”

“Being able to turn the support of our shoppers, donors and volunteers into real positive impact for others doing it tough in our communities the best present of all.”

In the last financial year, sales from Vinnies Queensland Shops helped the organisation support more than 238,000 Queenslanders in need.

To find your local Shop, visit vinnies.org.au/qld/shops