Buffalo Exchange is fashion resale retailer that buys and resells used clothing. According to Buffalo Exchange, they have 49 stores within 20 states of America. There happens to be a store 1.4 miles away from Ventura High School. A lot of VHS students, including myself, shop at Buffalo Exchange because clothes tend to be cheaper, considering they are recycled.
Buffalo Exchange goes by the moto ‘Buy, Sell, Trade’ because you can either buy the clothes already in the store, sell your clothes for money or trade your clothes for store credit. When you sell your clothes, Buffalo Exchange either gives you 30 percent of the price they are selling your clothes for in cash, or they give you 50 percent in store credit.
The catch is, you have to be 18 years old to sell your clothes. It’s difficult for many teens that shop there to sell their clothing because majority of them are under 18. If you are under-age, Buffalo Exchange allows you to bring somebody that is 18 or older to sell your clothes, the money they give you is just put under the adult’s name.
Junior Bella Wray commented, “I think it’s silly to have to be 18 to sell your clothes at Buffalo, if I’m old enough to drive myself there, shouldn’t I be old enough to sell my clothes?”
Junior Taylor Vaughan also shared, “…it was kind of annoying because I had to come back with a parent when I was trying to sell. I do think it’d be easier if [the age limit] was younger [like] as long as you have an ID or something.”
Personally, I have sold items at Buffalo Exchange on three different occasions. Each time, I had to bring an 18 or older person along because I am under-aged. The first time I brought my mom, the second I brought my sister’s friend and third I brought my dad. It was difficult each time because I had to find the time that worked both with myself and the adult I had to take with me.
On Nov. 7, 2018, I walked into Buffalo Exchange and asked one of the managers why you have to 18 to sell your clothing and she told me that “…it’s one of the laws of California.” I believe this ‘law’ reduces their amount of business from their under-age customers. Buffalo Exchange and other businesses like so, should look into what law enforces this rule and should try to protest against it if they aspire to have more satisfied customers.
