My quest to find an op shop close to home lasted less than a minute thanks to
Opshop.org. An online guide to op shop locations all across Australia, it currently lists details of more than 100 op shops throughout the Brisbane region and over 1900 Australia wide.
Opshop.org lets you search for op shops by postcode, location or organisation. Additionally, if you know of a great op shop not yet listed, you can add your own listing to the website (just select the 'add new' button on the top tab). It's entirely free to use and easy to navigate.
While the website may be lacking in appearance, its content is sufficient for the average op shopper. Some listings contain more information than others (probably due to the fact that public listings are allowed), however, you'll usually find the address, hours of operation and phone number of each op shop. A few listings contain a description of what that particular op shop stocks, for example, clothing.
The website also hosts a
facebook page. The Facebook wall displays member's comments or questions regarding op shops, sales events and other general information (if you love a bargain it's all relevant). For those of you who really want to delve into the art of op shopping it even features a discussions page.
I've been op shopping since I was a teenager. Op shopping is simply a shortened version of 'opportunity shopping' so I'm always on the lookout for an opportunity to buy quality second-hand merchandise at an affordable price. If you're a seasoned op shopper, like me, you'll realise not all op shops are affordable (some are downright pricey). It's handy to read other peoples comments on what to expect before going to a particular store, and you can do this for some op shops on the stats page of their website.
The page displays:
- The top ranking op shops in Australia giving them a rating out of 5 stars.
- Recent changes of op shop listings – what's been added, changed or removed.
- Comments from op shoppers regarding some of the stores and what you can expect to find.
- The number of listings by state, region and organisation.
Friends are always asking me where I got my latest bargain.
Opshop.org and their Facebook page give you a platform to read and post comments about your op shop experiences, what you think is good or not. Do you have a favourite op shop? You can share your experiences online today at
Opshop.org.
