BATON ROUGE - One thrift store in Baton Rouge is seeing firsthand the impact of tariffs and higher prices, saying shoppers are looking to save.

The Purple Cow thrift store has seen an increase in business since the beginning of the year, said General Manager Tonya Seymour.

"People are trying to hold onto their money and get more with their money," Seymour said.

Seymour said people are looking for ways to cut costs, not quality.

"They're choosing to shop secondhand because they want to keep their coins. They're wanting to, you know, keep a little bit more in their pockets," she said.

Seymour said in April 2024, average daily sales were around $2,500. She said a year later, that amount jumped to $3,200.

Dek Terrell, director of LSU's Center for Economics, Business & Policy Research said he surveyed thrift stores in the capital area. He says many are not seeing the same increases as The Purple Cow.

"I think it varies by product. If customers are very sensitive to the price of the product, they might not be willing to pay the higher price," Terrell said.

Terrell said the deciding factor is the value of time versus money.

"Often, it's hard for someone whose time is very scant to go to thrift stores and find exactly what they need to find clothes for the kids or items for the family. I think Walmart might be the place where people decide to shop. If prices begin to go up, they'll just have to buy less of what they were buying," Terrell said.

Purple Cow shoppers said every cent counts.

"They don't have as much money in their pockets anymore, it's just definitely a gift to buy whatever, you got a wedding gift, things like that that I've gotten here that people say, 'Wow, that looks brand new,'" shopper Claudia Mayeaux said.

Those shoppers are looking for deals wherever they might be.

"I'm pretty cheap, so I've used Marketplace for a long time. We thrift a lot as well. We've gotten a lot of clothes and stuff from thrift stores," shopper Alex Diesel said.

Seymour said her store needs donations to keep up with demand.

"We are in need of women's clothing. Tops and bottoms, any really nice decor or any gently used items. Honestly, we take everything," Seymour said.

Click here for more information about donating to The Purple Cow.