Google search now helps you thrift smarter. Here’s how you can use it.

Thrifting has a momentum issue. There are too many racks, too little time, and no easy way to know if that jacket in the corner is worth Rs 50 or Rs 50,000. Google thinks its search tools can help fix that.

With search interest in “vintage” and “how to thrift” reaching all-time highs in 2026, Google has detailed 5 ways its existing tools can help make secondhand shopping faster, smarter and less luck based.

AI Mode for planning your outing:
Before you even step out, AI Mode in Google Search lets you plan the trip with each specifics. You could ask something like, “Where can I find vintage skirts in Mumbai, and has a good cafe nearby?” and get a curated set of options with links to explore further. It handles the kind of layered questions that a normal search box cannot.


Google Lens for identifying what you find:
Once you are inside a store, Lens comes in handy. Open the Google app, tap the Lens icon, point it at the item you need to find and get visual matches, pricing data, designer information and a rough sense of the piece’s era. It also tells you how common or rare something is based on similar listings that exist online.

Circle to Search for shopping what you see online:
Sifting through a vintage lookbook or a shopping haul video and you spot something you want in your wardrobe? On Android, hold down the home button and circle the item. Circle to Search pulls up products similar to it with prices and places to buy. You can even follow up with specific questions, like asking for pieces with a particular era’s aesthetic.

Virtual Try-On before you commit:
For clothing, Virtual Try-On removes all doubts and guesswork. Use Lens to find similar items, tap “try it on”, upload a full-body picture and see how the style looks on before you purchase. It does not replace trying it on, but it narrows down what is worth the effort.

Lens for selling and not just buying:
Thrifting works both ways. If you want to clear out your closet, Lens can help you figure out what your items are worth. Click a photo and ask whether something is resellable or which kind of stores could take the pieces off your hands.

Vintage jerseys and thrifted heels are both trending on Google Search right now. Whether this shows a cultural shift toward conscious consumption or just a seasonal spike, the tools to act upon it are already in your pocket.