The majority of my closet is full of popbacks or sale finds.

You know.

The way a hoarder’s closet should be.

And is.

What’s a popback? If you are asking this question, then I need to explain my favorite store, Anthropologie. And their system. A popback is simply a term used to describe something that was sold out and then someone returns it or they find an extra one in a store or warehouse and it…pops back in stock. This can happen even if the item has been sold out for years.

On Anthropologie’s website, I created a wishlist. This wishlist holds around 725 items, some of them years old. I usually ignore the new items after I add the ones I want to my list. I watch them sell out. Then restock. Then hit first cuts and sell out again. And I just sit patiently. I am after the deep cuts. Usually I can get them. Sometimes I am out of luck. Actually, quite often I am out of luck. And that is just the nature of the game. But since I very, very rarely pay full price or even first cuts (half off) for an item, I know it is a risk I am usually willing to take.

I only add items to my wishlist that I really want.

If I feel something is unusually unique, then I will buy it right when it hits sale.

Some items never get deeply cut. I like to save a lot of Christmas decorations in case one day one pops back for $2 (fyi, this has never happened). Sometimes I just like the look of something but I know I will never buy it. Or I fantasize that the $600 leather bag or $500 boots will one day be 90% off (um, this has never happened for me either). My point being, no, I do not own 725 items. And I hope never to own that many items. But it is fun to look at. My list is 15 pages long and I own 1 and a 1/2 of those pages.

You don’t have to search your full list for popbacks. They will show up where your backordered items show up, usually right before all of the items that are sold out. For me, this is page three.

I don’t delete things I have scored, because, like a serial killer, I like to look at my victim’s all clumped together. And smile at my ingenious way that I was able to lure the victims into my closet. They never saw it coming.

Too far?

Okay. Sorry about that.

Most people I know have a budget. I am no exception. Why would I want to spend my monthly budget on two or three items full price when I could score ten or more for the same price? They are still things I really liked, I was just patient for them. They usually also retain either their full popback value or more than what I paid versus paying full price and immediately losing value on the item in case I want to resell it later.

Here are some of my popbacks from recently:

My Corca Sweater that originally sold for $148. It popped back and I scored it for $20. The pants are my Pilcro Cords that I patiently waited to hit sale. Original price $98. I paid $37.50. The Zephyr Moto Boots were originally $180 and I scored them on a popback for $50. Those boots were ones I struggled about keeping. I was unsure about them. But I get more comments on those boots when I go out than on any item in my closet. And I have worn them a surprising amount of times.

I love the Echoing Necklace. It is actually an item I paid first cuts for after waiting impatiently for it to hit sale. It can still be found on the link provided as of this posting.

This Lace Peplum Hoodie is adorable. I got it for $20. Its original price was $88. The jeans are my Mother Cruiser Jeans I also got on a popback for $40 instead of $220.

This Ombra Shift Dress is so versatile! Its original price was $188. I scored it for $30. The rust tights were originally $58 (I still have not discerned why) and I got them for $6 last year.

I never, ever check the sale section on Anthropologie’s website. I do not want to make a rash decision. If it did not make it to my wishlist, I must not have wanted it. If I really want something, I will add it in all of the colors in hopes that one day one of the colors will be returned at an incredible price. This almost always works. I just have to be two things: patient and not picky.

Do you wait for sale? Are popbacks your favorite? Have you ever heard of popbacks? I had not until the awesome Roxy of Effortless Anthropologie tuned me into them. She does a weekly Popback post. It is so helpful, especially if you do not yet have a wishlist of your own. Members of her site will leave the link to an item that has popped back. I highly recommend visiting her site to learn more about shopping at Anthropologie. In addition to the weekly Friday Popback post, every Monday she does a sales post listing new items on sale and sometimes prices on older pieces as well.

P.S. If you want, I can leave links even for things sold out, but I just don’t put them if the item is no longer available. If you would prefer links, please let me know.