Bloggers
have talked awhile now about the inconsistencies with the prices at their
Goodwill stores. I have run across this several times in my area. Part of what
bothers me about the pricing issues is that I KNOW needy people are also
shopping at these stores. I know that the money raised from these donated items
do go to a good and worthy cause, yet I think they need to keep their shoppers
in mind when pricing.
Recently, I
was at the Goodwill in St. Lucie West Florida. A man and his wife were shopping
for a table. In fact, it was a table I wanted but they’d beat me to it. I could
hear their conversation and knew they were having money trouble. They tried to
talk the manager down but the manager would not hear it. This couple needed a table. They didn’t just want it
like me. He was disabled and without a job. None of this affected the manager.
He just did not care. They did end up paying what the manager wanted, but I
wondered at what cost to them?
Some of the
stores are also not being honest. At this store, I had been watching an item.
Those of us ‘thrifters’ that are regulars at Goodwill know how it works. They
have a ticket that they price the item and mark the date. So this particular
item, as I said, I was watching. I knew what I wanted to pay and, well, if it
got away, that was the risk I took. However, two or three weeks out, the ticket
changes. A new ticket was put on with that had that days date with the full
price. I have also found that whether or not they haggle with you will depend
upon on their mood. Some days they are happy as a clam and will state a fair or
even great price. Then you may come in a
day that they have had a bad day and they won’t even consider it.
I know that
they are not all this way. It seems just the ones that I shop at in South Florida are inconsistent, over-priced, etc. I have come across a few great sites that I’d
love to pass along to you in your quest for good deals. The first is The Thrift Shopper. Here you can search their locator for thrift stores in your area,
there is a forum for discussion on all things thrift (they have even discussed
the inconsistencies and over pricing), etc. It really is a great site. For
those of you in the DC area, you lucky dogs, there is a great priced Goodwill
and they have their own blog called DC Goodwill Fashionista. I say lucky dogs
because, if you take a look at their blog, the prices are amazing. I am jealous :) If you google Goodwill, a lot of
information comes up from their own websites to people discussing pricing. I
came across one in which an employee was disheartened by Goodwill Industries.
Although it
can be frustrating, I will not stop my quest for beautiful things at a great
price. I love ‘thrifting’.
10 comments:
I like a good deal as much as the next person, and I also like to feel that when I donate I am actually helping out people who really need it. Well, I've noticed that at our local store, I swear the stuff I donate never even hits the floor. I will see employees wearing the stuff that was donated maybe a day or so ago. I really think that they take out the "good" stuff for themselves, though I have no real proof of that. When I've asked them when the items will be out on the floor they often tell me that it will be "weeks" because they have so much to sort through. I'm finding a new charity to donate to, probably Loaves & Fishes because they actually give the stuff away to needy families in the area.
I noticed rising prices at some of our thrift stores here in Utah. Some of the clothing prices were well above what I've seen similar items sell for on the clearance rack at major retailers. Savers and Deseret Industries are the ones I used to shop at, but I'm better off looking for good sale prices now.
I stopped shopping at our thrift stores, both the salvation army and the goodwill several years ago. At that time they wanted 7 dollars for a stained used tshirt and 400 dollars for a sofa from the early eighties. I know it goes to a good cause, but people with lower incomes can't afford to shop there. It is nonsense.
I live in a rural area in Virginia where the unemployment rate is very high. We have two Goodwill stores in our nearby small town. They are quite nice and the prices are reasonable. Kids clothes (from size 2 to 16) are all one price - $1.75 each. Most other clothing items are categorized too and have the same price. I like that because I know the price is the same no matter which blouse I buy! I have noticed a trend, though, of having more and more "special" areas of the store, where higher-value items are separate from the regular shelves and have a higher price on them. At first, it was just designer brand items. Recently, I also noticed "antique" books. Also, higher value purses are separate.
Our stores don't have specials. The price is always the same. The only problem I have ever had is with girl's clothing. My 16-year old can wear a girl's XL or a women's Small. One time, I had a girl's XL and they charged me women's price (which is double). I pointed out that it was a GIRL'S item and the cashier wouldn't budge. It made me mad, but my daughter really wanted the shirt. But, seriously, if it had been a women's XL, it would have fit ME. Duh! Surely they can tell the difference!
Very inconsistent prices at my local GW and some of the pricing is outrageous. I can get something new at Target for cheaper. And my GW smells so bad.
I am super frugal and don't like to part with my money and I stopped going to our local Goodwill shop because it's way overpriced and because I can find new stuff for the same money.
I also heard that the people who own Goodwill are now super rich because they make so much money off the stuff we drop off there, so now I donate my things to other places.
Dagmar
Dagmar's momsense
I think that many of them are trying to cash in on the 'collectibles' market & they often don't have any idea of an items value. I've seen true treasures at bargain prices & trash at super high prices (because they think the item looks valuable). I'm not sure that Goodwill should even try to be in this market. Their mission should be their priority & their employees don't have any expertise in vintage, antiques or collectibles, anyway. It does seem to differ by manager. I like looking through thrift stores, but I have a budget, too. Maybe local is better (both for shopping & donating)...(saw your discussion in Twitter Moms & thought I'd stop by)
I shop at a lot of different thrift stores, including Goodwill, and the pricing drives me crazy at ALL of them. It drives me even crazier when they price used items more expensive than they were in store. Sometimes though, there's still a good deal lurking which is why I can't help stopping in. ;)
I also notice that in the 3 goodwills in our area. I like in our flea market because you can buy clothes for only $.50 cents where as when you go to goodwill it is triple the price or more. I spent $20 last time and oh boy hubby told me that it seems i already bought all the stuff in the flea market...Anyway, i followed you from Meet & Follow Sunday.
You can visit me here
What drive me nuts about our local Goodwills is this. They advertise a color sale - i.e. all blue tags are 50% off, YET they remove all blue tags the same day they start advertising the sale. I've asked the sales associates why they do this. Why even advertise a sale, if you intend to remove all sale items? It's a bit irritating. Does your GW do this?
Our GW has great quality, overall, but I refuse to pay five dollars for a ratty tee. Nope. I'll pay five bucks for an Ann Taylor sweater but not a ratty tee.
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