Do Some Thrift Stores Charge Too Much?

by: mazelgirl

They're out to make money too. Stop complaining, they're not in business to supply your business. If people stop shopping the prices will come down.
As someone said a few posts up she finds higher prices on originally less expensive brands. Happens all the time-everyone knows the names of these brands. The more obscure expensive stuff gets through cheaply because they have no idea what it is.  I love this game!

by: permacrisis

Go into any thrift store and you'll find that one guy... He's got his eye on you. ''Hmm must be Loss Prevention'', you say. But no, he's watching you pick things up and examine them.

He will buy something even if he doesn't know what it is, just to keep you from getting it. He may even (often) ask how to use it or how it functions, walk right up to your face. The guy has no shame.

He fills his chrome wire shopcart with all your coulda woulda shoulda, then takes it back to his brick-and-mortar shop and marks it double. His van plates say  ''Tennesee''.

Like it or lump it, good or bad, for better or worse, these human impulses acted out daily in thrift stores across the USA,  are what made the old ebay great.

by: doboy

Goodwill in Cape Girardeau is getting ridiculous.  Designer(?) purse, made in China, poly vinyl chloride and used was $30.00.  Old pottery lamp with 3 long cracks, repaired but brown glue seeping out of the cracks, was $6.00.  Why would they even put it out?  Not to mention rude clerk insinuating I was stealing.  She was showing me a rack of necklaces.  Another patron asked for assistance.  She replied, "I have to watch her."   Then when I checked out, she asked me if I had any jewelry.  I told her "No, of course not!"  She said, "Well, I don't want you walking out with it."  How could I when she had to "watch me."  

by: Moonwishes
Web Site

I'm fortunate enough to have a local thrift store that is locally owned, locally run, all profits stay local and it is there to help the people of the community as they even do GED classes, help with signing up for medical and dental care, heating help in the winter etc. The best thing there is the prices. If coats are $2, then even the mink coat and leather jacket are $2 (assuming any are around). Clothing prices are set by categories so even if a woman's evening gown is an original $10K whatever, it is still about $4. I get many craft items including name brand quilting fabric for $1 or less (store value for the amount is $10+). I pick up LOTS of things for 25 cents or less! If I wait long enough all my crafting needs are plentifully supplied. I also am able to pick up a lot of patterns that I resell. So far three patterns that I picked up for 10 cents each last month have sold this month for nice prices. Many of the ladies that work there know that I resell patterns and like I tell them, I would rather resell something to earn my groceries than have to go next door to the food bank.

I can buy clothing pieces for $2 or less and at the end of summer or the end of winter to clear out stock they sell the old season clothing at buy one get one free.

Our town is very generous in donating to our store. A year ago the night before a mortgage burning ceremony when they had paid off their remodeling loan in THREE years, two teenage boys set the place on fire and totaled it and everything in it. I was so glad I had shopped there two days before as everything I had gotten would have been destroyed and I had picked up some great goodies. But the community got together and a few months later the thrift store was rebuilt and in business again. Within a month or two of reopening, as usual the place is full to overflowing with donations. Other than groceries, it is the only place I shop. It is my favorite store! I've talked to the lady that was the major force behind it and her philosophy was this is for the community and whoever donates and whoever buys is welcome. If someone is burned out they get a private visit to pick up what they may now need. It is truly a business that hasn't forgotten it's roots. Nobody is sitting back and earning 6 figure incomes to run it. The volunteers I believe get to 'buy' items depending on how many hours they put in so even if someone can't even afford the low prices, if they are willing to help out they can earn what they need.

by: Racinggranny

I live in Carson City, NV and I noticed that Goodwill have raised their prices, since our employment rate went from 13-14% to lower numbers.  That's ok, but still half the city is unemployed and under paid , so what I do at either Goodwill or Salvation Army is barter with them just like you do at the garage sale or even eBay.  Most of the time they will come down to my price. I don't gouge but why not ask? They are prepared for people to barter with them, believe me!

by: Quality First

Sadly, our Silicon Valley Goodwill and SA's prices have taken a big jump in the last 18 months or so.  

Our family used to be able to buy slightly used clothing for the family at modest prices.  Now, we simply wait for a sale/coupons/promotions at the local chain stores and buy new for about the same.

$10-$18 for used jeans and slacks?  $7 for for used kids shorts?  $30 for a set of normal sheets?  Really?  That's thrift?

While they're free to do as they like, I think in certain categories there is also a public trust to support the less well off in their communities by selling certain necessities at modest prices for the less fortunate and working poor.  

This group needs clothing, donated cleaning supplies, kitchen essentials, basic furniture, school supplies, toys & sporting goods for kids, kids books, warm coats during winter and the like to be priced appropriately.

I honestly think the donors also have an expectation that their donations will find their way to those in need, not just the organizations sponsoring the stores.

As for the high-priced ''treasures'' and luxuries, perhaps it is justifiable to charge ''market/retail'' price for them to raise money for the organizations and their good deeds.  Nobody really ''needs'' a $300-$600 TV or stereo set.  These are often sent to nationwide auction anyway.

Hopefully there will me more discussion of this, perhaps in the national or local media.  And hopefully that the discussion will make a difference.

by: permacrisis

Maybe I'm crazy, but whenever I blow out the storage trailer and donate the stuff to thrift, I will pop in a couple times a week and see what they priced it at, and what sold.

And also, what they stole...    :(

by: sells-a-lot

We have a regional Goodwill outlet here where they sell the items that didn't sell in the stores by the pound. It started off small but since they have raised their store prices in the last year the outlet has doubled in size. Most people don't know where it is so I can still get some fantastic bargains to resell. I never shop in the retail stores, the prices are way too high ($30 for a threadbare Vera Bradley bag or $10 for a no name pair of jeans) and the few times I drive by the parking lot is empty. I get far better deals shopping at retail stores for brand new items than wasting my time at the Goodwill retail stores.