The thrift store where I volunteer

[Night Elf]

The only thrift store I've been in is Good Will. I volunteer at a smaller thrift store but it's still a good size. What amazes me is the prices! The lady I work with says it's a joke as to how much hits the floor because the employees see everything that comes in. She said she needs a separate room in her house just to hold more stuff. So far I've only purchased a king sized thermal blanket for $5 to replace an exact one that we had that had large holes. 

 

We have several bins of fabric remnants and they're always on sale for half price. So when we price stuff, we know it's going at half that price. Most of what I price is $2.00. Even when we get big pieces, we usually don't price over $4.00. We have two bins of yarn, some brand new still in the packages for $1.00. Yesterday we were packing bags of yarn for $1.00. She said she has so much in large bins in her area and can't get it all out because the bins out on the floor are packed. Yesterday we also put out a lot of ribbon, many of the spools full. We have pillows that are $1.00 - $4.00. I'm trying to figure out where I would put pillows if I bought some because these are really nice pillows, like sofa pillows.The furniture is super nice. Nice tables with matching chairs and china cabinets. Great sofas. And I haven't even looked at the clothes yet.

 

Now I can understand when some of you post about your thrift store finds. 

[mom2scouts]

I don't go to our local thrift store because the prices are so high. Why would I buy a used children's shirt for $5 when I can get a new one on sale for the same price? We have another larger thrift store further away and they are a bit better, but I rarely get there and, other than clothes, the rest is mostly junk.

[SKL]

Interesting, because the Goodwill stores I've been to have tended to have high prices for second-hand items.  Maybe things have changed since I Goodwill shopped.  :)

 

I have many happy memories of browsing at certain thrift stores - especially for old books.  One day I got to the point where I couldn't stand to add one more thing to my hoard, so it's lost its charm for me.  :)  But I do understand it!

[Bluegoat]

There are different prices here depending on the thrift store.  Value Village is the most popular one here - everything is hung up and organized by size - but prices are really high now.  It's only worth it if you shop carefully and know your brands.  I mostly only find it worth it for certain items like winter coats and snowsuits.

 

Salvation Army shops are better, and the best is a local chain called Frenchy's.  They have everything in bins, no size sorting, so it takes time, but prices are by type of item and consistent, and very low.  So - it actually doesn't take as much time as Value Village in many cases now.  I used to have one a block from my house and it was great, I found really awesome things there.

[liber]

There are different prices here depending on the thrift store. Value Village is the most popular one here - everything is hung up and organized by size - but prices are really high now. It's only worth it if you shop carefully and know your brands. I mostly only find it worth it for certain items like winter coats and snowsuits.

 

Salvation Army shops are better, and the best is a local chain called Frenchy's. They have everything in bins, no size sorting, so it takes time, but prices are by type of item and consistent, and very low. So - it actually doesn't take as much time as Value Village in many cases now. I used to have one a block from my house and it was great, I found really awesome things there.

I have shopped at thrift stores for years and things are priced higher now it seems.

 

Frenchys is awesome I always hit up the local when I go down home for the summer.

[I talk to the trees]

Our Goodwill thrift store is 99% junk. I think they sort through the donations and send the best items to a regional hub to go on their website.

 

But the local American Cancer Society run thrift shop is a gold mine! And their volunteers are far better than the Goodwill staff. I actually enjoy going in there just to chat with the volunteers.

[Bluegoat]

I have shopped at thrift stores for years and things are priced higher now it seems.

 

Frenchys is awesome I always hit up the local when I go down home for the summer.

 

What gets me is when something cheap, like Walmart or H&M< costs almost as much as it would new - and they are not very durable brands even when new.

 

But I think VV spends a ton on sorting and disposal of trash that people donate, plus spraying for bed bugs and fleas, so maybe it's just not that economical to do used on that scale and for poor quality items.

[JustEm]

I love thrift stores but you can really end up getting way too much if you don't pay attention. Prices have started going up and it annoying. Goodwill has sales monthly but the sales are now the price of what things used to be before they raised prices so it isn't really a sale. People caught on and stopped shopping at Goodwill. So now it seems they're having the same sales but weekly. So it really isn't worth it to shop unless it is in that day.

 

The other thrift store near by is a gold mine but their prices are weird. I got a snap circuit set for $5 but a girls dress costs $10. Absolutely crazy

[Garga]

My mom volunteers in a thrift store. She has always loved thrift store shopping and her house used to be packed with fun stuff. It was never even remotely like hoarding, but she always had lots of interesting things.

 

Lately, she’s gotten tired of having stuff and has pared down. She says that now that she’s been at the store for a while, she’s learned to love the items in the store and enjoy looking at them there, but she no longer feels a need to bring them home with her. I suppose if she needed something, like a blanket, she’d buy it, but if she doesn’t need it, she just enjoys it in the store and then goes home to her own things.

 

Maybe after a few weeks or months of working there, you’ll be like that too. In the meanwhile, you’ll probably have some fun bringing home some treasures!

[Serenade]

Our Goodwill thrift store is 99% junk. I think they sort through the donations and send the best items to a regional hub to go on their website.

 

 

 

This is our Goodwill.  It's fine for shopping for bits and pieces to make a Halloween costume, but not much else.  I have found a couple of good things through the years, but it's rare.  Also, I've been in there at times and gagged from the smell of mildew.  Blech.  There is another Goodwill in the next town over, which is considerably wealthier, so maybe I should try that one.

[Serenade]

We have a thrift store that raises funds for animals.  I can often find cool things there at a good price.  They don't sell clothes, though. 

[Spryte]

I have yet to find a good thrift store where we live now. It’s disappointing. I didn’t realize Good Will might be sorting and sending stuff to sell online, though, that’s interesting. We’ve mostly tried Good Will here, and it’s been ok for costumes but otherwise it’s used, pilled shirts from WalMart with prices higher than the sale price at WalMart.

 

I miss the good thrift stores we used to have. Wow, what a difference.

[gstharr]

The trick to clothing is to buy reverse season-- e.g. winter gear in summer and with 50% color tags.  Only buy TOP BRANDS.  For my kid, it all Nike and UA at a few dollars each.  For adults( well, kids too), you must know the brand names, especially the less common trendy or boutique labels. Each year, I score several $600+ suits from Hickey-Freeman, Armani, Hugo Boss  for $20.00. Could easily score many more , if I wore a regular size instead of long. Once, I had to pass on 10 Astor Chang custom shirts ($225 each retail)  selling for $3.99 because I just could not stretch out the sleeve length.   As to the other stuff, look for the steal of the day, whatever it may be, instead of a particular item.  visually unappealing items that can be cleaned up are often the real bargain.  Everybody close to me has a Shark Navigator that I got for no more than $20.00. All needed about  20 minutes of disassembly and cleaning.  Last tip, shop your expertise.   My passion is vinyl/lp and vintage stereo gear.  There are  some very expensive items out there.  My biggest scores have been in  vintage stereo speakers pre-80's.  Many are worth $1000+, even several $1000. . The thrifts--and yard sellers-- give them away because the speakers can weigh 75-100lbs each. I find at least a  couple of pairs a year.

 

 

correction: Ascot Chang

Edited January 26, 2018 by gstharr

[Night Elf]

My thrift store only puts out what they think is great stuff. In my department, if we get blankets, quilts or comforters that don't look like they could go straight on someone's bed, they put them in the pet department. All towels, washcloths, and hand towels go to the pet dept. Many of those are in like new condition. 

 

There is a semi-truck parked near the back entrance where donations come in. Anything they don't want to put out goes on the truck. They call it poundage. I actually don't know where they send all that stuff. We have stuff in our linen dept that goes on the truck. Either it doesn't look like it will sell, or it has been on the floor too long and hasn't sold. It's put on the truck to make way for new stuff that has come in.

 

We don't have a lot of books. I haven't been through the whole store so I don't know what is where but I donated a box of DVD's and I have no idea what they did with them. 

 

I wanted to add I don't know if the clothes are over priced since I have never looked at them. But I can say that all linens are priced low, or at least lower than I think they should be priced. Like a Queen sized comforter with two matching shams for $10. It's in wonderful shape. If I hadn't just bought a new quilt for my bed, I might have gotten that set. 

Edited January 26, 2018 by Night Elf

[Bluegoat]

I think a lot of this is probably monetary, as I think about it more.  You have to pay for space and maybe employees no matter what.  And clothes are so cheap now at low end retailers, they are barely paying anything for materials or sewing.

 

And then they have the ability to keep prices even lower by being huge, having vertical integration, putting pressure on suppliers.  Walmart has a bigger economy than many countries.

 

It's difficult for a small organization to compete, which is likely why Value Village, a good sized corporation, is now the biggest retailer of used stuff here.

[nixpix5]

We have a thrift store that raises funds for animals. I can often find cool things there at a good price. They don't sell clothes, though.

We have one too that I love that raises money for a spay and neuter clinic. They are awesome! Last week I found a life size cardboard stand up Doctor Who Tardis for my sons' room for 5 bucks. Their prices are so much more reasonable than Goodwill and Value Village it seems.

[Joyofsixreboot]

I think each store has it's own "personality", even among chains. You have to know what you want ie. choice, price, cleanliness, etc. 14 yo dd needs jeans so I know, here, Goodwill is my stop. The other two thrift stores get old lady clothes here. Goodwill will have nice, younger styles for $4. Lousy housewares though.

 

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[Katy]

I've noticed that the fancier the area, the nicer the thrift store stuff is.

[kiwik]

I find where I am because the thrift shops are fundraising rather than supplying a service the prices are as much as they can get away with. You have to know what you are buying.

[4Kiddos]

I used to love Goodwill and shopped there all the time. Then a few years ago they started pricing by brand and enormously marked up all their items. Now their prices are more expensive than brand new things at TJMaxx or sale prices at Macys or something. I could even get some things at Nordstroms cheaper than at Goodwill.Their books used to be $1.99 and now they vary in price but are more than they should be. It is insane! Plus it really harms those who really need to shop there. People with lower incomes really needed those stores to be able to live.

 

Thankfully, we still have some thrift stores run by churches or health organizations that have really great prices and are clean and nice. One is even run by a lady with impeccable taste and she displays the store beautifully. She makes outfits and displays them and arranges everything in such a pretty fashion. I love shopping there!

[gstharr]

 

There is a semi-truck parked near the back entrance where donations come in. Anything they don't want to put out goes on the truck. They call it poundage. I actually don't know where they send all that stuff. We have stuff in our linen dept that goes on the truck. Either it doesn't look like it will sell, or it has been on the floor too long and hasn't sold. It's put on the truck to make way for new stuff that has come in.

 

 

 

As to GW, they call it "poundage" because it goes to a distribution center where it is auctioned off by a  giant bin load.  A bin of  all TVs, fans, appliances, DVDs,  books, etc. to the highest bidder. Clothing is sold in unsorted 500 lb bales.  The auctions occur daily, with maybe 75-100 bins being sold, cash and carry.   A lot of the stuff purchasers are yard sellers, swap meeters, and people who drive the stuff to Mexico.  A lot the baled clothing purchasers are exporters to 3rd world countries.  Export clothing is big business, but I know a couple of  mom and pops who make a good living shipping to relatives in Asia. There are several  of these centers in Los Angeles and Orange County. Quite fascinating to watch. 

[DesertBlossom]

I think Goodwill is way overpriced. A while back I was looking for a cheap blanket for the doghouse and they wanted $15-20 for these well-used and (IMO) gross blankets. Nice ones sold for more. Goodwill prices things based on their half-off Saturday sales.

 

We have 1 awesome thrift store that advertises "priced to sell today." All their kid shirts are $1 and pants and $2. It's awesome.

[Lawyer&Mom]

We love our Goodwill for books. They have a great selection. I imagine it varies by location, but in a university town we do really well!

[8circles]

Keep in mind that stores like Goodwill are not the same everywhere. They are divided into independently-run regions so the quality, pricing, and procedures vary quite a bit.

[Frances]

We have an awesome Goodwill, they regularly win national awards. I used to do most of my clothes shopping there because everything is sorted by type, size, material, and color. I hate shopping, so I just went once or twice per year and tried on tons of stuff, and the prices were very reasonable. But a few years ago the whole bed bug thing started to kind of freak me out, so now I never buy any clothes at thrift stores.

[justasque]

... But I can say that all linens are priced low, or at least lower than I think they should be priced. Like a Queen sized comforter with two matching shams for $10. It's in wonderful shape. If I hadn't just bought a new quilt for my bed, I might have gotten that set. 

 

The thing is, most people only need two sets of bedding for each bed, max.  And bedding usually lasts for a fairly long time, so it doesn't need to be replaced all that often.  You can't price used items, especially personal stuff like bedding, as if it is new.  Lots of people won't even consider buying used bedding in the first place.  And you can buy new, although not well-made, for fairly cheap.  And something like a comforter (unlike sheets) is hard to clean; it won't fit in most home washers.  Many people who buy second-hand personal stuff wash it thoroughly as soon as it gets home; if it can't be washed easily, fewer people will bother with it.  And people want linens that match their room; something plain might sell better than something fancy, even if the fancy is of good quality.  So chances are it's going to be hard to find someone who is willing to spend $10 on that comforter.  

[SparklyUnicorn]

The thing is, most people only need two sets of bedding for each bed, max.  And bedding usually lasts for a fairly long time, so it doesn't need to be replaced all that often.  You can't price used items, especially personal stuff like bedding, as if it is new.  Lots of people won't even consider buying used bedding in the first place.  And you can buy new, although not well-made, for fairly cheap.  And something like a comforter (unlike sheets) is hard to clean; it won't fit in most home washers.  Many people who buy second-hand personal stuff wash it thoroughly as soon as it gets home; if it can't be washed easily, fewer people will bother with it.  And people want linens that match their room; something plain might sell better than something fancy, even if the fancy is of good quality.  So chances are it's going to be hard to find someone who is willing to spend $10 on that comforter.  

 

Not to mention when you can buy new stuff for cheap at Walmart, it's rather uninteresting to buy used stuff for a similar price.

[MamaBearTeacher]

What gets me is when something cheap, like Walmart or H&M< costs almost as much as it would new - and they are not very durable brands even when new.

 

But I think VV spends a ton on sorting and disposal of trash that people donate, plus spraying for bed bugs and fleas, so maybe it's just not that economical to do used on that scale and for poor quality items.

 

Do you know what they use to spray for bed bugs and fleas?  I did not know about this.  Do they wash the clothes they sell?  I have always wondered about that.  Anyways, I'd hate to think that I was bringing a bunch of extra and toxic chemicals home just by thrift shopping.  

[IfIOnly]

As you said, employees get first dips. A sad day for me was when I found out from someone I know well (family member) and who worked at a thrift store that they bought tons of the good stuff and, then, resold if on Ebay for profit. :(  

Edited January 27, 2018 by IfIOnly

[Night Elf]

As you said, employees get first dips. A sad day for me was when I found out from someone I know well (family member) and who worked at a thrift store that they bought tons of the good stuff and, then, resold if on Ebay for profit. :(  

 

That's terrible. I don't know about this crew. Like I said, it's a small place. I've never seen more than 10 employees/volunteers in the whole place, if even that many. And when they meet me, one of the first questions I'm usually asked is what kinds of pets do I have. It's a Humane Society thrift store and everyone loves to talk about their pets and show pictures on their phones. I wondered what they'd do if someone without a pet volunteered. 

[JustEm]

As you said, employees get first dips. A sad day for me was when I found out from someone I know well (family member) and who worked at a thrift store that they bought tons of the good stuff and, then, resold if on Ebay for profit. :(

That depends on the store. Here at Goodwill, employees can't get first dibs. The item must be on the floor for a week before an employee can buy it

[kiwik]

As you said, employees get first dips. A sad day for me was when I found out from someone I know well (family member) and who worked at a thrift store that they bought tons of the good stuff and, then, resold if on Ebay for profit. :(

It used to really annoy me that someone I know used to go round charity ships and buy stuff to sell at a profit but I knew she really needed the money. Someone working for the charity - not on. Though some of the charities do it themselves. Like I said they all now are trying to get money not provide a service.

[freesia]

What amazes me is the difference in quality. I live in a suburban area where there are a lot of folks who dress really well. Our Goodwills are awful--the worst I've ever seen. My MIL lives in a rural area that is economically depressed. Her Goodwill is consistently amazing. Ds got an Armani suit there for $20. The rest of us get great items, too. So a visit to Grandmas always includes a thrift store run.

[Bluegoat]

We have an awesome Goodwill, they regularly win national awards. I used to do most of my clothes shopping there because everything is sorted by type, size, material, and color. I hate shopping, so I just went once or twice per year and tried on tons of stuff, and the prices were very reasonable. But a few years ago the whole bed bug thing started to kind of freak me out, so now I never buy any clothes at thrift stores.

 

Yeah, me too a bit.  I know the Value Village here sprays for bed bugs every three weeks, control is just a standard part of their operation.

 

I still go to thrift stores at times, but I am really careful.  No furniture - I'l buy dishes and things like that.  If I get clothes I will usually freeze them and then wash them, or even have them dry-cleaned.  Also - I don't tend to take the kids in to the stores because they get into things.

[Bluegoat]

Do you know what they use to spray for bed bugs and fleas?  I did not know about this.  Do they wash the clothes they sell?  I have always wondered about that.  Anyways, I'd hate to think that I was bringing a bunch of extra and toxic chemicals home just by thrift shopping.  

 

No, I don't know what they us, I suspect it probably changes and would depend on what was being used locally.  They have to keep changing because the bugs become immune.

 

They do not wash things before they put them out.  If you thrift shop, you need to do a good wash when you get home.  For things like big wool coats, I dry clean and also wash carefully but if you don't like that idea you need to think about how you will clean things.  Also, if you freeze clothes for a while (I'd give it at least a week in a deep freeze) it will kill bed bugs.  

 

These are reasons I am more likely to by new these days, unless it is a really exceptional good quality item.

[shawthorne44]

I noticed that the thrift store prices definitely went up after that popular song where the guy wants to wear old clothes, and footed-PJ's.   

[Farrar]

A piece of relevance to this discussion:

https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2018-01-15/no-one-wants-your-used-clothes-anymore

 

ETA: This piece from Newsweek on the same topic is even more detailed:

http://www.newsweek.com/2016/09/09/old-clothes-fashion-waste-crisis-494824.html

 

Summary: "Fast fashion" means there's a lot more clothes being made, a lot faster, for a lot cheaper, and that those clothes are reworn less and less often. The recycling industry can no long keep up, and they aren't even trying because now it's cheaper to make new blankets and other things than to recycle. They say it's an environmental disaster in the making.

 

I have seen a drop in Value Village shoppers, honestly. We don't go as often as we used to either. The prices on shorts and pants - the items we were most likely to buy - have gone up while the prices at Target, etc. have gone down. The older ones - even from a decade ago - are more durable, but with kids, you only need most things to last a year anyway. I see that it's a problem, but I'm not sure what the solution is - raising prices on clothes isn't going to fly in the marketplace.

Edited January 29, 2018 by Farrar

[8circles]

It used to really annoy me that someone I know used to go round charity ships and buy stuff to sell at a profit but I knew she really needed the money. Someone working for the charity - not on. Though some of the charities do it themselves. Like I said they all now are trying to get money not provide a service.

 

Just jumping off from here.

 

FYI, Goodwill is not a "charity shop" (again, I'm not saying that you are calling it that, kiwik). They are a non-profit but their mission is not to provide low-cost used items to people in need. They run their stores to make money to fund their services which "put people to work". Each Goodwill region will do this in different ways and through different projects. 

 

They don't care if people buy from them and resell on eBay for a profit. 

[Bluegoat]

A piece of relevance to this discussion:

https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2018-01-15/no-one-wants-your-used-clothes-anymore

 

ETA: This piece from Newsweek on the same topic is even more detailed:

http://www.newsweek.com/2016/09/09/old-clothes-fashion-waste-crisis-494824.html

 

Summary: "Fast fashion" means there's a lot more clothes being made, a lot faster, for a lot cheaper, and that those clothes are reworn less and less often. The recycling industry can no long keep up, and they aren't even trying because now it's cheaper to make new blankets and other things than to recycle. They say it's an environmental disaster in the making.

 

I have seen a drop in Value Village shoppers, honestly. We don't go as often as we used to either. The prices on shorts and pants - the items we were most likely to buy - have gone up while the prices at Target, etc. have gone down. The older ones - even from a decade ago - are more durable, but with kids, you only need most things to last a year anyway. I see that it's a problem, but I'm not sure what the solution is - raising prices on clothes isn't going to fly in the marketplace.

 

I worry about this too.  I fid it so crazy that as our environmental awareness is going up, we are still producing more crap than ever.

 

For myself, as I'm needing to replace a bunch of clothes after pregnancy and such, I am just going to try and get really goo d quality, and not much of it.  It is harder with kids though.  If we stuck to better quality, we could hand things around over time, but it is tricky to do that unless other parents do the same thing.

 

And the cost of better things is still a factor, so then you have to try and figure out the most effective way to spend what you have.

[eternalsummer]

Just jumping off from here.

 

FYI, Goodwill is not a "charity shop" (again, I'm not saying that you are calling it that, kiwik). They are a non-profit but their mission is not to provide low-cost used items to people in need. They run their stores to make money to fund their services which "put people to work". Each Goodwill region will do this in different ways and through different projects. 

 

They don't care if people buy from them and resell on eBay for a profit. 

 

Yes, I think some people have a misunderstanding of the purpose and nature of thrift stores (and to be fair, it can be confusing as there are many of them and they have different purposes and missions).

 

some of them just exist to make money for themselves.  There's a chain of upscale children's resale stores in the US, at least most places I've lived, and sometimes independent ones.  They're just a business like any other; their prices are good and they generally screen well for quality.  I buy 90% of the kids' clothes at these places.

 

Others exist to make money for charity or their own missions.  The DAV, Goodwill, Salvation Army - they all have different plans for the money.  But they don't exist to provide low-cost clothing (or clothing priced below its value) to poor people.

 

Then there are places in some towns or cities that exist at least in part to sell or give used clothing and household items at low cost to poor people.  In the town I lived in longest as a kid, they had what they called Social Services, where you could get clothes for quite quite cheap (and donate).  They also had a group that set up every holiday season to give things away, which was cool.  The purpose of these places, as far as I could understand it, was to provide low-cost or free things for the poor, not to make money for some other project.

 

So I wouldn't worry about the relative who used as a perk of his employment the option to buy nice things from Goodwill and resell them; that is part of how the system works.  

 

 

All of that said, our Goodwill is great.  I think that is partially because it's the only show in town and the town has a strong bedroom community middle/upper-middle component, so donations are good and they're not going anywhere else.   The Goodwill in my hometown was the worst thrift store in town.  Salvation Army was second worst; the Council of the Blind (which eventually got bought or the space turned over to the DAV) was the best - except for the upscale resale kids' store.

[shawthorne44]

Sometimes though, I think they could make more money by pricing stuff lower and having higher turnover.   

 

DH is a connoisseur of ReStore shops.  These are stores affiliated with Habitat for Humanity and they sell donated home building/repair stuff.   So, similar to a Goodwill, but with home stuff.  Each manager sets his own prices and policies.  The one in Plano, TX prices their stuff rather high, turns away donations because of lack of space, and doesn't make much money.  All the others in the DFW area are run properly with reasonable prices and accepting any somewhat reasonable donation.  

 

A Salvation Army I used to love when DD was little had one day a week when all kid's clothing was $1.  It was wonderful, and every time I went, which was often, the stock was completely different.  Then they stopped the dollar days, and they basically stopped selling kid's clothing.  

 

[Bluegoat]

The other thing about employees snagging the good stuff is if it happens all the time they simply won't get a good customer base.