Saturday, January 15, 2011

Thrift Shopping (Bargain or Bust)

Are you for real? You can't be! $20 for a lamp? $150 for an obsolete
27 in. RCA TV and $200 for a Sanyo 32 in. TV?

Is it just me or have you too noticed that Thrift Stores are now pricing items as if
they're a Discount Store? Plates that were once .25 to .75 cents are marked
at $1.50 & up. This morning I went into one of the few remaining stores that 
was considered to have fair prices, well it's no longer! I think it has to do
with the fact that more and more people are shopping at Thrift Stores.
Management has seen an opportunity to take advantage of this increased
foot traffic. What was once a venue to help those on a budget or in need,
has now become less a bargain than shopping at Walmart or Target!

Yes, I purchase items from the Thrift Stores but I also give, when I clean out
my closets or storage area, I know in advance that the proceeds will be going to 
help the homeless and/or other charities. What happened to the fact of helping
people who are less fortunate or starting over from a tragedy or any other situation?

While I might be in the position to pay $20 for a lamp, some are not, we might as
well go to Walmart and pay the same price for a new lamp. The main idea in
thrift shopping is to get it for less.

Just my thoughts, what do you think?

4 comments:

  1. Here is a story I found online to support your post concerning high prices of the thrift stores:

    I am a regular shopper at Goodwill and Salvation Army stores. I love a good bargain. But, I am increasingly getting disgusted at some of the prices these stores are asking.

    T-shirts range in price from $1.99 to $3.99 which is more than a fair price. But if you want anything nice, it is now put in an area called "the boutique". Those items are considered higher quality. I looked at a New York Knicks jersey recently. It was not of a specific player. It was not hand-stitched. It was just a nice jersey. There was nothing spectacular about it. The Goodwill store was asking $19.99. I understand sports jersey's can be expensive but hey, the Goodwill store received it for free. Why are they not letting someone who cannot afford a jersey buy one?

    I donate about two boxes of items a month to Goodwill. I always believe in helping a good cause. Goodwill.com claims that over 80 percent of its profits go towards helping people.

    Isn't helping people have items important? I am angry that these stores are getting greedy. I saw a chest in one store for $149.99. It was a cedar chest. It was very old and in awful condition. I've seen better ones at tag sales for $20.

    When I talk to employees about prices, they say things like, "well that is what it is selling for on eBay or on Craig's list." I tell them, then to sell it on eBay or Craig's List. Sometimes they even print out a listing from eBay and put it on the item to show what people are asking for the item. That doesn't even mean it sold for that price on eBay. I can ask any price I want for something on eBay. It does not mean it is worth that price.

    Besides, this is a non-profit organization that is meant to help people. Why are they trying to get the same high prices people are trying to get online?

    I often see a price on something from a tag sale, for example $2. No one bought it for $2 yet the Salvation Army is asking $9.99. I've also seen items in the Goodwill Store that are higher than in Wal-Mart. And explain to me why the same $1 DVDs that sell in dollar stores are selling for $1.99 at Goodwill. That makes no sense to me at all.

    BBA1: I have read countless numbers of complaints about this problem through out the U.S. online. In my opinion, I believe it is the economics of supply and demand. Simply put GREED! The big question is, who is lining their pockets?

    BBA1 Following the FunkyJunk@202

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  2. Thanks so much for stopping by my blog. You are so on point here. Its interesting because everything they recieve is free.

    Mr. Goodwill Hunting

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  3. Thanks BBA1, it was an interesting article.

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  4. Thank you Mr. Goodwill Hunting and you are so welcome, I love your posts!

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