I went to Goodwill and St Vincent de Paul looking for an old blanket to hang over my back door to keep the heat in.
Boy was I surprised! The prices were ridiculous! I know my prices and I know my sales. I was convinced they were the same price or higher than a new blanket. I went to Fred Meyer where sure enough the blankets on sale and on clearance were priced lower than somebody's else faded old crap.
What's up with that? I have noticed that the clothing prices are similar. Why would someone buy a stranger's castoffs when they could get brand new clothes for the same price or a couple of dollars more?
Or is it just that I know my sales and prices?

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ITA. I've seen stuff at Goodwill that was donated from Target that's priced higher than the last Target mark-down. I'm always surprised that Goodwill charges so much for stuff they get for free.

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Reading is Fundamental.

I wonder if they've raised prices in light of the economic situation just to make more money. They've done spots on the news here that 2nd hand stores sales are way up. They may be depending on the fact that most people probably don't know their sales/clearance prices.

Lisa

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"It's not having what you want,
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I agree. The regular prices at Goodwill are ridiculous. Since it's been that way for a while, it must work. I guess other people still buy things and think it's a bargain.

I'm lucky because the Goodwill's around here have a quarter rack....everything that was reduced to 70% off last week goes to 25¢. It's amazing what I find there. I recently got a really nice cordoroy winter jacket for 12 1/2¢. It was on the quarter rack and it was half off day

GIrls I am agree. While I truly love shopping at both stores here,some of their prices are very high. However two factors I put into my stores, where I live as alot to do with the items they retrive from donations, I sincerely would say about 95 percent of the items are all brand expensive items. With that being said, everytime we go to Lancaster P.A. I simply go ga-ga over their Goodwill store, they have several bins where the clothes are just thrown in however each item is only 50 cents.Over here in my neighborhood the best things they offer are the following 25 percent off shoes and handbags each day and each week they offer 50 percent off a certain color tag. So needless to say thats how I shop I just got to look for the week color tag. Peace and stay safe in this holiday season. Catherine

My 2nd hand stores been having sales, ladies clothing 1/2 off the other day, bought six pairs of jeans for $2 each, didnt relize one had... dont know what it's called, flared leg/bell bottoms hate the rubbing of jean material sound but kept them anyway to wear around the house

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Our local Goodwill also does the 50% off deal on a certain color tag. Still at 50% off a sweater is $2.50 and pants are $3.00. I very rarely purchase anything unless it is 50% off. I can't imagine paying what they ask for some of their stuff. It is really hit or miss. I have found some great bargains, and I have seen clothes that should only be used for cleaning rags.

I still don't understand why someone would pay that much for it when they could get it new? Do they not know? Do they think "I'm poor I can't afford the new stores" and don't even look?
I understand scouting the second hand stores in search of something unique or a bargain. But used clothes for the same or more than new?
Who actually does that?

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Cleaning rags ITA , there are times I am going thru the racks and I will come upon a certain piece of clothing and I say this stuff is still here, omg throw it away or perhaps make a free rack I am truly sure someone less fortunate could take advantage of a item... Peace and stay safe in this holiday season.. Catherine

that's why I don't even go into most 2nd hand stores. Savers is the only one. They do half off days. Our Goodwills are trashy, dirty stores. I can't even think of going in anymore. I get MUCH better deals on clearance and/or sales

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We have a Salvation Army store nearby and it's the same, about $4 for a used tshirt, $8 jeans. I only buy stuff there when they have big sales to get rid of stuff at the end of the season, all the long sleeved stuff is 10 for $1 or everything sleeveless is 50 cents, etc. I have bought new snowsuits, jackets etc at those sales that were marked $10 or more originally... I do not buy at their regular prices.

I don't think anyone would do this. When I shop at these stores I am as price conscious as I am at any other store. Sometimes I see things at Target or Walmart that are more expensive than a high end store....same thing could be said. Why buy at Walmart when you could get it at Macy's? Well you don't. You check out items, check the prices, check the quality, check the fit. Then you buy the best item at the best price.

Sure there are times when my dd or I see an item way overpriced at Goodwill. Then we DON'T buy it. But when she needed several vases to give wildflowers to several of her friends, she found some at Goodwill for 25 cents. Coats for $6 and nice dress shirts for my ds at $3. One time we got leather jackets for my dh and ds and they were around $10. I was happy.

Also I never buy something that looks used! The items look as good as new and that's why we buy them. And there is no stigma that someone else has used it, cause it still looks good or new and the price is right.

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I wonder if they price them high so that they can discount them later on. If they start things with a discount pricetag and then run a 70% off, they'll be giving things away. If they start an MSRP $10 item at $10, and then mark it down to 70% off and sell it for $3, their customers will be excited to have gotten a deal. If they start it at $3, when they mark it down to $.90, they'll lose a lot of the profit they might've otherwise gotten. My guess is that anyone who thinks the item is worth the $.90 would also probably pay the $2.10.

IIRC, Goodwill's mission isn't really to provide cheap clothes to those who can't afford retail. Their mission is job training, and they use the proceeds from their stores to fund their job training programs. That means they are out to make as much $$$ as they can from their stores... and therefore they probably employ as many working business tactics as they possibly can.

We only have a good will here. There prices are comparable with Dillards. Needless to say I wont shop there.

Yes, I am near the central PA area, and my husband and I noticed that the prices really went up lately ,and just like you said ,about the things that are higher than new at alot of stores. Lately the one doesn't seem to have a big turnover, as they still have most of the same things from last month. Usually when I go to the area, I am doing my grocery shopping,etc. so I don't have lots of time to go through everything. I wish that they could separate by sizes. They have everything thrown together and I just can't go through all the racks hunting for my size. I did spend two hours one time trying to look while waiting to pick up my husband and I got so frustrated. Maybe some can guess for their size, but I can't even with shoes-LOL!

I used to be a regular Goodwill shopper here. Several months ago they really changed their pricing system and it's not worth my time anymore. I mainly looked for books there. They went to an 88 cent price for all books but I swear any book that I pull out to look at is individually marked for $2-$3. Any "good" book is now priced much higher. I also like religious statues and the same thing has happened with them-although I will pay the higher price if I really like it. Sometimes I just shake my head at the pricing system. I have also been wondering what has happened to their pricing system. I would imagine it's the economy but I don't know. I miss the "old days" when I could leave with a stack of books! They've certainly lost business from me.

The only time that I will buy from our Goodwill store is when they have a 50% off day.....then it's worth it. Otherwise, they're ridiculously high --- ( $8 jeans, $6.50 for a pair of adult shoes that are USED!). It's funny to see something from the Dollar Store there that has a price of $2 on it!

Sad thing, they usually toss what doesn't sell. Doesn't make sense to me.

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I always think about all the stuff they throw away, because here we have a huge goodwill store and each day there are big big bins of donations the store is very crowded with items and clothes packed so tighty on the racks. Seriously thats why I feel they should offer used clothing at a more reasonable price, why throw it away, if that is why they do with it, surely some less fortunate people could easily use these items especially in these hard ecomonic times and the cold weather... Peace..Catherine

For years I thought that Goodwills were non profit. I heard that the owner of several of our local stores lives in very expensive house, and makes a nice hefty income from all the free stuff he resells. They have one store next door to our local mall, they built a huge building, and I can't imagine what they must have paid for the prime land it sits on. I also thought they had people who were disabled working at all Goodwills. I have seen some disabled people working, but for the most part....it looks like the people working out front aren't disabled.

I was in our Goodwill last week looking for books and at the cash register there were big signs that said something like: due to the economy we will no longer be running specials, but will lower ALL our prices to help out our customers until further notice or the economy gets better. I bought a couple of books that normally would have been $1 each and they were only .50 each. I didn't look at the clothes, I didn't see the signs until I was checking out, but was pleasantly surprised!

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I noticed this too that the prices have gone up in all of the thrift stores around here. I guess it is due to the economy. More people are shopping there, thinking that they are getting a bargain. What they don't know is that the stores have raised the prices! I haven't been in a few months. I used to hit one store every Monday when it was half price day. The other store had half off the last Wednesday of the month. I really miss my thrift shopping, but as the OP says, I refuse to pay the same or more money for something that I could buy new. ~Lisa

My college kid came home for winter break w/ a huge list of clothing that he needed. We hit the Salvation Army store. Wed. is 1/2 off all clothing. Btwn the two of us, we loaded up three big garbage bags of clothes for $35. He ended up w/ a brand new fleece pullover, a brand new golfing windbreaker (probably about $60 retail), a couple of brand new (with tags) polo shirts (Izod, Polo brand), and some dress shirts w/ the dry cleaning tags still attached. I was able to find a few really cute things for myself, including an adorable red suede blazer which looks like it has never been worn for $4.00. I thought we did really well. And I was just dumfounded that my kid did not give me sh*t about shopping there. He has such a great sense of humor, he kept holding up items that just cracked me up.

Now that he is a college kid, it's not "used" it's vintage!!!

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Sounds like you had fun AND got great deals!

The only people we shop for at goodwill are my 2 DSs. They both wear suits and dress shirts and there are still really good bargains to be found. Suits are $10.99 and when we can get them at 1/2 off its a real find.

Regular clothes like jeans and tees are much better buys at regular stores on sale unless you stumble across something unusual.

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I will only buy at salvation army on fridays or saturdays
the color of the week clothing is 5 for 5 dollars
I have gotten some really nice stuff
and they have damaged packaged stuff from walmarts sometimes and there are usually a great deal
I got 78 tall kitchen garbage bags last night for 3.99 I thought it was a good deal
and about a year ago they had lots of pampers diapers (missing a diaper) when someone rips open a package at the store to see what they are like
I got them for my friend and they were at least 75% off retail
Suzanne

I still hit the thrifts from time to time.

Not only do you have to know your prices but you have to know your brands as well. $6 for a used pair of Cherokee(Target's brand) shoes is no bargain but $6 for a used pair of Doc Martens(which I LOVE)is a steal and I'll snap them up in a heartbeat. Even if they need polish and new laces, it's still a steal.

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Both of my grown children buy a lot at Goodwill. My son will buy the suits for 10 or 15 and when they get dirty, donate them back, and buy another. Particularly the ones he finds don't fit quite right or ends up not liking for some reason. He gets his shoes there as well. As mentioned above, he knows his brands and is willing to search and scrounge through the racks.

On a recent trip to Goodwill with my daughter, I was going up and down the aisles without paying much attention and almost ran over my son.

I guess it depends on where you live and what the local policies for the stores are. I was very surprised to see the blankets priced so high. The regular blankets which are all obviously used were over $10 each! And the comforters which also did not look anything close to new were in the $20s and higher! And I was just looking at twin size.
Well instead I bought a new one and there is no way I can hang it on my back door (I was afraid this would happen) so instead I will go look for a tablecloth or thick curtain but I will look at the new stores. I just don't have the patience to go to so many stores. When I am looking for something specific I know where to go. When I am just browsing I guess that is the time to go to the secondhand stores.

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The political system is broke and it's a joke.

Years ago, I bought an armoire for $50. It was half off and wood. It's in my living room and after 8 years I can still smell the cedar. I love this piece.

I stopped going thrift store shopping because I noticed the prices became ridiculous. Used stuff had close to new prices.

I do agree that you really have to know your prices.

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Hopefully after the holidays we can all get some great deals. This is the time of year when people get new "stuff" and clean out their closets and get rid of the old "stuff". Someone else's trash can be your treasure! ~Lisa