First Day at Goodwill with no Promos, Discounts, etc - Like a Ghost Town Compared to last few Weeks

[katzrul15]

There was hardly anyone there.

Hopefully greedy Goodwill realizes that without most/many of their incentives, folks will likely shop elsewhere.  Especially coupled with their sky-high prices and no senior discount, no veterans discount, no color of the week discount - all gone in my stores/area.

I shopped this afternoon at our church thrift and St V DePaul.  Much better pricing deals and also for a Monday, not very busy there also.

Might drive south of us a few hours and check out other stores, but with the high costs of gas/fuel - does not make too much sense really.  Especially as you could drive 2+ hours and not find anything worth resourcing.

[natoman777]

Goodwill Outlets are the best in my opinion.   We have 1 somewhat close to us (1 hour away) and then one that is 2.5 hours away and one that is 2.  We went to one on the way home from Vacation Sunday and got a decent amount in just over 2 hours. 

Goodwill stores are beginning to price higher and higher.  The one in our town has prices on some items that are as high as some store early clearance prices.  Greedy Goodwill couldn't care less about customers

[katzrul15]

@natoman777 

I need to look to see if we have an outlet anywhere close by.

When we were there on Saturday there was hardly any merchandise at all - today everything was jammed/packed - and many with the tag color of the week that just ended.  Greedy is right - they pulled merch off the floor so that it would not be subject to the 50% off or 99 cents on Sunday.

Thanks for the reminder about outlet stores.  I need to research that!

[silverstatetreasureboxes · Accepted solution]

@katzrul15 

I don't have any goodwill stores near me but I used to visit one when I had my cabin in Northern Michigan.  I thought they were a tad pricey and slightly commercial with end caps full of makeup, new socks etc. I can't recall ever purchasing anything for resale.

     I did have very good luck at one of those habitat stores up north. This one was huge, good collectibles, old 60s toys, old crystal door knobs and the prices were just fantastic.  I could have loaded up the whole truck and that was not happening in hubs eyes.

     I just don't understand why goodwill would cease to offer these discounts to their customers especially now when it's very much needed. This may come back to haunt them.

[katzrul15]

@silverstatetreasureboxes 

I do not know why either - especially to not give discounts to seniors or veterans at this economic downturn is absurd.

I am not aware of a Habitat store, but might be and I am just not in the "know".  Will do some research.  Got 4 pieces of pyrex today and 1 fireking at the STV dePaul.  Carpy patterns but maybe in a lot.  Not chipped or flea bitten, so that is something!

[chapeau-noir]

We have bins either 20 miles south of me or 17 miles north.  😫  It's best to go as often as possible because stuff is always moving through, but with a 40 mile RT in our traffic, even with gas prices dropping it's just not really realistic to go daily or every other day.  I would take the bus but would have to transfer, which I guess would be OK, but when one goes to the bins, one buys by the pound so it might be awkward hiking the quarter mile between transfers, dragging all my bags of junk along.

[bbravo65]

...still remember Goodwill store in Hillbilly, San Francisco...huge, so cluttered with dust, but good pricing and full of vintage and antique items...workers were so reluctant and neglected as placing a huge, heavy crystal serving tray on the top of a set of vintage China porcelain tea cup and saucer...

...a whole day in hunting for treasures in that store is needed...

[1786davycrockett]

Check out any Humane Society Thrift Shops that might be close by -- some really great values (and prices!) on lots of vintage items -- and the money all goes to the Animal Humane Society.

Union Gospel Mission used to have some good second-hand stores as well.  And, of course, Salvation Army.

And Savers has 40% discount days for veterans once a week.

So lots of options, if Goodwill is burning you out.

[toysaver]

Savers got rid of all their varied discounts for colored tickets.  Just as well, I could never keep straight which colors had what percentage off.   

[katzrul15]

@chapeau-noir 

I wish you lived closer to me - I would go widgeting with you in heartbeat!  Cannot imagine taking the bus and transferring and schlepping all that stuff(s) back with you!  Have never been to an outlet store - did not realize it was by the pound!  

[katzrul15]

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@1786davycrockett wrote:

Check out any Humane Society Thrift Shops that might be close by -- some really great values (and prices!) on lots of vintage items -- and the money all goes to the Animal Humane Society.

Union Gospel Mission used to have some good second-hand stores as well.  And, of course, Salvation Army.

And Savers has 40% discount days for veterans once a week.

So lots of options, if Goodwill is burning you out.

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Excellent ideas!  Thank you for sharing!  Never heard of Savers, but will check on them.  I volunteer at our Humane Society and they do not have a store, but maybe in other towns, so will do some research!  (Our SArmy stores tend to be duds, but have not been in 1 in years, so maybe my frame of reference is off!)

[chapeau-noir]

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@katzrul15 wrote:

@chapeau-noir 

I wish you lived closer to me - I would go widgeting with you in heartbeat!  Cannot imagine taking the bus and transferring and schlepping all that stuff(s) back with you!  Have never been to an outlet store - did not realize it was by the pound!  

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I'd actually rather take the bus than drive - at least I can read or catch up on Posh sharing or something instead of just sitting behind the wheel - but if I end up with more than two big bags, it gets really awkward and a lot easier to have the station wagon to just load up.  

Yeah, it's by the pound and the more you buy, the cheaper the per pound price is. 

[toysaver]

We still have some of our discounts in the Southern WI / Greater Chicago 'franchise system'.  The 25% off birthday coupon can be used any single day of your birth month.  My plan is to hit them next Tuesday which is customer appreciation day with 25% off if you spend $25, combined that's 50% off.  Hopefully I'll get a cart load, if not I'll save the coupon for a day when I have a full cart.

[pickermall]

Don't know where you live... but Goodwill stores are all run independently by region. Here in Ohio there are maybe 10 regions and all are different. Some regions are super pricey (Cleveland) but others like Columbus and Ashland aren't too bad.

When we lived in NorCal, the Chico Goodwill was a filthy dump, but Saramento and Yuba City were awesome! Redding was pretty good, too.

My wife and I travel and we hit Goodwill (and other thrift) stores all over the country. Some are dogs (we went to one at one time... I think in Indiana and they wanted $10 for a small wooden box!), but some are great. BUT most are jacking up prices and acting like antique stores, for sure.