Which is the better place to source inventory from regular Goodwills or Goodwill Clearance Center

[pigeonpicker]

Clearance Center = Even cheaper! But it's overcrowded with the same customers every day. And you need to search for hours through junk to find the good stuff. 

[titipeo]

Your question is one that will vary base on location. Goodwill/Clearance stores will be hit or miss. Also, keep in mind that a fisherman will never reveal his sweet spot.

Me, I work in international freight, and I have access to unclaimed products at minimal cost, sometimes free.  

[Anonymous]

maybe it is NOT wasting your time if one gets great joy out of the hunting and finding a treasure. I find it enjoyable and consider it a hobby. Everyone is different.

[silverstatetreasureboxes]

@pigeonpicker 

Lots of good advice here, so here's mine because I live out here too.

To those who recommend garage sales, they really do stink out here. Mostly it's a few items laid out on rock with no prices and dirty. If you do happen to find one that has tables and price tags you have fight off a ton of folks with screaming babies and grabbing things from you.

      Pigeon, run down to Boulder city,  they have nice shops to pick from, I like Goat feathers, run upstairs, good deals.

     Run down to Laughlin and Bullhead city, great antique shops there and flea markets and trust me their garage sales are much better.

     Kingman AZ has some great auctions and fleas watch for them.

     Run up to Overton, Wednesday 9-2 the have their thrift shop open and it's huge and very well priced, also good garage sales there also.

     Henderson has some fun stores as well.

     Goodwill stores in Vegas? Wouldn't touch em.

     Best to you and have a Merry Christmas ( hoping it will warm up here, freezing my Santa hat off)

[jayjaspersgarage]

"I have access to unclaimed products at minimal cost, sometimes free.  "

BINGO!

[pigeonpicker]

Goodwill Clearance is only good for volume. I may be there for 4 hours and it may primarily be junk and even the finds aren't worth much. But that 4 hours of searching translates into 50 to 100 items brought home worth anywhere from $10 to $50 plus shipping. 

[jayjaspersgarage]

"maybe it is NOT wasting your time if one gets great joy out of the hunting and finding a treasure. I find it enjoyable and consider it a hobby. Everyone is different."

Yes, I agree with this sentiment.  How we source will vary and many people have the time to browse if they don't work full time or perhaps don't have kids.  I have sourced wood furniture through estate sales for far longer than the internet has been around.  We used to check the local papers on Friday's and circle the garage sale ads that looked promising and then plan out a route on a paper map.  The family would split up the map and cover different 'sectors' and meet up for lunch at a pre-determined restaurant.  I am still selling stuff my mother bought this way in the 1970's.  lol

Currently my main source is from estate sales either before they open on Fridays or late on Sunday afternoons.  

[a_c_green]

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@m_pthisandthat wrote:

Have much better luck at estate sales or estate auctions. The last day of estates sales can produce some great buys. 

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...as can the first day, if you're able to get in the door during the first ("golden") hour (or first fifteen minutes, really). Once you're past that, the obvious treasures will be gone, and you will need to rely on your luck, knowledge, or searching skills (hunting through the basement, under tables or in closets) to find the good stuff. The last day is worthwhile as you're more likely to be able to haggle a deal on something that was overpriced earlier.

My preference for estate sales is to be there so early that there is still a pair of legs sticking out from behind the couch, but I also enjoy the challenge of finding things later on that everyone else missed, and I find them often enough to make the visit worthwhile.

[wastingtime101]

I'm experiencing déjà vu.

[pigeonpicker]

You mean like when Neo sees the black cat in The Matrix?

[wastingtime101]

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@pigeonpicker wrote:

That listing is almost a year old. I didn't even use a ring light. Or frequently wipe my phones camera lense when there's a fingerprint on it. Or use Google Lens back than to identify photos. So I've improved a little since back than. 

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Now is a great time to end old listings and relist with better photos and descriptions.

[pigeonpicker]

I would, but I'm having hot coffee and playing video games on my phone. Just had another sale too, $20 plush shipping on a tie from Goodwill Clearance. I probably paid 25 cents for it. 

[iart]

Where I go is based on what route I'm taking. I don't like driving out of my way. So we map out a route that will take us to a few places, but saving on gas and time.

[krazzykats]

When I have time to even go to a GW outlet, I'm looking for glassware.  I pick up some nice crystal and glass pieces.

I will then resell at garage sales or flea markets next year...:)

[jayjaspersgarage]

"My preference for estate sales is to be there so early that there is still a pair of legs sticking out from behind the couch, but I also enjoy the challenge of finding things later on that everyone else missed, and I find them often enough to make the visit worthwhile."

Arriving early enough to be in the top five on the sign up sheet means we arrive before 4:00 a.m. for a 10:00 sale.  That's how competitive it has become.  I did that maybe three times and figured out an easier way to work 'with' the people running the sales instead of 'against' all the early birds.  The regulars in my area have their own specialties so there is almost no competition.  Plus a lot of people don't know where to look in the shadows so I often find money makers laying around on Sunday afternoons that the seller is ready to give away.

[soh.maryl]

Awhile back, a local florist started selling very small bouquets, just a flower or two in a pretty glass vase, maybe with a ribbon tied around it.  She sourced about all her vases and ribbons as well at GW and the GW outlet.  Thus, could afford to offer these at good prices.  She said a lot of them were sold to SO's looking for some little brightness to send to a loved one to have on his/her desk.