Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I haven't seen any obviously disabled workers in any of the Goodwills I frequent; they all basically look and act like any other retail clerks anywhere. Nor have I witnessed anyone being abused.
It seems like almost every day (I guess people are decluttering as their New Year's resolutions) I see posted on Facebook or NextDoor, "Where can I donate things that ISN'T Goodwill?" Why all the hate? I've heard the rumor that the higher ups are greedy and don't pay employees enough (whatever), but to me, it's like "I won't set foot in Walmart because of slave labor." Well, okay, justice warrior, but you're only hurting your OWN pocketbook there. Personally, I love my Goodwill and - although prices have increased, like everywhere else - I still find great stuff there and save tons over buying new. It's like it's become the thing to announce that you won't support them. I also notice that "free" sites on social media seem to be gaining ground, and I worry that this will hurt not only Goodwill but local thrift shops on which needy charities depend for their contributions.
I dont have the highest opinion of Goodwill because I think all of their disabled workers need to at least be paid the federal min wage not pennies per hour or under a dollar per hour or whatever.I also dont like how the big wigs at Goodwill make so much money despite it being a non-profit.
A common misconception is that thrift stores exist to provide low price goods for low income people. Most are connected with a charity, and their main purpose is to raise money for said charity. Let's say someone donates a sterling silver tea set. Shouldn't the store get as much money as possible for it? And with our local TS, all the money raised would be providing assistance to local people with heating costs, food, rent, etc.
Anyway, how would the store even determine who was truly needy and who was a re-seller? Many charitable stores have a voucher system where people in need can get some clothes for free.
I meant that the nicer items don't even make it onto the sales floor for locals to buy at whatever price. The nicer donated items are immediately pulled and stored in the back, pending being sold via Shop Goodwill. Local people never even see these "curated" items in their local stores because they aren't put on the sales floor.
Well, I don't go to Goodwill looking for "the nicer items." I mostly go looking for cheap clothes to hang around in, a 99-cent book (I once found a pristine copy of a recent Merk Manual), or maybe some gag gifts, but occasionally I do find something really useful at a great discount.
Well, I don't go to Goodwill looking for "the nicer items." I mostly go looking for cheap clothes to hang around in, a 99-cent book (I once found a pristine copy of a recent Merk Manual), or maybe some gag gifts, but occasionally I do find something really useful at a great discount.
Interesting. I donated my Merck Manual to Goodwill last year after replacing it with a newer edition. It was pristine, of course.
A common misconception is that thrift stores exist to provide low price goods for low income people. Most are connected with a charity, and their main purpose is to raise money for said charity. Let's say someone donates a sterling silver tea set. Shouldn't the store get as much money as possible for it? And with our local TS, all the money raised would be providing assistance to local people with heating costs, food, rent, etc.
Anyway, how would the store even determine who was truly needy and who was a re-seller? Many charitable stores have a voucher system where people in need can get some clothes for free.
Yes, this exactly. It’s sometimes difficult to explain to people, and people sometimes get angry when we don’t haggle prices or donate goods to them.
And then there are the buyers who claim $15 is too much for a coffee table that has “scratches” on it. Lol. Hello, it’s a Thrift Store!
I am biased against Goodwill. It feels like a garage sale; go pay money to get other peoples discards. You can occasionally find decent things at garage sales and at Goodwill but I don't feel that the time looking is worth it.
On the other hand my wife likes taking things there. As mentioned upthread donating to Goodwill means not having to deal with pictures and communication for resale or gifting online. So we donate stuff and I cringe a little each time because I know that much of it is low value junk.
We prefer to donate to local charities so that the money stays local. I have the same feeling about a lot of the big charities that exist to "help" the disabled but really just take advantage of them. Yep, looking at you NIB/NISH/Abilityone.
I am biased against Goodwill. It feels like a garage sale; go pay money to get other peoples discards. You can occasionally find decent things at garage sales and at Goodwill but I don't feel that the time looking is worth it.
On the other hand my wife likes taking things there. As mentioned upthread donating to Goodwill means not having to deal with pictures and communication for resale or gifting online. So we donate stuff and I cringe a little each time because I know that much of it is low value junk.
"One man's trash is another man's treasure."
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
