Communicating with Goodwill offices, I learned they are changing their marketing strategies due to the availability of new goods coming off shelves of failing/going out-of-business/bankrupt stores. I have found a plethora of NEW in-the-box with-the-manual items at tremendously low prices.
I find NEW items: A Bodum cordless teakettle ($79) for $6, a pair of Stuart Weismann pumps ($400) for $3.99, a pair of Hush Puppies ($90) for $2.99, a Nordstrom leather vest ($189) for $2.99, a small (this was used) china cabinet ($2500) for $100, a kichen butcher block/island ($259) for $49, a vintage beveled mirror ($800) for $15.
The mirror was too large, a leaner, and I sent it to a consignment shop who sold it for $300.
I find Ralph Lauren, Liz Clayborne, Ann Taylor, Eddie Bauer, JC Penny, Target, Jones of NY, many, many famous top-of-the-line retailers at Goodwill. Just shop carefully.
Goodwill needs cash. YOU need their stuff. Help them by recycling so they can continue their mission of helping the less fortunate and saving yourself money. If I tire of an item, I donate it back to Goodwill. After all, I did not pay the true value and price for the item and some good comes of it once again when they resell it.
RECYCLE, FOLKS! It is a good thing for planet Earth and you.
By Avis from Boulder, CO
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Wow, prices are good at YOUR Goodwill. Not so much here in Oregon. Items have gone up so much in price that I don't shop there a lot anymore.
One trend out here in So. Calif. in Good will is that there are regularly new items from Target. I have bought $35 dresses for $6-7 & Hubby has picked up household things . Oh, they had new Hanes underwear a few times, too & at one place, lots of new shoes (also from Target).
Excellent! Glad you are able to find such great buys!
Goodwill warehouses in Indianapolis sell by the pound, 69 cents per. Items are in roll-around bins every which way and one must dig through, nothing is sorted except bins of clothes and bins of not clothes. Must kiss a lot of frogs to find a prince of a deal.
Prices not good here in Lubbock, TX. I shop Goodwill on occasion and sometimes find a bargain but that is rare. Clothes are reasonable but the rest not so. I was just in Goodwill this morning; I go because Monday is senior citizen discount day. Glasses were marked $1.99 each and you can get those in the dollar stores and garage sales for 10 cents to 25 cents. I picked up a rectangular photo box the kinds you see in Hobby Lobby and was floored that it was market $6.00.
Hi, I enjoyed your article, but it also made me sad. I live 50 miles from Pueblo so don't get there often, but when I did, I always shopped at Goodwill and Salvation Army. SA went first, then GW. Now we have a store run by Mennonites to help incarcerated mothers raise their babies. They foster them and give the mothers classes on how to care for them.
They have a really nice store, but I also miss having more stores to shop from. I am on a really limited budget. I have a favorite thrift shop I stop at in Denver, near the VA. Also one up North from there. Haven't been there for a long time. Thanks again for your article.
Clothing at the Goodwills in Tulsa are fairly good. They've raised their prices in the last year, I think men's t-shirts are now $2.99 & kids' clothing is $2.99, women's shirts are $4.99 & up.
But everything else? I think whoever prices their stuff thinks they are an upscale department store & half the time they mark the junk way too high & the good stuff even higher!
The Goodwill in Cottonwood, AZ is a real joke when you see the astronomical prices they put on things. Many times it's close to the same price it would be if it was new!
Which goodwill do you shop? As I live in the area, it is nice to know.
I live in the state of Georgia and our prices down here are NOTHING like yours for sure! In my opinion for it to be a Goodwill, their prices are way too high! I mean come on, the merchandise is DONATED to begin with, give us all a break!
I donate to Goodwill on a regular basis; I'd like to buy more there but the prices are rather high and sometimes I feel they are almost retail. I can do much better at garage sales. It's nice that you are getting such nice new items at such great prices but alas I have not seen that at my Goodwill location.
Hi - this article was written in October, 2011 so no way to compare prices.
Except -- the prices at the goodwill in Ocala, FL has always been like a boutique and not a good place to shop for bargains.
If you are buying one or two special items then it may be okay.
Our Goodwill specializes in cheap items from the Orient/India and those items are usually cheaper at Wal-mart or the local flea market.
The "funny" thing is you can go all over the large store and 9 out of 10 employees are NOT handicapped in any way. If you wander into the back (by mistake) you may see a few more handicapped but this does not seem right as all of their ads make out that that is their main purpose for having the business.
Our Salvation Army was really good but they moved to another building and changed everything so now it is in trouble and may have to close. Most people cannot afford to pay high prices when they are not making much money.
I do not shop there but try to patronize the small local thrift stores and yard sales and hope that will help someone support their family.
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