I find it hilarious that people are bitching that they raised the prices a couple bucks...I mean come on, its going to a good cause, and zelda is still a deal at 4$ ,quit crying ;-)
I find it hilarious that people are bitching that they raised the prices a couple bucks...I mean come on, its going to a good cause, and zelda is still a deal at 4$ ,quit crying ;-)
I live in a semi-rural area (about 20,000 people, up to 30,000 when school is in session), so I was surprised to see how many people behaved like this in my town. I think the perception is different from the outside because you never get to see exactly what's in all of those bags people are giving the store. Open a few of them up, and you'll find skid-marked underwear and clothes yellowed from cigarette smoke. We even found one used dildo a month, with surprising regularity. It's not often you get to throw a floppy purple dildo at someone you work with without being charged with sexual harassment. Anyway, nasty clothes are great if you're struggling to survive in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, and I'm sure the batteries from a dildo could power your game boy for an hour or two, but in terms of what people will buy used in the real world, there are limits. There are two kinds of Goodwill stores, though. Some are just little thrift stores, and the bigger ones are distribution centers. The little stores take a few donations, but generally receive their goods from donations which have already been sorted and processed at the larger distribution centers. That's why there's less junk at and outside of the smaller stores.Originally Posted by Ed Oscuro
The purpose isn't to employ the disabled directly but to raise money to help the disabled find jobs. There's a difference there.
But yeah...I have noticed that sometimes it seems like they forget they're a THRIFT store. There have been many times I've seen them selling used items for more than you can get it new elsewhere. I mean, come on, sure it goes to a good cause but they paid nothing for the stuff. It was all donated so selling it for any amount is a profit. People shop there to get good deals. If they just wanted to help a charity they'd give directly.
I still find good deals though on occasion and feel better about where my money goes than, say, if I shopped at Walmart.
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Someone i know sadi that goodwill ships things over seas to sell in other countries...who know's if that's actully profit. And, well, Zelda isn't there everytime. what if i wanted just a copy of super mario, but it was 4 bucks? terribad.
Just look at the How Much Is It Worth? thread here to see why. "I only bought this to flip it." "How much do you think I can get for this on eBay?" People scoop up anything game related at thrift stores regardless of whether they actually want the stuff or not, and then sell it on eBay. "It's how I can afford to buy stuff for my collection". Personally, if I don't want something, I leave it alone. Maybe someone who'll come in after me will be looking for that particular game. I could be greedy and scrape every thrift store clean of video game related gear, but I know that I get mad when I hit the same thrifts repeatedly and there's never anything there because all the eBay speculators have wiped the shelves out before I got there. I want to be considerate to the other patrons. Consideration is one of those things that seems to be dying out in our society.
I must say that Goodwill price stickers have the most annoying adhesive I've ever seen. It never comes off clean.
I haven't had them write on games yet, that's the independent shops that are too cheap to use price stickers. I've bought enough $1 vinyl from there that they can get some cheap price stickers...
Their prices on games is kinda random, but it hovers at $3.06. I got some N64 stuff for $1.06/each a little while ago, but they got more in and they're $3.06 now. PC games are usually $3.06, but console games vary a little more. CDs are $3.06, and that bothers me, because they have CRAPPY music there. For about a month they had a special, $1.06 for CDs, so I got a few but nothing amazing. I come in again and the sign is still up, and I find Peter Gabriel's So. Of course, the promotion is over, they just forgot to take the sign down. I paid and they thanked me for reminding them.
They also have no return policy. Period.
Salvation Army feels more human. I find neat stuff there far more often, and it's ALWAYS priced better. CDs are $2, and games usually are too. They don't get gaming stuff nearly as often, and it's still mostly PC stuff, but their price stickers are easy to remove. Still, I've seen some awful prices in there too, like the $60 8-track player and the $80 Xbox. Goodwill got an Xbox and they asked $20, and it took weeks to sell, but that $80 Xbox was at SA for one week.
Sometimes, you have to step back and realize that you're criticizing the policies of THRIFT SHOPS. They're charities run by volunteers, old people, and people that generally don't know what the stuff really is. These are people that don't realize that half the CDs on their racks are illegal bootlegs that some teenager burned and labelled with a Sharpie. When I find Stadium Events CIB with tape and stickers all over it with a price written on each side, THEN I'll complain to management.
Steve W, I highly agree with you. It really annoys me that people scour places just for stuff to resell. I've seen games for less than they're worth, but left them so that people who want it can have it. The worst case I've seen is that one guy who buys every bargain-priced copy of FF7 in his town. IIRC he said he's acquired some 50+ copies of the game.
Selling gaming accessories. Click
Reading this doesn't impart much faith in mankind's good nature.
"If each mistake being made is a new one, then progress is being made."
I would absolutely agree with you, if raising prices resulted only in additional profits, although this is not the case. Goodwill throws out more stuff than you can believe. Good stuff that people would have loved to own, although were not willing to pay ridiculously high prices for. I just feel that it is extremely said to see reusable items being sent to the dump because Goodwill wouldn’t sell it for less.
Flipping games is a large source of income for me, and I don't understand how it is inconsiderate? Sure, I am annoyed when I go out looking for games and come home empty handed, but you snooze you lose. With flipping games I can afford to buy more things for my collection.
My local Goodwills haven't gone up much in price thankfully and they seem to be reasonally uniform with pricing but it still varies. What bugs the heck out of me is the stupid management lately. They have hordes of PS2 and XBox game under the counter for $9.99 each but leave every CD case empty on the shelves and keep the discs in back. The display glass cases are usually crammed with junk but the shelves remain empty, no uniformity there. Too many times there are old shoulder cam corders under the case for a ton of money that block the view of other stuff and the price tags are always hidden because the employees are too lazy to put it in the case right. Game consoles are usually the same way, just crammed in without the price visible, then I ask to see it and it's just a bare bones console with maybe a power cord for always around $12.99 to $20, sadly the complete consoles are the same price which is reasonable. Would it be too much to take a quick look through the stuff before just blindly slapping tags on everything? The employees are that lazy lately. They had an $80 XBox recently too.
Salvation Armys are another story, all but one near me are complete hellholes that are impossible to find stuff in. When stuff turns up it's usually filthy but mostly reasonable prices but not worth the time to look through now. They also leave old garage sale stickers on things then tell you that's not the price even though they never even priced it in the first place and that's just plain lazy.
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wah wah wah, you guys sound like a bunch of butthurt babies.
I'm sure you all would pass up a huge stack of rare factory sealed games you already owned at a thrift FOR THE GOOD OF THE HOBBY AND OH ALSO HAVE I MENTIONED HOW VIRTUOUS I AM?
If you want the good stuff at thrifts, find out when they restock and go there then. It's not hard; most stores restock around the same times on the same days. Hell, be nice to the old ladies and ask if they have any video game stuff in the back that's not ready to be shelved yet.
One of the local Goodwills always has their disc-based video games marked as audio, which is non-returnable. Wish they'd knock that off and mark them as electronics or electrical (which can be returned) like the other local Goodwills do.
Last edited by DigitalSpace; 08-25-2009 at 07:16 AM.
Around here both Goodwill and The Salvation Army store are pretty much bare any time I go. Good will did have a dirty well worn NES toaster for 40.00 one time though...
Yipes. I didn't expect my little rant to get a response. For the record, I *have* found some good things at Goodwill (such as a sealed Kirby's Adventure, and a copy of Super Mario RPG for $3) and I still think it's a good place to find bargains. I just wanted to vent my frustrations with my local store, because on the rare occasion they DO have any video games, they are covered with labels, sharpie and packaging tape. I guess I really can't blame them... on more than one occasion I have found empty DVD and game cases on the shelves, so obviously theft is a problem. But there is a fine line between protecting merchandise and defacing a product.
ya one time my dad walked into a thrift store on his lunch break and the lady was putting out a whole cart filled with nes games all complete in box. They had to put a sticker on each one for 1.99, and the person dragged out their nines in marker off the stickers and onto the boxes on some. Its like what a great time to write numbers in a fancy way. i got about 70 nes games complete in box so its hard to complain though.
Autobots. Roll out.
Depending on the price of the rare factory sealed games, sure I might leave them behind. I think the point that some people are trying to make is that it bothers them when people who are buying things only to flip them complain that they aren't getting their stuff cheap enough.
Much the way some people feel about those who, no matter how good a deal they are offered, have to try and get it cheaper. Example: A boxed SNES with a complete set of the Final Fantasy series, plus a sealed Earthbound for $10 and they have to try and get it for $5.
JY
What's wrong with that. When I sell those I will make $5 more and if they're willing to do it, why the hell not?
I've never had much luck finding good retro stuff at Goodwill, but occasionally you can catch a great deal on something more current. I got a brand new, Logitech wireless PS2 controller for $10, and they were $30 at the time. I guess I did have a small retro score that day with a flawless gold N64 controller for $5, but that was the only time. Getting that Logitech for so cheap was a nice surprise. Needle in a haystack though, and it was at a rural Upstate NY Goodwill in my wife's hometown. Have been there about 10 times over the last 10 years, and that was the first time I saw a good grab.
I don't know. I guess that maybe I have reached a point in my life where I can be satisfied and not always wanting, "just a little bit more".
When your parents took you out and offered to buy you a toy, were you grateful and accepted it? Or did you have to try to talk them into a bigger toy, or maybe two toys? I mean, if they're willing to do it, why not?
Also, I have noticed people gleeful buying stuff on the cheap and commenting about the stupid people who didn't know what they were selling. But. God forbid these same people do research about what they are selling and try to get the almighty eBay price for it. After all, it's a yard sale or flea market for crying out loud. Stuff is supposed to be cheap. 'Cuz if people start charging street prices for stuff, how will you ever make any money?
JY
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