What Are You Views On Shopping At Goodwill?

Discussion in Charitable Causes started by Sunshine • Feb 1, 2015.

  1. Sunshine

    SunshineActive Member

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    Do you shop at the Goodwill, and other similar stores? Why or why not?

    When you purchase things at Goodwill, do you mainly feel like you are doing so to get a good deal for yourself, or do you also feel like you are helping someone out through your purchase?

    I'll be honest and mainly think of it as a good deal for me, if I come across one. However, I sometimes get the weird feeling like I shouldn't be shopping there, and those "deals" are for the people who can't afford things full price. Then I always make myself feel better by saying my money is helping keep the workers employed.

    How about you? What are your views about people shopping at the Goodwill?
     
  2. steph7h

    steph7hActive Member

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    I am a faithful Goodwill shopper. Finding good deals for my family is the most important reason I go there, but I do realize the good they do for the employees also. I also donate anything we can't use there too, so I feel like I contribute to other people finding good deals and the employees having work too.

    There was some controversy a few years ago about how much they pay some of their employees, but overall I feel like they do good work, and if the employees feel they have received a good work experience there, then that is what is important.
     
  3. Theo

    TheoWell-Known Member

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    Goodwill shops help everyone; the community, charity, employees and it helps recycle items. I have bought in them and parents volunteer in them. People use them for so many reasons, to buy because they can't afford, to buy things to re-sell as a business and people buy to support the charity.

    Whatever you do it helps and is ethical, though some stores don't have good policies and are run as a retail operation rather than a charity when they impose sales targets on the stores.
     
  4. RomanAnthonysMama

    RomanAnthonysMamaMember

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    I don't shop at Goodwill because I do not feel as though they are an ethical company. They donate a VERY small percentage to charitable causes, most of it they pocket. Their prices are outrageous, last time I went there, they wanted me to pay $7.99 for a used pair of Aeropostale shorts that you could buy new for the same price at the actual Aeropostale store. I think if they're going to hike up prices like that, then they could at leas donate more to charity. I usually choose to go to The Salvation Army, but honestly, I'm not too much of a fan of theirs either since they are so bad towards the LGBT community.
     
  5. Pat

    PatWell-Known Member

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    I shop at all of the 2nd hand shops, I like to save money, I like to find items that I may not find some place else and I like the idea that I am keeping items out of the landfil. To me I am on a treasure hunt to find what I can find. I have sold items I purchased online, I needed a new coat and only had $50 to spend, I wanted the coat to be of quality and be heavy as it was a winter coat I needed. I purchased a brand new Longdon Fog coat for $15, the tag was still on the coat $175.
     
  6. Winnie

    WinnieActive Member

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    I like shopping at Goodwill because I like the prospect of coming across something that is a good vintage find, be it a nice piece of artwork, a decorative piece for my home, an old book, vintage jewelry, a vintage purse... doesn't necessarily have to be vintage, just needs to be unique.
    Goodwill has cheap prices on things, which is great, but I mostly like the idea of shopping and finding things that are not readily available in every store. It could be an old Christmas decoration that costs .50 cents, but if it is something that is rare, and it appeals to me, then I'll buy it.
     
  7. S.O. Price

    S.O. PriceActive Member

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    I shop at stores like Goodwill and the Salvation Army on a fairly regular basis. I know of at least one person who checks out the Goodwill in a town that has really wealthy people. They donate their expensive clothes and designer purses and she snatches them up and sells them on e-bay for a hefty profit.

    I don't do that because I don't know anything about designer clothes, but when I need the basics like winter sweaters or summer tops, I usually head to the second hand shops. I can buy a ton of clothes for hardly any money and feel like I really had a big shopping trip.

    I also like to pick up old VCR movies and exercise tapes. They're practically free and I still have a VCR so why not?
     
  8. H.C. Heartland

    H.C. HeartlandActive Member

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    I think by shopping at Goodwill we are keeping the great infrastructure going. Also, if you feel guilty then donate the clothes you don't need, that is how we can help people. Because of the great following Goodwills have improved all over the states to the point you barely notice some of the clothes are used anymore.
     
  9. S.O. Price

    S.O. PriceActive Member

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    Actually, on more than one occasion, some of the clothes I buy at Goodwill are in far better shape than some of the clothes I had been wearing! At least that tells me I get my money's worth out of the clothes I do buy from regular stores.
     
  10. GeeCee

    GeeCeeMember

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    I've noticed that, for the most part, the quality of Goodwill clothing has gotten better, at least at the ones in my area. They actually have clothes arranged by color and size, and they're in good condition. Not your mother's Goodwill, for sure.
     
  11. Parker

    ParkerWell-Known Member

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    I am not a regular Goodwill shopper. When I do shop there, it's to find a good deal. I have purchased a couple of laptops and a few handbags from Goodwill. I'm not really big on buying clothes there. I still have a thing about used clothing and I can't really find anything that I would wear.
     
  12. Brenda Barnousky

    Brenda BarnouskyActive Member

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    The only reason we ever shop at Goodwill is to find costume materials for Halloween. That's probably because our only Goodwill store is disgusting and dirty. It smells bad, and the clothes have not been cleaned, at least not very well. We do have a few other thrift stores in town that charge a little more, but the clothing, furniture, etc, is so much better than the stuff at Goodwill. I shop at them whenever I can.
     
  13. S.O. Price

    S.O. PriceActive Member

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    I just bought a combination VCR/DVD at a thrift store for 30 bucks. I'm really happy with my purchase. I was leery about buying it at first because this particular store does not offer ANY returns. However, they assured me that the device was tested and it played VCR cartridges and DVDs and they were right. It's a fairly recent model, but it does make a slight buzzing noise, so I imagine that is why somebody got rid of it.

    I had bought a couple of DVD players about a month ago at Goodwill. Neither of them worked when I got them home, but they told me at the store that I could return them if they didn't work, so I did. I did appreciate that they allowed me to return them.
     
  14. Noreht

    NorehtMember

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    We have a similar organisation here in South Africa where you can buy from the store for very cheap. They operate on only donations of goods. I have donated there once or twice. I shop there because it is a very good deal for myself and because I feel it helps the people that the charity supports. They regularly hand out some of the donated items to those in need.
     
  15. Glcameron

    GlcameronNew Member

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    I don't get why anyone would feel as though there is a stigma to shopping at Goodwill or any consignment shop. I personally donate as well as shop at those particular shops because it's a bit cheaper for you to be able to find that deal that you might not find otherwise. There are a lot of stores out there that have shirts or dresses that are cookie-cutter and the same as the last one and you don't want something of that nature you want to be able to create your own look. I think when you really sit down to think about it would you rather pay a tenth of the price for a garment that was authentic Lee classic been paying an additional hundred dollars for a shirt that may or may not be cut the same style? I don't think so I personally think that you're able to really find a little more from Goodwill if you have the right I for it if you take your time to look for it then you would text you going to the store like Forever 21 and get completely bombarded with every floral design or shape prints that seems to be cut and some flowy weird type of Direction that's actually go through the process of going to a Goodwill in finding an actual dress that fits you to your specifications or it's cheap enough to the point where you can do the modifications and not feel bad about it because it costs you may be about $5.
     
  16. Krissttina Isobe

    Krissttina IsobeWell-Known Member

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    I also donate and shop at Goodwill and other thrift stores. I like to browse and see what they have. I bought at a 40% off sale curtains and they're very good. I don't feel anything when I shop at thrift stores. Some people on Antique Road Show on television have bought paintings at thrift stores that were worth a lot of money! Pays to know your painters! I do feel wonderful that it helps the community and oneself getting bargains at thrift stores!
     
  17. Noreht

    NorehtMember

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    I just wish we had some more goodwill stores in my area. The closest one is about 40 miles away from me and it is a schlep to drive there. I really enjoy shopping there when I do get the opportunity though and I have bought many items for decorating our house. I am yet to buy clothes there however.
     
  18. albreeden

    albreedenMember

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    I've shopped at Goodwill for almost all of my life. I have never, at any point, felt that I wasn't supposed to be shopping there because of an income gap. Though you're not really helping that much by shopping there financially (there was a whole scandal with the business a few years back), you are helping the community. You are saving TONS of items that would otherwise be in our landfills. And most importantly, you're helping yourself buy not buying full price items that you'll just be tossing out in a few years because it isn't in style anymore.

    Though I love Goodwill, I find that shopping at smaller thrift stores helps the community in better ways. AND, most of the time, the prices are half of what you'd see at Goodwill.
     
  19. DrRipley

    DrRipleyExpert

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    We don't have one here but I think I wouldn't feel too guilty about shopping there because I'm not exactly rich myself and if I did feel guilty for certain purchases then I'll probably just try and make up for it by donating my unused but unwanted goods if they will take it. Also I like finding unique items and discovering and buying at bargain prices so this would actually be right up my alley. For now all we have that is close to this would be the surplus shops we have nearby, and even with those I tend to have so much fun just looking around and digging for things I can buy.
     
  20. juulicob

    juulicobNew Member

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    There are many Goodwills stores within a 30 miles radius of where I live and the majority of them are pretty clean and have an interesting inventory. Usually the staff is kind and keep to themselves. Once in awhile a staff member will offer assistance or display enthusiasm, like most retail stores that encourage their employees to do haha. I quite enjoy the peaceful shopping in a Goodwill. Finding deals on certain items that I'm willing to buy used is always cool.