OH bummer ... are the TS owners hanging around our forums??

[mugsisme]

Almost all the local thrift stores seem to think that they are retail jewelry stores. It's absolutely ridiculous what they are charging. I'm not having much luck. You guys who have stores that charge $1 or $2 are lucky.
I'm talking $80 for a 14K thin, thin, thin chain. Nothing special. $28 for Brighton. Luckily, they don't know Silpada yet. Picked up an Uptown ring, but I paid for $30 for it. I'm going to try and get at least $60.

 

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[DeepseekerADS]

Word does finally get around....

I delved into doing this and found the same with Goodwill and Salvation army. did pick up some good cheap gizmos along the way - like a really nice microscope - nobody seemed to notice that, as all eyes seemed to be on the jewelry.

 

[Lost&Found]

Yep, my local TS is now acid testing and charging retail. My lucky finds are for items they don't have time or "recognize" as something valuable. I could swear they are using EBay prices as a guide.

But on the bright side they don't know what weighted sterling means. I picked up a pound of scrap silver last week for $4 an oz.

 

[huntsman53]

The more folks post their great finds and deals, the more likely that the TS folks are going to come across the posts in online searches! I know that TN folks love to share but sometimes it is best to keep some things to yourself.


Frank

 

[Beachkid23]

Eh, it's mainly ebay I think. Every time I go there is a printout of an eBay listing to compare it to. However they never used a completed listings they only seem to use the highest one somebody selling it for. Yeah check completed listings and there's 50 of them that if sold for less than half of what they're asking. And the item sits there for 6 months... I used to have to print them out. I hated doing it. I always thought if you getting the thing for free why don't you just sell it instead of keeping it for months and months and months.

I suggested hey you know what they're selling on eBay for 50 bucks not 300. Let's mark the thing at 25 and sell it. No no no let's market at $175. Well that make sense!! She said, I can always go
Down! Btw, at least at Salvation Army, you can make them an offer on their over priced stuff. A lot of the times the eBay listings come from their main warehouse already priced not from the store itself.

 

[OldSowBreath]

I don't even bother with GOODWILL or SALVATION ARMY anymore (maybe that will turn up in a search). If I stumble into one and see something I like, I can find it on ebay for about 25% of their price. All of their ebay printouts (they have no clue how to research) make me just run away.

 

[DFW_THer]

The thought of a GW or any Thrift Store doing acid tests makes me ill. They are completely missing their mission if they are spending time dropping acid. (see what I did there?) hahaa

 

[mugsisme]

Lol^^^. I am also basically using them for things they missed. One thrift store even recognized Silpada

 

[BuffaloBob]

Yes my local TS is a ebay big dealer. Over 1,000 listings/month. Checking every item on Google, ebay or wherever. Prices them cheaper than competition so people visit his store or maqil orde. Gladf it is them, not me. I have no problem buying stuff from TS that know what they have. But most do not. The indoor malls that rent spaces are my prime targets. Here is my secret..tip:
Many shoppers see an item they like, and "hide" it. In a dak corner, on the floor, behind junky stuff. I've found many nice books placed out of reach. Or behine others.

With instant access to values on the web I don't expect any more treasures to pop up.

 

[tamrock]

It's getting harder to score in the jewelry department of these places. Today though, I did find 2 Baccarat bunny rabbit paperweights for $1.99 each.

 

[Beachkid23]

I went to our salvation army today and they had a 1944 Viceroy Rolex. It did work but it needed some cleaning. They were asking $2200 for it. Similar ones in the same condition close to it sell on eBay for $1200 bucks! Oh well I guess the store now collects jewelry because the prices are ridiculous.

 

[mugsisme]

Beach, was it 14k?

 

[Beachkid23]

Beach, was it 14k?

Manager said if was 18k. But on eBay they go as little as 9ct. So who knows. I didn't look that much into it.

She had sterling earrings in the case for $50. And a sterling necklace for $80. Unsigned, but since they were silver.... And it was about 25 gram necklace, $80 was a good number I guess!

 

[gino22]

Would be interesting to see if the average store's profits seriously reflect the thousands of extra hours dumped into researching and retaining inventory. There's a reason McDonald's doesn't serve foie gras. Are the thrifts really getting ahead by playing Sotheby's?

 

[mkulltra]

Would be interesting to see if the average store's profits seriously reflect the thousands of extra hours dumped into researching and retaining inventory. There's a reason McDonald's doesn't serve foie gras. Are the thrifts really getting ahead by playing Sotheby's?

Yes. Which is why corporate has gotten involved and is trying to become Amazon. We hear it all the time that stores are no longer selling jewelry. Why? So, corporate can go auction it online. Dont believe me then go look at the things listed on their auction site.

 

[whtlion]

The thought of a GW or any Thrift Store doing acid tests makes me ill. They are completely missing their mission if they are spending time dropping acid. (see what I did there?) hahaa

LOL DFW_THer dropping acid .... made me LOL at work thanks for the laugh

 

[mugsisme]

I suspect that the goodwill here has also been pulling the really good stuff. I haven't had a great find in a while. Months.

 

[timemachine]

Well, imagine all the stuff that never even makes it to the salesfloor!

 

[OldSowBreath]

I wonder when the government is going to review their tax exempt status? I mean, with their blossoming auction market, I really don't see much difference between them and say, Heritage Auctions, except that Heritage actually pays the owners for the stuff they auction off.

Man, I wish I had a business where my entire inventory was given to me for free.

 

[Lost&Found]

TS rant. About three weeks ago they put out for sale a Gibson 1963 lg0 acoustic guitar for $1399.99.
eBay sales range between $700-800. 5days go by and the price is now $699.99. On this past Tuesday they had a 50% off sale. No guitar is on display. On the following day it's back on display for $699.99.

If they were reading this forum they would know that the value of the item is what it sells for not what is asked. And people shop at TS for finds and not retail prices.

BTW I would grade the guitar 6.5 out of ten.