Local GW Going Downhill Fast

[trdhrdr007]

My GW has been changing since the beginning of the year. They are moving to a barcode system instead of their old system of hand written tags. Nothing wrong with that but they have also started jacking up prices. Record, DVD, & CD prices have gone up 35%. Video games have more than doubled. Common items in the houseware & toy sections have gone up by 50% and prices on anything unusual or new have at least doubled. New clothing that still has the tags on it is priced at 90-95% of retail even though most of those items are regularly available on sale at Wally World for less. Regular used clothing is still the same price but many brand names have gone up. Book prices are the only items that haven't increased. One of the workers told me that all the jewelry and "some other things" will be going on the auction site.

This weekend I went to the GW in the next town over & noticed the same trend. I suspect there is a new district manager. I'm not one of those guys that thinks thrift stores are obligated to price things at a level where I can make money. I understand their goal is to make as much profit as possible. Having said that, I think they are pricing themselves out of the market.

 

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[Drmad7]

I heard my local district manager is about due to leave. They change about every two years...and this one sucked. Anti-jewelry sales in the store (they claim it goes online but to go from hundreds of gold jewelry in the local stores to 5-10 necklaces a month on the site...it’s going somewhere other than online. The local stores now have a brick and mortar sales goal AND an online store goal to meet, which forces them to look for stuff good enough to send online vs selling it quickly in the store. So the stores are looking more and more like the “second hand” stores of the past. I’m looking forward to him leaving. Good Luck on your end.

 

[HistoryTeacher]

My local GWs have all been going to the barcode stickers as well. I haven't seen the prices change yet (but they just changed over about two weeks ago), but they always put the label on the bottom of household items and cover up the makers marks. None of the GWs near me have ever had great jewelry picks (and none ever do jars).

 

[JimDon]

That is why I don’t even bother going anymore.

 

[trdhrdr007]

I live in a fairly small town with just 4 thrift stores. Losing one of those is a bummer. I don't make a huge amount of $$ from any one store but the GW has consistently put money in my pocket.

 

[eman1000]

I live in a fairly small town with just 4 thrift stores. Losing one of those is a bummer. I don't make a huge amount of $$ from any one store but the GW has consistently put money in my pocket.

How? What do you buy and resell jewelry, etc...

 

[Beachkid23]

Goodwill is terrible. Unless we need clothes for the kids. Salvation Army too. Thank goodness for year round yardsales.

 

[scott9050]

I go 4 days a week because even through they jack up the prices on things like electronics, I still find deals. In just the last week:

1. Set of 4 Pyrex Butterfly Gold Cinderella bowls for 10 bucks, mint. Ebay sold prices of $52 with $40 shipping. I will ask $55 in my booth.
2. Set of 3 Pyrex Homestead bowls for $6. I have the largest bowl I paid $6 earlier this year at the same store, will ask $45 with $12 invested total.
3. Set of 4 mint Pepsi-Cola Bigger Better Enamelware Canister Set. Paid $15, none currently on Ebay but a few sold prices in the $70-$100 range on Worthpoint.
4. 4 twisted stem Amethyst wine glasses, paid $4 and go for around $70 for 4.
5. 4 Waterford Ruby Brookside glasses I paid $8 for 4. Sold prices on Ebay go from $43-$48 shipped each.
6. Fenton Custard glass Poppy vase. Paid $5, goes for $20-$25.

It seems people are spring cleaning at the moment. I went through a stretch after Christmas where finding anything was difficult in any of my thrift spots, but recently it has been great.

 

[Keith Jackson]

My local GW was used barcoded stickers for years. They also jacked up the prices years ago. It is funny to go in there and see DVDs that you know came from the local Dollar Tree sitting there with a $3.50 price tag on them. The same with books that are obvious leftovers from a yard sale with a $1.67 price on the back and a yard sale 25 cent sticker on the front. A while back they raised the book prices even more. It used to be $1.67 for paper back and $2 something for hard back. Now they seem to price them by what the book is, with some being in the $5 and up range.

They also have a policy stating that they will not sell you any item that does not have a barcode sticker on it. If you see something that you want that doesn't have a sticker, they state that they will not price it for you at that time. Basically that it has to come off the floor to be priced and then will be returned to the floor later. They did, however, violate that rule and price a book for me while I was there.

 

[Johnnybravo300]

Same things at every thrift store nowadays. Prices increasing alot and half the crap is junk or worn out, and it's all donations and FREE to begin with!
We still stop at thrifts but we dont buy much. $20 for a pair of hole filled worn out Levi's is the norm now.

 

[GibH]

Same things at every thrift store nowadays. Prices increasing alot and half the crap is junk or worn out, and it's all donations and FREE to begin with!
We still stop at thrifts but we dont buy much. $20 for a pair of hole filled worn out Levi's is the norm now.

I volunteer at a small charity thrift shop. Our prices, especially on clothes are very reasonable. While everything is donated, it does not mean we can afford to give everything away. Everyone working there are volunteers, but there are still rent and utilities to pay. Breaking even would defeat the purpose of a charity. Still, even though everything is in the shop is priced well below retail, I've still had people throw out the "free donation" argument.


I also hit 4 other shops a few times a week. A couple of them have stuff priced at or above retail. I see stuff priced at more than what I can buy at Walmart or Dollar General. I keep going because I still find hidden gems every once in awhile.

 

[Philvis]

You should be seeing a surge in donations based on a bunch of news articles I've read. That de-cluttering lady, Marie Kondo, has apparently led to a ton more donations being made to thrift stores as Americans de-clutter their homes.

 

[trdhrdr007]

How? What do you buy and resell jewelry, etc...

I buy the occasional piece of jewelry but most of what I buy comes from the other departments. Way too much to tell in a single post. When I first started I bought what I knew. Then I started looking at what sells on eBay (my primary sales outlet) in my free time. It helps that I've got a good memory when it comes to prices. A few years back I bought a smart phone which really helps. There was somewhat of a learning curve to know what to look up & more importantly what key words will help me identify/find what similar items sell for. I look up anything unusual, ugly, strange, vintage, or if I don't have any idea what it is. I don't buy anything without knowing how much it will sell for. It's all about knowing what will sell....

 

[randazzo1]

I think I’ve been in goodwill once, maybe twice. Based on experience, it’s much easier to find resale items in i dependent thrifts, at rummage sales, garage sales, estate sales, flea markets and even antique centers.

 

[Everester]

Yes I don't go to goodwill much anymore either. I live within 10 miles of 3 cities that all have thrift stores and I find myself skipping goodwill more and more when I do a loop of them. None of them has sold any jewelry really in the 5 years I have been doing this let alone jars or anything. I'm lucky if I find anything once every other month from a goodwill and when I do they are only about 20 percent off of new retail prices so it's just not worth it. My best finds are from the small nonprofit ones. There are two of those in each city and I can usually average at least one score per city when I do a round each week in the winter months.

 

[BC1969]

Kinda makes your stomach churn when you find a dollar tree item at GW for 3 bucks...
For something that they got for free!
Greed!

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

Kinda makes your stomach churn when you find a dollar tree item at GW for 3 bucks...
For something that they got for free!
Greed!

Its got its Good side and bad side to it thou IMO.

I've seen empty Voss bottles for sale for the price it would cost full in a store....but then find Visionware tucked with vases for a couple bucks....My last good score from GW was a complete Visionware Cranberry set ( about 15 pieces) and all for under 20 bucks

 

[Iechedels]

I sell heavy amounts of dishes and in Atlanta, i'm used to paying 10 or less for incomplete sets, like casual set of 4 bowls and 2 plates Homer-Lauglin for $5

 

[scott9050]

Its got its Good side and bad side to it thou IMO.

I've seen empty Voss bottles for sale for the price it would cost full in a store....but then find Visionware tucked with vases for a couple bucks....My last good score from GW was a complete Visionware Cranberry set ( about 15 pieces) and all for under 20 bucks

I have found three Big Bertha Visionware dutch ovens there and done very well with them. Currently have two sets of Visionware that I am getting ready to list. Most people do not realize that it is still made (imported) and is very expensive new.
Yesterday was another great day, found two Correlle Butterfly Gold platters that were brand new for .99 each. These regularly sell for over $20 each shipped. Also found a green glass oil lamp from around 1910, comparable ones are around $110-$130. I paid $6. Too many things this week to list.

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

I have found three Big Bertha Visionware dutch ovens there and done very well with them. Currently have two sets of Visionware that I am getting ready to list. Most people do not realize that it is still made (imported) and is very expensive new.
Yesterday was another great day, found two Correlle Butterfly Gold platters that were brand new for .99 each. These regularly sell for over $20 each shipped. Also found a green glass oil lamp from around 1910, comparable ones are around $110-$130. I paid $6. Too many things this week to list.

thats awesome! That’s actually what I collect and search for most of the time.