Salvation Army is Getting Ridiculous Here

[JimDon]

Plated and dented tea pot.

 

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[mugsisme]

Look like they think it's silver

 

[JimDon]

It's clearly marked silverplate on the tag

 

[JimDon]

I did manage to find this Native Chants silver banded watch for $6. Weighs 1oz.

 

[ARC]

Plated and dented tea pot. View attachment 1178566

Lucky if that piece is worth 24.99... At best...
these are a dime a dozen in my book...
Let alone another hundo on top of that.

 

[JimDon]

It's is plain ugly too

 

[Lost&Found]

So a SA worker looks an item up on eBay and sees someone is asking $129 for it and prices it the same. They don't look at completed listings for the sold price. My local TS is even more ridiculous. A few weeks ago the store manager showed me a clock that he just priced for $240. He said it was from the 1800's.

I looked up the manufacturer and model and it was from the 1920's and saw a listing on eBay for $160 bin or make an offer. I told him what I found out and he answered, "it's here right now and you don't have to wait."

Long story short it's now marked $79.99 and hasn't sold even after 25% off days.

Hopefully it will be a learning curve for them. Price fairly and not with a "premium".

 

[JimDon]

They should take a lesson from Goodwill and plant a story about a $20k watch or $50k painting being found. Millions in free advertising. The stores get packed after one of those fake stories.

 

[ARC]

What kills me is ... they get the crap for FREE.

The incentive to shop with them is to be able to buy things at dirt cheap prices...
NOT at OR near retail pricing.

They test/try the shoppers to see if they can find someone "willing" to pay this amount...
When they don't they mark it down.

I guess if the people who shopped in these situations refrained from purchasing items that are priced high they would stop.

But... I have heard the ole saying "sucker born every minute"... guess this is the new "thrift shop approach" to making money.

 

[JimDon]

My take is when I find something good then the victory is even sweeter!

 

[trdhrdr007]

I agree it's aggravating when stores or individuals price things too high. I can't say I blame them though. There are plenty of idiots in the world who will overpay. The truth is they are in business to make as much money as possible.

 

[ARC]

I agree it's aggravating when stores or individuals price things too high. I can't say I blame them though. There are plenty of idiots in the world who will overpay. The truth is they are in business to make as much money as possible.

Agreed... and most of US would do the same standing in those shoes.

 

[tamrock]

That's the name of the game. It's all about the hunt... I like it when they think .585 is the same as .925

 

[batcap]

Just between us . . . I think This is TS season. Everyone is out at the yard and garage sales, disgusted and thumbing their nose at the thrift stores. Nevertheless, people keep dropping their treasures off at the thrift store, the doors will be bursting at the seams and well before summer's end prices will be reasonable again. But Right Now, you can hit a thrift here in baltimore and the prices for luxury items are falling, and more of the overlooked by staff items are lingering on the shelves. I won't post an active auction but I picked up a pair of Wayfarer II by B&L for $3 last week at my favorite TS. They are up to $66 with 30+ watchers. In the dead of winter I would never have seen them because someone else would have struck before me.
If I haven't made myself clear: TS competition is lowest on sunny summer weekends.

 

[el padron]

They should take a lesson from Goodwill and plant a story about a $20k watch or $50k painting being found. Millions in free advertising. The stores get packed after one of those fake stories.

Every single one of those stories are absolutely ridiculous, aren't they?

 

[batcap]

Every single one of those stories are absolutely ridiculous, aren't they?

Here in Baltimore a story ran about a woman finding an extremely valuable painting at a flea market. After the painting was authenticated the Balto Museum of Art claimed it as stolen from them in the 1950s, I think. It turns out that the woman's mom or close acquaintance probably stole it back then. Neighbors said the painting had been hanging in her house for as long as they could remember. Not a GW story, but same point.

Edit: It was a Renoir
?Flea market? Renoir returns to the Baltimore Museum of Art six decades after its theft - The Washington Post

 

[Lost&Found]

Every single one of those stories are absolutely ridiculous, aren't they?

After personally scoring some valuable artwork from TS's I find that these stories are possible. I don't go bragging about them in public or tell the stores what i found. Way back when I first started picking someone posted a note in front of the salvation army.

It went something like this.

Mistakingly a family heirloom watch was donated by accident to this SA. It was a Philipe Patek. If anyone knows about it please contact us. (Phone #)
RewaRD.

 

[JimDon]

Trust me I have found some amazing things at SA and Goodwill. The issue is it seems like SA is pricing everything as if it is $$$$. Keep at it as I intend to find me a Patek some day. Thanx for all your responses!!!

 

[diggummup]

Trust me I have found some amazing things at SA and Goodwill.

You and I both brother. In the good old days, they were a constant treasure source. The internet basically ruined that though. There are good finds still to be had. They are fewer and farther between and the competition is fierce so knowing your local thrift stores stocking habits is a must if you plan on scoring anything with any type of regularity. Being at the right place at the right time and knowing how to look for treasures that fly under the radar of most store workers is also key. Treasure comes in many forms.

 

[tamrock]

Just between us . . . I think This is TS season. Everyone is out at the yard and garage sales, disgusted and thumbing their nose at the thrift stores. Nevertheless, people keep dropping their treasures off at the thrift store, the doors will be bursting at the seams and well before summer's end prices will be reasonable again. But Right Now, you can hit a thrift here in baltimore and the prices for luxury items are falling, and more of the overlooked by staff items are lingering on the shelves. I won't post an active auction but I picked up a pair of Wayfarer II by B&L for $3 last week at my favorite TS. They are up to $66 with 30+ watchers. In the dead of winter I would never have seen them because someone else would have struck before me.
If I haven't made myself clear: TS competition is lowest on sunny summer weekends.

Good observation batcap. The GW close to me is an old Kmart that had a drive up pharmacy spot and this time of year I see folks pulling up to donate their summer cleaning every time I go there this time of the year. All the weird looking crappy furniture, kids outdoors play things & exercise stuff is piling outside now with all the donations this place is getting. I have noticed that the rare and more wonderful items do increase in the summer time at the thrift shops, but I know I'm not the only picker in the house this time of the year. I do see a lot of shopper who are up on what your saying and the smart phone usage I see just goes without saying what that persons up to. It's no big secret treasures can be found in thrift shops around here this time of the year. One other fact I've found in finding treasure is the Antique shops and malls have big discounts in the off seasons. Especially in the resort area shops when no ones coming around, but me. It's during those times I've scored many great finds at those places.