Thrift stores are the great equalizer. Just take your time and a keen eye for style and you’ll be rewarded. But even these places are not immune to the temptations of corporate greed.
Devoted thrift shoppers have been sharing stories of overpriced and unfashionable items on the r/ThriftGrift subreddit.
Photo credit: Reddit
Photo credit: Reddit
This Reddit post shows off many Goodwill items, commenting on how unfairly priced they are, saying: “I’m absolutely disgusted by these prices. Used boots are $30. Used shoes are about $30.” Furniture also sells for hundreds of dollars.
Goodwill’s business model is simple. The public donates all the products, which Goodwill sells at a discount, making enough profit to cover overhead costs, hire staff and provide community services like career coaching. The business is a 501(c)(3) non-profit entity.
This serves individuals who want to get rid of just about anything (clothes, books, electronics, household items, furniture). The benefits to customers are clear: purchase rarely used items at a fraction of the cost of buying new. Goodwill has always been a great place for fashion spies and antique hunters, but more importantly, it provides people living in poverty a dignified place to shop and saves tons of items from landfills.
However, as this Reddit user reports, consumers are already noticing the price increase. While leadership compensation is not public information, Goodwill has long been the center of online rumors about its CEO making billions from the company.
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“Goodwill organizations are locally controlled and operated, and each of the 165 organizations in North America is an independent nonprofit organization with a board of directors composed of volunteers from the community,” a Goodwill spokesperson told CountryLiving.com. “The board of directors hires an executive director or CEO to operate the goodwill within its jurisdiction, so it is effectively owned by the community. They are autonomous, independent nonprofit organizations.”
However, that’s not the whole story. Power may not be centralized, but these local branches are under scrutiny for significant pay gaps. For example, in 2004, the Oregon Department of Justice launched an investigation into the CEO of Goodwill in Willamette, Columbia.
The Huffington Post reports that “in 2011, the lowest-wage workers earned just $1.40 an hour. President and CEO Michael Miller’s total compensation was $742,875.” According to the nonprofit Candid, the average salary at nonprofits in 2022 is “a new high of $132,077.”
Thrift shopping is an amazing way to buy basic items you need for everyday life at huge discounts, as well as affordable luxuries and priceless antiques. If your goodwill price is higher than expected, it’s not your only option. You can find another thrift store nearby, or turn to a second-hand online retailer like ThredUp.
“them [Goodwill] It’s so far off track it’s not even funny. I won’t donate to them anymore either. I donated to the street thrift store run by the local Teen Challenge organization,” one commenter said.
“I haven’t donated to them in years for the same reason. There is an ARC in my neighborhood and it’s my favorite. It’s a smaller store but the inventory seems to be better managed,” another Reddit user commented.
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