Thrift Store Prices - Are they crazy?

**kaykwilts** · 03-07-2009, 01:40 PM

I was in my thrift store the other day which normally has good prices on their clothes, books, toys, and nick nacks but they had a price on an iron skillet that was more than what Walmart sells it for. It was a medium size seasoned skillet and they were selling it for $19.00. You can buy a new one and season it yourself from Walmart for like $17.00 for the same size. They must have thought it was an antique. I don't think it was.

**sabrelvssammy** · 03-07-2009, 02:57 PM

yea i sometimes see stuff like that and wonder what the heck are they thinking...the prices are crazy from store to store... i sometimes see the exact same thing and at one place it will be 50 cents and another $4.99....

**thesightofoneself** · 03-07-2009, 03:03 PM

its cheaper for me to buy new shirts then to buy used ones at the local goodwill

and for only a couple dollars more i could buy new jeans.

**jas** · 03-07-2009, 03:03 PM

I know what you mean, some of the things in the thrift stores around here are over priced. Considering the items are donated. Alot of the stuff is just plain nasty, grimy, and gross. That is not all of the places just a few and they want top dollar. I don't know who they think will buy the stuff.

**perSue** · 03-07-2009, 03:20 PM

yeah i've found that goodwill's prices are competitive with walmart & other stores like that... but there are a couple other places (really small hole in the wall types) that are still true to their name - "thrift".

**homesteadmamma** · 03-07-2009, 03:44 PM

Here Value Village has raised their prices and they are crazy. I can buy new jeans cheaper than at VV. The best thrift store prices I can find are the ones in church basements, where nothing is over $1.00 and they often have bag sales at $3.00 per bag filled.

**rainbowgc** · 03-08-2009, 02:13 PM

Sometimes I find things I have seen at he Dollar Tree going for $2-3

**Debbie-cat** · 03-08-2009, 02:42 PM

Yesterday at Goodwill they had a bag of yarn - 3 full skeins (but small) of mohair and were asking $9.99! The stickers on the skeins said $3.50 each. I thought it was ridiculous and told the cashier.

**sabrelvssammy** · 03-08-2009, 02:46 PM

so deb-cat....tell us....what was the response from the cashier..."

**mrsfoamy** · 03-09-2009, 11:36 AM

The prices have gone up at my favorite thrift store too.
I usually only go there if I'm looking for something specific, out of season clothing, etc...
In Florida, we have Beall's outlet, where you can buy stuff new off the clearance racks for under $5.
These kind of thrift stores are going to be stuck with a glut of overstock.

**della92** · 03-09-2009, 12:40 PM

I was shopping at Goodwill yesterday, I found childrens shorts for $2.00 each. The denim shorts wasn't a bad deal (for name brand, still in very good shape) however, they had plain cotton shorts with elastic bands that were also $2.00 each, I can buy the Garanimals from Walmart new for that, or I could find them at yardsales for 10 cent. I get the cost of running the stores is factored in but there is no way I am paying new prices for used clothing.

**tbs727** · 03-09-2009, 01:48 PM

Our store prices everything of the same kind of clothing the same. So, raggedy old sweats are $3.50. However, the brand new Nike pants I bought were also $3.50. Likewise, all the old, out of date sweaters are $3.50 but so was the like new 100% cashmere sweater I bought. So, sometimes bulk pricing works in our favor!

**dinah** · 03-09-2009, 03:38 PM

sometimes you have to really know your prices to shop used. i have found yarn at value village that is more expensive then new. it's crazy. & bags of already sharpened pencils and used erasers for $1.99...it should be more like .10 cents!

i also find that value village has rickety, dirty, old, ramshackle furniture for sale for ridiculous prices.

i still have the best of luck at garage sales used stores in small towns. they rock! hubby picked up 2 nice winter jackets at a used store in a small town last weekend for $4.50. they were half off!

**Pemberleyan** · 03-13-2009, 09:09 PM

I occasionally see an out-of-whack price at my favorite thrift store, and it's usually in housewares. You'll see something like an old flower pot that's overpriced.

**wimedtypr** · 03-13-2009, 10:13 PM

I thought it was just me but the prices are crazy now, even at our local good will. Also, what do they do with all the good stuff people donate. Our Goodwill is super busy and they have a drive in drop off area and you can see all the stuff when you drop things off but when you go inside, all they have is like furniture from the 1970s, lots of glass items and old dishes and vases, books and old picture frames and the clothes. It is the same with the salvation army. We live in the suburbs so I know people from here are not donating these old things. So I stopped going there except to donate cuz it is all junk. I am not going to pay 8 bucks for a vase I can get at the dollar store.