They’re on to me.
The thrift store people.
I stopped by one of my favorite thrift stores the other day. Expecting to find great deals and ridiculously low prices (aka thrift store prices). And to my horror I saw this.
An old typewriter. Cool.
Maybe a little too office-ie for me, but it’s always a good day when you see a typewriter in a thrift store.
But, $49.99!!!
You gotta be kidding me.
After quickly running outside to check the sign and make sure that I hadn’t wandered into an antique mall in my menopause induced state, I suddenly felt like I needed to throw up.
This is the same thrift store that I had bought this beauty of a typewriter at last year.
I believe it was $6.99. Ain’t gonna see those prices again.
The jig is up. It’s all she wrote. The fat lady has sung. And she didn’t sing a pretty song.
My favorite thrift has hired someone to research prices for them!
Yes, siree Bob. The jig is up. And I don’t like it.
Have your thrifts started using “professional” people to find the good stuff and up their prices yet?
Joanne Noragon
I earned my college pocket money on that typewriter. How many papers did I pass out through the dorm window, but only after collecting payment through the window first.
Our thrift stores have almost always been up there in price, unless they absolutely dd not recognize their item. I bought a little loom once, even showed them one part was missing (absolutely unessential), for 4.99 and resold it for 49.99. I think the operative word is “once”.
Pam Kessler
Our Goodwills tend to be higher priced, but at least at Salvation Army you could find some good stuff. Glad you got a deal. Once 🙂
Laurel Stephens
Yup, the party’s over, and I’m not a happy camper.
Pam Kessler
I guess the money goes to charity, so I shouldn’t complain too much, but still, I miss my good old prices where they had no idea what they had and were selling it dirt cheap.
Kim @ Savvy Southern Style
Oh, no. They do know it is a thrift store and not an antique store don’t they. Researching prices makes no since for a thrift store. I visited one here last year and the prices were higher than the antique stores and I kept saying out loud, really? thrift store prices?
Suesan Kennard
Our Goodwill has had ridiculous prices for awhile now. It’s depressing since there’s only 2 thrift stores in Mansfield.
Shelly Bittner
It has happened here in the midwest to.Over the holidays I was shopping at ours to find christmas items for my kids and asked finally why their prices were so high in just over a year. One of the gals said that they hired another gal who found the prices on E-bay an that is how they based the prices for the store. I went back on a sale day an they refused to mark the prices down. All I said as I walked out the door was how sad it was since the items were donated.an how they were profiting off of it. I refuse to take my donations there from now on.
Side Bar: Like others I have found better prices at my local antique store and was able to buy things for my kids Christmas collection.
So Sad 🙁 to know they are profiting from free items that way!!
Pam Kessler
What’s sadder is that when the stuff doesn’t sell after a month or so, they either trash it or sell it to one of those for-profit thrift stores that are popping up.
Anonymous
Even sadder….is when they won’t mark stuff down and keep it in the store for 6 months or a year or ???? That unfortunately happens here and it is crazy!! Marie
~Lavender Dreamer~
I think it’s gotten so much easier for them to do research on some of the antiques that they are pricing accordingly. But hopefully you’ll still find some ‘deals! Hugs!
Andrea Ostapovitch
Every now and again I find a high price on things. For instance, there was a nice dartboard that they wanted $70 for. Brand new, it is only $80, so that was weird. But most often what they do with anything valuable, (usually antiques) is have a silent auction with minimum bids. Every now and again, something gets overlooked though, and I can sneak out with a fabulous find at a steal of a price.
Pam Kessler
There is one thrift around here who does the silent auction thing. I’ve never bid on anything yet, but I may give it a try.
Debby
I have noticed higher prices on certain items as well. I just shake my head and walk on by. I agree, I think they are researching online and think they can get those prices. Hopefully our favorite places will have some deals for us this spring.
Kristin_Texas
Story of my life. ;o)
There are a lot of antique places around here – we even have Round Top twice a year, which is crazy popular nationwide – and I’m always finding things way too overpriced. It takes a lot of hunting to find a good deal.
AntiqueChase
I know! It’s getting insane.
Lorilee
I find better prices at Walmart than our Goodwill on many things. Weird!
Blessings,
Lorilee
Cozy Little House
I’ve never found anything to buy at our thrift stores. Just a bunch of junk, I kid you not. The jig may be up, but look what all you’ve scored, my friend!
Brenda
Pam Kessler
It was a good run while it lasted 🙂
Faye
Yes, Goodwill had caught on and on top of it many times I see things marked higher than what they were new, that’s for the newer stuff that I’m not after but golly…come on now! Then on top of it I’ll look at something and think, well with my ‘old lady’ discount it’s not terribly high but then I discover it has a crack or big chip so forget it. It’s ridiculous that they mark up every day stuff like that anyway…so much for being a thrift store! I was wondering if this was happening all over and I guess it is.
Linda @ Itsy Bits And Pieces
It’s funny though…they’ll mark up something they THINK is worth a lot…then I’ll spot something I know is worth a lot and it will have 2.99 on it. All in what you are looking for, I guess…
The Speckled Hen Cottage
Yes, they mark everything up here ridiculously high. And you know what, when you guys say what you paid for something, I think “what a steal”. All of our thrift stores have been high priced for several years. All of them also have pricing people. Our GW ships the good, better and best donations upstate to Portland, (OR)…it’s our local donations and we don’t even get to buy them!!! But they can sure mark up the stuff they cull out for us!!! I’ve overheard people tell a clerk that they should re-think there price as the label shows that it came from the dollar store originally, and it will be priced like $2.99…GEEZ!!! Sorry for the long comment…needed to let this out for awhile, Thank you!
Vickie @ Ranger 911
Our thrift store charges more for old furniture than the local antique shops! I have no idea who buys the stuff, but it sells!
Sarah Krouse
i noticed it almost as soon as the economy fell flat. once that happened, people hit the thrift stores in droves and sales skyrocketed for them (along with their prices). add to that the ease of online price comparison, and all us bargain hunters became doomed to paying retail. i suppose i wouldn’t mind so much, but many of the “so called” thrift stores are actually individually owned for-profit businesses. they’re sneaky that way.
ND
Yes- most of them have. The sad thing is that I see things in thrift stores that I can buy the same thing cheaper at Walmart. It is just crazy and while people like you and me shop for fun and to see the things we can find but it is certainly no service to the poor and underprivileged. Hope you have a great weekend- xo Diana
Donna G
Ditto to Faye. What is ridiculous is they put breakable things in plastic baggies, hang them on a hook on the wall, they fall off, put back, and there they are, pre-smashed for your buying pleasure. Maybe if their business takes a dive they will rethink pricing?
Shabby chic Sandy
I hate it when they figure out what sells well 🙁
Christy
Yes, the only time you find anything at a good price is if it’s escaped by them, not very often, or if it sits there long enough because people will not pay the price. Another crazy thing they do is send it to central warehousing and resend it out, that’s why I think you can never now find a complete dinner service or teaset, totally hopeless.
Holly
Yup, about two years ago I noticed that the prices of my favorite “junk” was at least twice as high. I asked about it and they told me that they found an older volunteer who just sits and googles for prices. I liked it better when old people couldn’t use the internet.
Pam Kessler
I just spit out my Coke! Yes, it was easier when old people didn’t know how to use computers!
lifespassion
Oh, here in NW IN it’s been that way for years. Except….the typewriter would be dusty, dirty, have half the keys missing and STILL be that price. The stuff on Craigslist in this area is laughable. The old wicker/rattan type picnic baskets we all have seen – $500 on Craigslist. A beat up, water stained, knobs missing, sometimes DRAWER missing dresser? $200 here – they are insane! And it is the norm and not the exception! Glad you all at least had good prices for awhile – we haven’t had any for years 🙂
TARYTERRE
Popular items tend to sell for higher prices in the thrifts I frequent.
Curtains in My Tree
I know your pain darling. The thrift stores around here think they are an antique mall
It’s because the entire world is using recycled items to decorate now
Leslie Harris
I’m so bummed reading through these comments. I was hoping that those thrift stores with the high prices were still rare. But I’m seeing it too. It’s so hard to stumble on those little places that are happy to sell what they consider ‘just junk’ for hardly anything. I’m curious to see the prices when I move down to So. California….gulp.
Angela Santaniello
It has been horrible around here in Massachusetts. Seriously high prices coupled with terrible quality. Makes me very sad!
Angela @ Number Fifty-Three
Deanies Stash
Yea. Happened at our local thrift store,too. Boo-hoo. The clerk, a volunteer, happily told me she had been looking up on eBay so they get more money. 2 old trunks caught my eye but $95 each is pretty high for a thrift store. Good-bye good prices.
Krista Eickmeier
I haven’t been thrifting very long (about 4 months), but I’ve already seen a big difference in prices in that time. I refuse to go to Goodwill now because their pricing has gone up so much 🙁
Cornbread and Beans Quilting
I am standing in solidarity with all the other commentors! Bring those prices down thrift stores!!! LOL I was noticing many items at our thrifts with laughably high prices and couldn’t believe it. The last straw was when I saw an old used Yankee Candle at Salvation Army for $20. Who buys used candles? And who buys used candles for the same price as a new one? It was the last time I stopped in. I’m not against buying something considered an antique for a little higher of a price at thrift because it’s going for a good cause. But pricing absolute junk higher than retail is just silly. I find much better prices at antique stores and they are actually trying to make a living.
Melinda
Ours here (KC) are still reasonable. Hopefully it will stay that way.
I usually shop on 50% day though.
M : )
Jane
Finding the same thing in my area too. One of the places I used to love to shop now has a “vintage room” where they put all the vintage/antique items that are donated. The prices have gone up since they designated the area and I don’t buy much there anymore. But then something will sneak by….I just purchased a pair of vintage wood stocking stretchers there this week….for $2.00! I can’t wait until garage sales start!
Jane
Sherry@Back2Vintage
Yep…..the professionals are Down South, too!!! Boo hoo!!!
Olive
Yes my dear. At our Good Books fancy Good Will bookstore they look up every book at Amazon I think. So I also think they look up other stuff too.
Mrs. D
I used to volunteer with Oxfam here in England. They had someone go online and check the prices on anything that wasn’t clothes related… You’d rarely get a bargain there. Also they tend to drive the prices up on clothes that are already cheap when they’re new, which is not very nice… one of the points of shopping second hand is the lower price, not paying the same price it cost when it first went into the shop…