.............Thrift stores may be "done."

My immediate town and area had a wealth of thrift stores since sometime before 2000. I've bought lots of stuff, and in the "heyday" of w95/98/Xp there were at least a couple that always had a supply of useable computers and parts of and lots of tools coming and going, along with about anything you can name.

But then.............

At some point Goodwill started selling online. This means that a lot of stuff that "should have been" sold here locally went to a "larger market." And I did not feel like trolling into Spokane for that mess just to see where it had gone and get a chance "at it."

At some point many stores started not getting or not taking computers/ parts. Then people got all security consious and pretty much ALL computers went to the landfill......which does not allow sales or salvage

Things have continued to go downhill. Finally, recently, one good store for at least clothing and some other household stuff moved out and consolidated in a nearby town......with less

Covid has taken it's toll

Just today I was in one store, (Boy's Ranch) and there is simply no doubt that donations are down, goods are sparse, and prices are "up."

Well, "it's been a good run while it lasted."

Guess I better stock up on jeans........................

The opposite is true here. Donations are way up, Thrift stores are overstocked and they are opening new locations to handle the increased volume of goods.

Supply and demand followed by distribution strategy.

Every place has a different experience.

There was a waiting line to drop off goods there last week in NJ. Plus the parking lot was full of buyers too.

Ddaddy said:

The opposite is true here. Donations are way up, Thrift stores are overstocked and they are opening new locations to handle the increased volume of goods.

Supply and demand followed by distribution strategy.

Every place has a different experience.

Click to expand...

This is true in our Area also.. Number one reason is people are home due to lock downs, Unemployed, Working from home etc and they are cleaning up in thier homes since they have an abundance of time on thier hands...

Ddaddy said:

The opposite is true here. Donations are way up, Thrift stores are overstocked and they are opening new locations to handle the increased volume of goods.

Supply and demand followed by distribution strategy.

Every place has a different experience.

Click to expand...

That sure seems like how it should be here. I just don't know. Maybe they are turning people away.

Maybe its because they want retail for everything !
We go to thrift stores all the time and I cant believe the prices ! Then they ask if I want to donate when I check out ! Didnt I just donate by purchasing the item ?

Goodwill around here had stopped taking donations because of COVID.
Not sure if it resumed or not.
The Vietnam Veterans had no problems taking things though.
Their stores have been full, both people and stuff.

We have two in Gray. The goodwill store which has nothin but **** and the local Christian thrift shop which has a lot of good stuff. Both seem to be doing well.

I've got six on my normal circuit.

All but one SA store reopened fairly quickly and that last hold out is finally open as of a few weeks ago.

Indeed, a lot of GW stores pull "good" stuff and post them online at shopgoodwill.com.
There has been some speculation that they also shill bid, which to me seems to go against their moral compass.
Apparently this is a somewhat local decision as not all participate and not all to the same degree.

After the lockdown, I noticed the local SA store had dramatically increased prices on audio gear.
Before, $9.99 and $13.99 were very common prices.
Now the lowest price for any audio is $29.99 and some are marked $49.99.

Right before the lockdown I bought a Sony Blu-ray player for $20. It worked and could be somewhat difficultly manipulated via the front panel. Yesterday I went back to the same store and found a Sony remote for $1. It worked!
One of my friends bought a dented dishwasher there for $15 and parted it out on ebay for over $280!

I do see monitors but only rarely computer systems, but do occasionally.
Before the lockdown I bought two 19" name brand monitors for $9 and $12, and one 22" Dell at another store for $5!