Like more than half of your neighbors, you probably shop at Goodwill at least once a year, but do you frequent Goodwill often enough to know all the inside scoop and insider tips?
ConsumerAffairs went looking for people who might know those inside secrets. Our first stop was shopping hacker Kyle James of RatherBeShopping, who decided to get Goodwill employees to honestly tell us what those secrets are. And what he discovered could save you a lot of money as the country tries to fight inflation.
25% to 30% discount
There are three areas where James’s folks pointed out there is a 25% discount.
Student discount
“One employee told me to make sure to ask about student discounts,” James said.
“Every Goodwill store is a little different, some offer a 15% student discount every day, while others offer a 25% discount on Sundays only. All you need to do is show your high school, college, or trade school ID.”
Senior discount
Senior discounts are typically reserved for people over 65, but Goodwill also offers those over 55 a 10-year senior discount at Goodwill of 10%-25%.
These discounts usually occur early in the week, such as on Mondays or Tuesdays, so call ahead and ask.
James added that not all stores offer the 25% to 30% discount, just as local stores only offer a 10% discount to seniors, but all offer the discount seven days a week.
If you don’t buy it, someone else might.
In a Goodwill YouTube video, a guide to thrift store shopping, thrift store shopper Niky Foster says that if you find something that you “think” is worth the price, you might want to grab it and take it home before someone else takes it – you can always return it!
Be gentle
One of the tips shared by Goodwill employees on Reddit was about the importance of courtesy.
“Being nice is important. I’ve seen managers raise the price because someone was rude. I asked the manager how much it should be and was told, ‘$3 if you’re nice, $5 if you’re not,'” the employee wrote.
The opposite is also true, the employee said. [a not nice person] And even if the price of the product needs to change, it probably won’t go down.”
Look for mismarked items and negotiate the deal yourself
“One of my favourite tips is to look for items that are mispriced and ask the salesperson to correct the price,” James revealed.
“For example, if there are three identical Pyrex bowls at Goodwill, two of which are $9.99 and one of which is $14.99, you can buy all three by politely asking the salesperson if they can discount the more expensive bowl to $9.99. I’ve had several thrift store salespeople do this willingly, but they usually say it’s no big deal.”
Look for coupons but don’t always use them
James Googled “Goodwill in [YOUR TOWN]” and when you visit their website and sign up for their emails, you’ll receive a coupon for 20% off every month on purchases of $20 or more, so that’s a minimum of $4 off your purchase.
“So if you’re only buying $15 or $16 worth of items, it’s worth it to buy one more item to get you over $20 because it’s free,” he says, because when you can’t find enough items to get to the $20 minimum, it’s free.
“But with that being said, keep in mind that Goodwill doesn’t allow coupons or offers to stack, so only use it if you can’t qualify for a 25% off discount like the student, military, or senior discounts mentioned above,” he warns.
Finding better ones online
“Our good stuff goes to shop.goodwill.com, [sold via] “It’s an auction,” the employee said in a Reddit post.
“Sometimes it’s much cheaper than it’s worth, and sometimes it’s much more expensive, but the processor behind it doesn’t always know when something is worth that much,” the poster wrote.
“I once got a mint-condition 1929 Bible for $3.29, but a pretty beat-up one will cost around $120 online. I once sold a brand new $500 North Face jacket for $19.99. That was partly down to luck and partly down to knowing what to look for.”
There may be better deals on the other side of town.
James says he often travels outside the city depending on what he’s looking for.
He believes wealthier areas have better brands, but the prices are cheaper in the suburbs. “If you have a choice between a Goodwill in the city or a Goodwill in a small town, you should always choose the small town store,” he said.
“Prices in urban areas are always going to be higher than a Goodwill store in a small town.”
