BellaBoo

As a young bride I use to work for Goodwill Industries in Southern Calif. when DH was stationed at El Toro.
I don't donate to Goodwill and only give them my money if they have something I want to buy. I donate all unused items to Salvation Army and give generously to their red buckets. Goodwill is a big business, Salvation Army is for truly helping.

As for someone asking me what I'm buying thrift store items for I would answer with it's a secret.

AZ Jane

I think the discussion has gone from rude clerks to the charity industry. Yes, it is an industry. I volunteer for a dog rescue thrift store. All items are donated ( and some are a doozie) and all workers are volunteers. Anything that is un-sale-able goes to rag pickers who pay by the pound. All of the money raised goes to the dogs and their care. Last year we were able to rescue and find homes for 700 dogs. Thrift stores make a LOT of money!! But a RUDE CLERK should never be tolerated regardless of where you shop!!!!!!!

Chasing Hawk

We donate our gently used clothing to the homeless shelters. We also donate our aluminum cans to one of them. Most of the furniture we no longer use goes to the Goodwill.

We have also went and bought children's jackets at the Goodwill to give to the homeless shelters.

SouthPStitches

It's my understanding that these stores are open to make a profit. Cannot imagine why anyone would put a limit on something, especially when it was donated in the first place. The more sold, the more they can fund the programs. Some folks can be very small minded.

MargeD

I agree with you completely. What you do with it after you buy it is none of their business. Bad enough we have quilt police, now we have thrift store police too???

AshleyR

I almost shop exclusively at Thrift Stores in Knoxville. Knoxville has several large "chains" of thrift stores, and Goodwill is one of them. Another one is supposed to help feed the homeless, but their prices are too rich for my blood! On the other end of the spectrum, one store sells all their clothing for $1 a piece (children's clothes 3/$2). Their selection is hit-or-miss, but they have signs all over the store with rude signs. It was designed to make clothing affordable for "regular people", so some of the signs say, "No re-selling" (my husband jokes that he is going to tell them I'm a reseller). I understand where they are coming from, and I'd really hate to see them try to determine what could be sold for higher prices than other things.... However, I've been known to walk out of there with a large garbage bag full of men's shirts and giant-floral dresses, etc. Nobody is going to wear that XL Romper from 1988, so I'll spend the $1 for it!
Goodwill... they have 1/2 price weekend once a month. Those are the only times I go there. Got my son a great wool sweater for $2 and figured if he didn't like it (who knows with him?!), I could make myself some awesome mittens. He liked it, so I'll have to wait until he grows out of it for my mittens!

topstitch

My thought is if they REALLY wanted the clothes to go to the homeless they would GIVE THEM TO THE HOMELESS. The thrift shops in our area are trying to raise cash to support their ministries one of which is to feed the homeless and the hungry. You can't do either of those things with four plaid skirts.

karate lady

exactly..now I don't have to post it, you already did.....

mjhaess

Good reply...All they should care about is making money for their cause not what people do with what they buy....

dc989

At our local thrift shop the "good" stuff never gets on the shelves. Acc to reliable sources the workers sort through and take what they want and then stock the rest. One woman was taking lots and was selling it at her own private garage sale. She was caught. My daughter gets lots of her kids clothes there because they are growing so fast. I have found some really nice stuff for quilting and wearing. My fav was a wool jacket from Nordstrom (still had the tag on it) for $20. Original price was almost $250. I haven't noticed critical people, just indifference.