What happens when an antique dealer goes to a thrift store? Watch as I dig through thrift stores looking for treasures? Will I find anything or will it be a bust?
Forget the thrift stores like Value Village. Source out your local church thrift shops. Better prices and helpful friendly staff that volunteer their time.
Value Village is becoming more and more expensive. I think they’re now realizing that flippers are buying there and reselling higher on eBay etc. VV thinks it can get a bigger slice of the pie, but unfortunately it’s both chasing away the flippers and the people who need to shop there.
Yes, 12 years ago I could buy men's button down short sleeve cotton blend shirts for $3. Now the same shirts are $12. Crazy. Sadly goodwill isn't goodwill anymore.
That place is expensive even considering those prices are in Canadian dollars. I recently saw a couch at my local Goodwill that was priced at $500. I asked one of the employees why it was so expensive & she said because it was brand new. I don't think they are going to sell it considering it is only $399 at one of our local furniture outlets. You can still find some amazing deals but like you said it can be a lot of work. It just makes the treasures you do find that much more special 😌 💘
I had something similar happen in my local Goodwill. I explained to them why it wasn't new, they had turned the cushions over and sprayed it with a deodorizer, which did not work at all for the kitty odor.
Here's the thing, ALL their inventory is in the form of donations under the guise of "helping the less fortunate", but they don't donate anything and they charge full price. Make no mistake, Value Village is a for profit organization with super low overhead because they prey on people's generosity.
I read that the Salvation Army Thrift Store is the only thrift store that the CEO doesn't take a salary ( just google what the CEO of Goodwill gets paid ) and I think 80 or 90% percent of profits go to charity. I noticed that prices have really gone up at Value Village.
@@rajjie100 Good to know. Goodwill doesn't help anyone as far as I have noticed. It still helps resellers make a living in certain areas of the USA but I went to the goodwill in San Mateo, California this past week and it was DEVOID of anything worth more than $1. Of course the prices were higher than in any GW I have ever been in. Those GW CEOs are greedy!!!!!!! When they see resellers making a living, they nip that in the bud, stat!
So true about the thrift store comment about "actual people". Years ago I had to volunteer at a local thrift store to help pay for a trip (a church member paid for portion of our trip if we volunteered). Anywho, we were each paired with a sorter in the back of the building. The lady I had would sit in the middle of a massive pile and she sorted things into 4 piles 1. Things to keep for herself 2. Things to put out on the floor/sell 3. Junk 4. Rags for to bale (they bale rags to sell to other countries). We volunteered for two days and we all were able to go home with our "keep pile". I had brand new toys and brand new clothes. And yes, some thrift stores do have brand new clothing items. I remember taking home these dresses that were $100, and the kicker was that they were actually trying to sell them for $100! Apparently, clothing stores give them out of season and unsold clearance items. The store employees usually have first say, and some things never make it to the floor.
Value Village is an effin' RIP-OFF! I recall seeing old t-shirts sold for almost $10. Back when SEARS was going out of business, it was literally cheaper to buy new clothes at SEARS.
I just picked up a Coach purse (for myself) for $4.99 at Goodwill. I started frequenting thrift stores when I first became unemployed in 2012. I kept going even after I found another job and didn't "need" to any more. Now I just can't bear to pay full retail price, especially for clothing.
Absolutely nothing wrong with thrift store shopping for even the wealthiest among us. As many have mentioned it reduces waste, but many thrift stores also provide jobs to the special needs community and folks getting back on their feet, the non-profit stores directly support the community from their revenue too, so shop away!
Same with me. I have shopped at thrift store since college when I needed sweaters for winter. Now my husband and I work full time but I for to save money and for the thrill of the hunt.
Very interesting to read viewer comments. Alex, you gave really good tips while shopping today. Salvation pulled their store from my town. I knew a lady who attended their church and volunteered sorting donations. She was not embarresed to say that volunteers got to pick the best by volunteering. Also, there was a manager who hired only family and friends. She routinely kept things back for other friends, family, and favored family. Goodwill was always higher, but raised their prices once Salvation Army store was closed. But there were some really good managers at both stores at times, which made a big difference. Your videos are always fun and informative. Thank you!
Tbh the bag thing is annoying because they put weird stuff together or something great with trashy items and you are forced to buy it all. It takes time looking through all the bags too... but it does look nice!
It’s crazy how expensive big name thrift stores have gotten. It gets my feathers ruffled a bit sometimes. I prefer little locally owned and ran second hand stores.
@@matthewthiesen6098 Walmart doesn't own VV. Savers does. It's a false rumor saying it's owed by Walmart. However it is still a multibillion dollar corporation.
@@SECONDHANDUSA Skip Goodwill, like stated ; they mark anything of value and sell it off market. Places like Ross will stocked with brand new Merch that was just too overstocked in stores. So you can get $200 air jordans for 50$ sometimes
The snow is beautiful. I am leaving Florida in February and heading to the Pacific Northwest to the mountains to live in my van. Can’t wait to get back to the mountains again. I am 66 and starting my new journey in life.
A lot of Goodwill stores keep most of their good stuff back and sell it at auction on their website. You don't even get to see it in the store. Certainly no Legos.
A lot of thrift stores dispose of anything old. They either auction it, in lots or bins or toss it out. I used to buy paintings in wire cages turn of the century mixed with 70s and 80s lots of 50 go for $15 now I have started selling vintage clothes I get in bags from the dumpsters. When donations are high they will toss donations unopened. I get a lot of old school Levi's and hats and dresses
@@kathleenmichelet6585 They must be tossing a lot at my neighborhood Goodwill because the car lines for donations have been incredibly long on a daily basis. Everyone's been using the pandemic lockdowns to clean house. Goodwill can barely keep up with just the car unloads alone. I can't imagine they'd have enough shelf space to stock it all.
Dont get me wrong, I love your longer vids, but I'm really enjoying the shorter ones you've been posting lately. Its often easier for me to watch them while I take a quick break. Thank you for all the explaining you do! Idk how you keep track of all the info you have but these little nuggets of wisdom is really helpful!
Holy Moly, your thrift stores are huge. Just bought a set of air tight storage containers for the kitchen at my Goodwill. I usually search sheets,and curtains for the cloth..to sew with. I made a nice dress from a pair of Laura Ashley curtains.The fabric is lovely.
I Saved up to buy a 180 dollar 6 ft. xmas tree at Canadian Tire but first I thought I would go to value village for a curtain rod and low and behold I found a newer 7 half foot Xmas tree for 40 bucks then caught a wicked sale on lights, it all cost 80 bucks so I had a great day!! :)
Goodwill here prices Walmart brand children’s clothing at almost what one might buy it for new during a Walmart sale. In my mind it is better to just buy new !
I bought a book for a quarter once called "I Was Pagan" by V.C. Kitchen. Turns out Kitchen was a founding member AA. I sold the book awhile later for $75 (US).
A guy in the states recently bought a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Special from Goodwill, it was on their online auctions and I am sure he paid what it's actually worth but just being able to say you bought a 50s Les Paul from Goodwill is priceless. He has a TH-cam channel and videos about it.
I’m a small time antiques dealer, and I’ve found some incredible things in thrift shops over the years. Hudson Bay blankets for $5, mid 19th century yixing teapots for $4, and a late 18th century faience stein for $6, griswold pans for $10, etc
Herein lies the issue with Canadian 'antiques' in general. What most Canadians consider as antiques are actually just Canadiana collectables and vintage items. It pales in comparison to the European market. The amount of _true_ antiques in Canada, especially Alberta, are few and far between.
I used to go to Goodwill and other thrift shops. I buy stuff so cheap and sell on Ebay and make a big profit. Then the last few years or so, these thrift stores caught on and started sellig on their own auction website. I then discovered a way around this..... well it worked for a while. I started going to local estate auctions. I bought a box one time that had 9 old framed pictures. Nobody wanted the box and the auctioneer asked if I buy it for $1. I said why not. I did not go through that box till about a month later and when I did I found something unique on the bottom of the box. It was an original framed Walt Disney 3 sheet ceeluloid painting from the movie Lady and The Tramp. I put that on Ebay and bids went so high I couldnt believe it. I sold it for $3,000 to someone that was once an artist for Walt Disney!
Coming from a UK perspective, I've always assumed "Thrift Store = Charity shop" but that's not necessarily the case, is it? Charity shops take in donations and raise money for their specific good cause - there's the big chains like Oxfam but then there's the local Hospice shop next door. So when you see the charity wising up on the good deals, sending the good stuff to auction to maximise their profits, there's a sense of "Well, good on them making the most of the donations!" But a quick google shows that Value Village is a for-profit, commercial business. What is the motivation to give them donations? Just that it's better stuff gets re-used than ends up in landfill?
I work at a Savers(same as Value Village) and they are a for-profit but each location works with a non-profit in the area. We weigh up the donations we get in and pay the non-profit so the donations do go back into the community.
They started out as being for charity (Diabetes Foundation) but turned for profit about a decade ago I think. By then we all knew where the donation bins were conveniently located. For most of us the motivation is to get rid of things that are still perfectly useable but we're tired of them and don't want to feel guilty about chucking it. Because not over consuming is un-North American.
As it shows at the beginning, the donator gets a 20% discount for the donation. VV is taxed because it is for profit. It males me mad to pay tax on something that was already taxed. I often go to Renaissance in Quebec, which is a non-profit. There is no tax on purchases.
I like to look for things most people have no idea the value, at Goodwill I recently found a 1970's hand held 5watt CB radio for $7.70 US with a value over $100, of course as a collector I'm not selling till I'm closer to my end, or beginning if you like.
These shops are so clean and organized! The only Goodwill I ever went into was a jumble, stuff scattered all over the shelves, and everything that was not hanging on a rack was sorted by color. So if you wanted to look at lamps for example, you had to wander the whole mess, stepping over things all over the aisles. It was a huge turn off for thrifting.
$1000 for a toy car? Maybe I should go through our collection of Hot Wheels! I find it hit or miss on the thrift stores. I'm not looking to buy and then resell, I'm usually looking for bargains. The stores themselves seem to be raising their prices. You can usually find things on clearance for the same or lower prices. Thanks for sharing! I really love watching your family and your videos! Take care!
I have worked/volunteered in many charity shops over the years and been a regular buyer from them since a child. Since the spread of the internet,bargains are harder to find as people can more easily learn about items. Having said that I still find things to resell with decent profit margins BUT alot less than in the '80's and '90's. A few years back I got a collection of books from the 1950's mostly science fiction and a second editon Guiness book of records for about £25,(from a charity bookshop) and the least valuable item was worth around £12, the best one sold for £100 or so. About ten minutes work to gather together and then six months to find buyers for all of them.- It can be done, but it takes alot of visits and alot of stores and a healthy dose of luck to make it.
I agree with you, Alex. Around my neck of the woods (southern California), all the "good stuff" is taken by antique dealers, etc so there's basically nothing of real value. I watch The Crazy Lamp Lady and she finds some "good stuff" at thrift stores, but it seems like the antique malls are a good source for her.
Here's the thing, ALL their inventory is in the form of donations under the guise of "helping the less fortunate", but they don't donate anything and they charge full price. Make no mistake, Value Village is a for profit organization with super low overhead because they prey on people's generosity.
@@nefariumxxx we have a thrift store in our small town hooked to hospice, they are outrageous, I can go to Wal-Mart get it for the same price🤬 it’s all free to them, I just don’t get it?
@@cheryljohnson4292 greed and corruption even in the charity business. Goodwill also got reported for using a loophole to pay mentally challenged workers less than minimum wage. Pretty scummy corporate behaviors there.
Stamps.....those are a lot of money when you have to buy them from the craftstore or Amazon....omg I would go crazy in that section. I do a lot of crafts. I loved that catface bowl too.
@@CuriosityIncorporated hi if u happen to find a Lucy clay slicer at one of Those shops or else pasta machine or silicone mold cutters ect plz email at my name with 0522 at gmail
I miss thrifting ( or Charity shopping) as we call it in the UK. Our local ones have been shut all year so I've taken to eBay and Vinted now for clothes/toys. Doesn't have the same thrill of finding a bargain though!
I've seen far too many back door deals at almost all thrift stores dating back more than twenty yrs. Far too many greedy people and if you don't believe me check into what happened to Goodwill in Ontario. How about all those truck loads of Salvation Army X-Mass toys that went missing??? Executives are not making enough money??? Rather too many grinches.
Our local thrift stores offer antiques and collectibles to area antique dealers before anything is put on the store shelves. So finding anything worth buying at the thrift store is pretty rare.
Yep. I have been cleaning out closets, etc. I started selling lots on FB Market place, eBay, Nextdoor, just to get rid of it. I've turned some clothing items in to hot pads, cookie sheet hot pads and floormats.
Agreed! I’m not a reseller...but like to go what I call Junkin’. The prices at thrift stores (Goodwill and Salvation Army my go tos) nowadays don’t appeal to me any longer unless maybe I can’t find what i really need/want somewhere else. Very rarely is going to them worth it anymore if they want almost full value and all the stuff has been reviewed ahead of stocking on shelves by “Pricers” looking these things up for value. I get why they do it but it’s not an advantage to me most of the time. I’d rather spend my time going to garage sale, rummage sales or even some of the Mission outlets that can’t afford to hire “Pricers”. They are good places to get rid of things at best.
Alex! Thanks for the Thrift Store show! I have gotten or at least seen some wonderful things. I know they are Vintage because I played with them, and I’m vintage👵🏻. Sometimes a store makes the mistake of “fair pricing” causes them to have things taking up space. Better to move merchandise quickly so more can be put out and go. It feels almost greedy when the items are given. I understand that overhead of store and employees must be paid and money put aside for future.
Between the thrift store employees picking out the good stuff and resellers going over the inventory, it is hard to find good deals at the thrift stores any more. Often the prices are near full retail prices. That said, I enjoyed your outing to the thrift stores, great change of pace.
OMG! What a shop.... oooh those crafting stamps! I have never seen such an organised thrift shop. Thanks for the fun video Alex. I was right there with you enjoying it all 💫 oh, and the buttons. I’m a junk journal maker so that is what I would have bought too. Maybe one day I will come and visit your shop if I ever get to beautiful Canada 🇿🇦🇨🇦 I hope you and your family are well
Very nice and interesting video Alex. I thought it would not be that interesting - AND IT WAS! Thanks for taking us along - you put such hard work into your videos - and it shows!!! Love your Vlog...
I once found a relic watch for $5 at the Salvation army store. Relic is a cheaper offshoot of the Fossil watch company by cheaper I mean prices for Relic ran between $75 - $150 as opposed to $275- $800 for a Fossil. I still have it.
I always check the collectables and dish-ware isles first. I once found a Lampe Berger there for $8 and when I checked later found that it was a limited edition that sold originally for around $250 😁👍
I knew someone who wanted to buy a horsehair couch at goodwill for several hundred to donate to the local museum. She was told by an employee that even though the couch was on the floor it was on ebay auction for another day and she should get online and bid on it... she came back in a couple days and was able to buy it. But still, pretty sketchy that it was both for sale in the store and on ebay, and that an item in goodwill was posted on ebay. Very strange
Goodwill runs it’s own auction site for local chapters to sell on, and some local chapters put items on eBay. Usually, these items aren’t on the floor, but since it was large they may have had no choice. Thrift stores have never been about selling things cheap, they’re about selling used/donated things to raise money for a charity’s main purpose.
I used to buy a lot at Village and thrift stores. I seldom go now because they are too pricey. I just wait a bit longer and save to buy new. Garage sales can be a good source . I enjoyed this it was an interesting take on what you look for. Keep Safe ❤ Keep Well❤
Not an antique retailer but a collector. I find in most of the legit antique shops in my area if you have an actual interest in the items they are more likely to give major discounts or in some cases free items. I got around 10 antiques for around 5 cents at this one place just because I was so obviously helplessly in love with all the beautiful vintage and antique items.
Warm in Maryland today neighbors were cutting grass and we washed vehicles. Those stores are cool the goodwill by us isn't that clean nor organized at all
Snow oh no, no snow here in Ontario yet TG! I agree with other commenters that these second hand stores are overpricing the donated goods they put out :(. But us resellers have to be more choosy but there are still the odd bargains to find to make $ off of. The guy who runs our local Sally Ann store told my husband he could make an offer on the higher priced items. So last week i seen what i thought was a nice set of 50's style Franklin Mint diecast dinky cars with the shelf the store wanted $150 I offered the guy $100 he said $120 I told him no $100 is all i could do, he took the $100. Sadly there were 5 cars from the set of 20 that were no good but I still sold the shelf with 10 cars for $215 . So I still have 5 cars to sell for around $80 hopefully. At Value Village I found a 1976 Titanic game complete it's going for $80-$117 on Ebay I paid $5.50 for it on a Tuesday. So just keep searching :)
Good values are still to be found if your willing to put in the time. My latest score is a vintage mid 70s Hilton K-120 speaker (Square Dance Speaker) in excellent condition. Purchased for $14.00 CAD. The very desirable JVC K-120 speaker alone is valued at over $ 200.00. I was just lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. Keep on searching.
Purging is good! If Alex can't see or remember what he has in stock, then neither can his customers! Great job transitioning everything to their new homes! 👍
Those Polaroids tho. I’m obsessed with the old cameras, but specifically Polaroids. I collected my first one when I was in high school and I’ve picked up a ton at thrift stores since.
Hi! My first time watching your channel and I felt like I learned a lot from you. I appreciate knowing the thoughts that go through your mind when you look at things that you're considering buying. Especially when you don't buy them. Keep the good shows coming!
Goodwills prices are too high, considering everything in the stores was free to the store, the owner of Goodwill is a multi millionaire from things given for free!
I’m so excited and happy for your channel! You helped me look closer to things that I get at thrift stores! I’m an avid lover of vintage aesthetics (dress, glamour, and of course the everyday living items!) I cant wait to shop at my consignment shops and goodwill! Thank you!
I find treasures to flip all the time! I just sold a Heywood Wakefield Sculptural night stand set for $600. Bought the set for $20 at a local thrift store! My best thrift flip ever.
Around last month I took a trip to the local goodwill. Went over to the fishing section just to see what they had. Found an old 50s/60s Quick Reflexe rod. Looked it up saw it was ~40$. Had no price tag so I asked one of the restockers how much they would want it for. So he went in to the backroom which scared me thinking he would come out selling it for 50. Came back and said "7.99 and its yours" just wowed me
I used to thrift and would buy/sell board games and miniatures. Picked up a game for $1 and flipped it for $100. Also found a tub full of miniatures for $6 and got about $150 when I parted them all out. Now all our stores have is 85% clothing and garbage.
Goodwill prices here in the US have gone up too. My daughter is reseller and she always picks up old ball gloves at yard sales because they sell well on eBay. Sure is looking wintry there already!
If it weren't for craft items I wouldn't go to goodwill any more. They have taken the fun out of shopping by taking 95% of the surprises you used to find and putting them on the online auctions. And over pricing the new items. With covid ravaging thru our country there are no flea markets and few garage sales - makes it tough for any one looking for resale items. :-/ I and am sure many others will be over joyed when we can look for treasures again! Thanks for sharing your explores. Helps those of us having withdrawal symptoms :-). Good luck hunting!
I had that Mickey Mouse record player in 1977! My parents ordered it from the Sears catalogue for me. It took 6 weeks to arrive ....too late for Christmas....but I loved that machine. It was on all the time. I always regretted getting rid of it.
Thrift stores and Goodwill locations all suck now; no thanks to collector scabs and antique dealers. Everything is either picked over or sold at ridiculous secondary market prices.
We have a store just like that in Boston called Savers. I don't go often but every once in a while I pop in after I donate some things. I found a truck hood ornament in one of the bags for $5 and I sold it for $125. I think they first opened about 8 years ago and the prices just seem to go up and up. It is a good place to get rid of junk, because they take almost ANYTHING!
Love your channel, thanks for such amazing content! Quite a few of us resellers make a full time living flipping items from thrift stores and yardsales ( and sharing our adventures on TH-cam!) 😁 but its work for sure
I'm jealous of the US Goodwill prices - they say "oh thats too expensive" and put it back. LOL! I also notice that VV now have loads in the jewerly case that shouldn't be there for higher prices... sometimes I wonder who is helping them price items... on a side note... that was a cool old hanging lamp shade next to the lamp you were talking about as parts....
Forget the thrift stores like Value Village. Source out your local church thrift shops. Better prices and helpful friendly staff that volunteer their time.
Agreed. Smaller charity shops are where the vintage gold is at!
Yes. I agree 100 percent!
Yes indeed
was gonna say the same!
Value Village is becoming more and more expensive. I think they’re now realizing that flippers are buying there and reselling higher on eBay etc. VV thinks it can get a bigger slice of the pie, but unfortunately it’s both chasing away the flippers and the people who need to shop there.
In Canada is more expensive
All the Thrift stores in FL are now high priced. They are on to the reselling game.
Is only going to get harder because of all the people who have lost their jobs. Tons of competition.
They are following Goodwill's greedy business model.
They are dooming themselves.
goodwill seams to be more expensive than it was a few years back
Yes, 12 years ago I could buy men's button down short sleeve cotton blend shirts for $3. Now the same shirts are $12. Crazy. Sadly goodwill isn't goodwill anymore.
Mom and Pop thrift stores are the place to shop I think. I have found their prices more reasonable.
yeah, it's because their executives get paid millions.
You seem like such a nice guy.
Joe Green
Yes, I noticed the prices were higher.
That place is expensive even considering those prices are in Canadian dollars. I recently saw a couch at my local Goodwill that was priced at $500. I asked one of the employees why it was so expensive & she said because it was brand new. I don't think they are going to sell it considering it is only $399 at one of our local furniture outlets. You can still find some amazing deals but like you said it can be a lot of work. It just makes the treasures you do find that much more special 😌 💘
I watch local online auctions. Ordinary sofas in mint condition frequently go for under $100.
I had something similar happen in my local Goodwill. I explained to them why it wasn't new, they had turned the cushions over and sprayed it with a deodorizer, which did not work at all for the kitty odor.
Here's the thing, ALL their inventory is in the form of donations under the guise of "helping the less fortunate", but they don't donate anything and they charge full price. Make no mistake, Value Village is a for profit organization with super low overhead because they prey on people's generosity.
I read that the Salvation Army Thrift Store is the only thrift store that the CEO doesn't take a salary ( just google what the CEO of Goodwill gets paid ) and I think 80 or 90% percent of profits go to charity. I noticed that prices have really gone up at Value Village.
@@rajjie100 Good to know. Goodwill doesn't help anyone as far as I have noticed. It still helps resellers make a living in certain areas of the USA but I went to the goodwill in San Mateo, California this past week and it was DEVOID of anything worth more than $1. Of course the prices were higher than in any GW I have ever been in. Those GW CEOs are greedy!!!!!!! When they see resellers making a living, they nip that in the bud, stat!
So true about the thrift store comment about "actual people".
Years ago I had to volunteer at a local thrift store to help pay for a trip (a church member paid for portion of our trip if we volunteered). Anywho, we were each paired with a sorter in the back of the building. The lady I had would sit in the middle of a massive pile and she sorted things into 4 piles 1. Things to keep for herself 2. Things to put out on the floor/sell 3. Junk 4. Rags for to bale (they bale rags to sell to other countries). We volunteered for two days and we all were able to go home with our "keep pile". I had brand new toys and brand new clothes. And yes, some thrift stores do have brand new clothing items. I remember taking home these dresses that were $100, and the kicker was that they were actually trying to sell them for $100! Apparently, clothing stores give them out of season and unsold clearance items. The store employees usually have first say, and some things never make it to the floor.
Dang.. those thrift stores are expensive! 🤨
WRONG. The dollar is ‘worth’ less!
Value Village is an effin' RIP-OFF! I recall seeing old t-shirts sold for almost $10. Back when SEARS was going out of business, it was literally cheaper to buy new clothes at SEARS.
I just picked up a Coach purse (for myself) for $4.99 at Goodwill. I started frequenting thrift stores when I first became unemployed in 2012. I kept going even after I found another job and didn't "need" to any more. Now I just can't bear to pay full retail price, especially for clothing.
These days my husband and I have a good income but we still shop this way like I did when I was living off $11/hour! Sustainable too
Shopping second hand is so much better for the environment too! A lot of older items are well made and will actually last longer than something new.
Absolutely nothing wrong with thrift store shopping for even the wealthiest among us. As many have mentioned it reduces waste, but many thrift stores also provide jobs to the special needs community and folks getting back on their feet, the non-profit stores directly support the community from their revenue too, so shop away!
Same with me. I have shopped at thrift store since college when I needed sweaters for winter. Now my husband and I work full time but I for to save money and for the thrill of the hunt.
I almost exclusively buy my clothing second hand.
Very interesting to read viewer comments. Alex, you gave really good tips while shopping today. Salvation pulled their store from my town. I knew a lady who attended their church and volunteered sorting donations. She was not embarresed to say that volunteers got to pick the best by volunteering. Also, there was a manager who hired only family and friends. She routinely kept things back for other friends, family, and favored family. Goodwill was always higher, but raised their prices once Salvation Army store was closed. But there were some really good managers at both stores at times, which made a big difference. Your videos are always fun and informative. Thank you!
I cant believe how meticulous this thrift store is with all these bags, never seen that.
My local Goodwill in S.C. isn't like that either
It's a Savers/Value Village thing. They're a lot more transparent about where their profits go, too!
Tbh the bag thing is annoying because they put weird stuff together or something great with trashy items and you are forced to buy it all. It takes time looking through all the bags too... but it does look nice!
I call them random bags of crap. Some treasures to be found but it takes too long to go through.
Value Village prices are way too expensive now. I stopped shopping there.
Same in Australia, prices way out.
It’s crazy how expensive big name thrift stores have gotten. It gets my feathers ruffled a bit sometimes. I prefer little locally owned and ran second hand stores.
They are all catching on.
Same in charity shops in UK
@@steveswan5714 That is true. Someone mentioned Salvation Army, their not bad here either.
I used to work at a VV. We put out good things all the time- they just sold very, very fast. Usually in under an hour, maybe a day.
VV owned by the billionaire Walmart family always pushes me away. They make money on charity lol
@@matthewthiesen6098 Walmart doesn't own VV. Savers does. It's a false rumor saying it's owed by Walmart. However it is still a multibillion dollar corporation.
I’m glad you posted this, discouraging people to shop at thrift stores! I’ll keep all the thrift finds to myself! Lol
lately in goodwill is nothing but pure crap
Not me! Ross all day. Brand new items for 80% off market price 😎
@@SECONDHANDUSA They send all their good stuff to their online sales now. It's nearly impossible to get what you want.
@@SECONDHANDUSA Skip Goodwill, like stated ; they mark anything of value and sell it off market. Places like Ross will stocked with brand new Merch that was just too overstocked in stores. So you can get $200 air jordans for 50$ sometimes
Right
The snow is beautiful. I am leaving Florida in February and heading to the Pacific Northwest to the mountains to live in my van. Can’t wait to get back to the mountains again. I am 66 and starting my new journey in life.
I wish you good luck!
That’s great. Best of luck 💛
Good for you
Groovy, rock on!
Brrrrrrr!!!!!!!🤣⛟I'm the same age, just left the snow!
Bless you! Right on time to help me calm down a bit.
I too am having a hard time calming down these days.
Value Village had such a reputation for high prices they closed all their stores in my city - nobody would shop there.
A lot of Goodwill stores keep most of their good stuff back and sell it at auction on their website. You don't even get to see it in the store. Certainly no Legos.
A lot of thrift stores dispose of anything old. They either auction it, in lots or bins or toss it out. I used to buy paintings in wire cages turn of the century mixed with 70s and 80s lots of 50 go for $15 now I have started selling vintage clothes I get in bags from the dumpsters. When donations are high they will toss donations unopened. I get a lot of old school Levi's and hats and dresses
Goodwill is completely ridiculous. I routinely see items priced HIGHER than you find them new at a retail store.
@@kathleenmichelet6585 They must be tossing a lot at my neighborhood Goodwill because the car lines for donations have been incredibly long on a daily basis. Everyone's been using the pandemic lockdowns to clean house. Goodwill can barely keep up with just the car unloads alone. I can't imagine they'd have enough shelf space to stock it all.
@@m0L3ify so in the trash it goes so we can get it later!
This is more the case in USA they don't do auctions here in Canada I don't think 🤔
Dont get me wrong, I love your longer vids, but I'm really enjoying the shorter ones you've been posting lately. Its often easier for me to watch them while I take a quick break. Thank you for all the explaining you do! Idk how you keep track of all the info you have but these little nuggets of wisdom is really helpful!
Holy Moly, your thrift stores are huge. Just bought a set of air tight storage containers for the kitchen at my Goodwill. I usually search sheets,and curtains for the cloth..to sew with. I made a nice dress from a pair of Laura Ashley curtains.The fabric is lovely.
Gone with the Wind
I Saved up to buy a 180 dollar 6 ft. xmas tree at Canadian Tire but first I thought I would go to value village for a curtain rod and low and behold I found a newer 7 half foot Xmas tree for 40 bucks then caught a wicked sale on lights, it all cost 80 bucks so I had a great day!! :)
I got a 7 1/2’ Xmas tree from Walmart. Was 89.00 got it for under $10. The thrift store trees are unrealistic.
Goodwill here prices Walmart brand children’s clothing at almost what one might buy it for new during a Walmart sale. In my mind it is better to just buy new !
It's cool that you educate people on what to look for, but the fact that it's all in your head speaks to your years of learning & hard work.
I bought a book for a quarter once called "I Was Pagan" by V.C. Kitchen. Turns out Kitchen was a founding member AA. I sold the book awhile later for $75 (US).
👍👍
I found an Hermes scarf at value village for $7.99 sold for $1500
That’s a great buy!
Sick
A guy in the states recently bought a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Special from Goodwill, it was on their online auctions and I am sure he paid what it's actually worth but just being able to say you bought a 50s Les Paul from Goodwill is priceless.
He has a TH-cam channel and videos about it.
Matthew Scott!
I’m a small time antiques dealer, and I’ve found some incredible things in thrift shops over the years. Hudson Bay blankets for $5, mid 19th century yixing teapots for $4, and a late 18th century faience stein for $6, griswold pans for $10, etc
Thats the tidiest thrift shop I've ever seen lol.
I was about to say my thrift store looks just like that, but like an earthquake hit it after
Herein lies the issue with Canadian 'antiques' in general. What most Canadians consider as antiques are actually just Canadiana collectables and vintage items. It pales in comparison to the European market. The amount of _true_ antiques in Canada, especially Alberta, are few and far between.
I used to go to Goodwill and other thrift shops. I buy stuff so cheap and sell on Ebay and make a big profit. Then the last few years or so, these thrift stores caught on and started sellig on their own auction website.
I then discovered a way around this..... well it worked for a while. I started going to local estate auctions. I bought a box one time that had 9 old framed pictures. Nobody wanted the box and the auctioneer asked if I buy it for $1. I said why not. I did not go through that box till about a month later and when I did I found something unique on the bottom of the box.
It was an original framed Walt Disney 3 sheet ceeluloid painting from the movie Lady and The Tramp. I put that on Ebay and bids went so high I couldnt believe it. I sold it for $3,000 to someone that was once an artist for Walt Disney!
Coming from a UK perspective, I've always assumed "Thrift Store = Charity shop" but that's not necessarily the case, is it? Charity shops take in donations and raise money for their specific good cause - there's the big chains like Oxfam but then there's the local Hospice shop next door. So when you see the charity wising up on the good deals, sending the good stuff to auction to maximise their profits, there's a sense of "Well, good on them making the most of the donations!"
But a quick google shows that Value Village is a for-profit, commercial business. What is the motivation to give them donations? Just that it's better stuff gets re-used than ends up in landfill?
same for goodwill it is for-profit haha.
I work at a Savers(same as Value Village) and they are a for-profit but each location works with a non-profit in the area. We weigh up the donations we get in and pay the non-profit so the donations do go back into the community.
They started out as being for charity (Diabetes Foundation) but turned for profit about a decade ago I think. By then we all knew where the donation bins were conveniently located. For most of us the motivation is to get rid of things that are still perfectly useable but we're tired of them and don't want to feel guilty about chucking it. Because not over consuming is un-North American.
As it shows at the beginning, the donator gets a 20% discount for the donation. VV is taxed because it is for profit. It males me mad to pay tax on something that was already taxed. I often go to Renaissance in Quebec, which is a non-profit. There is no tax on purchases.
I like to look for things most people have no idea the value, at Goodwill I recently found a 1970's hand held 5watt CB radio for $7.70 US with a value over $100, of course as a collector I'm not selling till I'm closer to my end, or beginning if you like.
I love you Alex. You chill me out. X
These shops are so clean and organized! The only Goodwill I ever went into was a jumble, stuff scattered all over the shelves, and everything that was not hanging on a rack was sorted by color. So if you wanted to look at lamps for example, you had to wander the whole mess, stepping over things all over the aisles. It was a huge turn off for thrifting.
$1000 for a toy car? Maybe I should go through our collection of Hot Wheels! I find it hit or miss on the thrift stores. I'm not looking to buy and then resell, I'm usually looking for bargains. The stores themselves seem to be raising their prices. You can usually find things on clearance for the same or lower prices. Thanks for sharing! I really love watching your family and your videos! Take care!
I have worked/volunteered in many charity shops over the years and been a regular buyer from them since a child. Since the spread of the internet,bargains are harder to find as people can more easily learn about items. Having said that I still find things to resell with decent profit margins BUT alot less than in the '80's and '90's. A few years back I got a collection of books from the 1950's mostly science fiction and a second editon Guiness book of records for about £25,(from a charity bookshop) and the least valuable item was worth around £12, the best one sold for £100 or so. About ten minutes work to gather together and then six months to find buyers for all of them.- It can be done, but it takes alot of visits and alot of stores and a healthy dose of luck to make it.
I agree with you, Alex. Around my neck of the woods (southern California), all the "good stuff" is taken by antique dealers, etc so there's basically nothing of real value. I watch The Crazy Lamp Lady and she finds some "good stuff" at thrift stores, but it seems like the antique malls are a good source for her.
Also their friend Eric, he seems to be a great source.
Here's the thing, ALL their inventory is in the form of donations under the guise of "helping the less fortunate", but they don't donate anything and they charge full price. Make no mistake, Value Village is a for profit organization with super low overhead because they prey on people's generosity.
Salvation Army thrift stores are so expensive they should be ashamed of themselves!🤬
Many Goodwills are real high around here too since their regional managers get paid millions.
@@nefariumxxx we have a thrift store in our small town hooked to hospice, they are outrageous, I can go to Wal-Mart get it for the same price🤬 it’s all free to them, I just don’t get it?
@@cheryljohnson4292 greed and corruption even in the charity business. Goodwill also got reported for using a loophole to pay mentally challenged workers less than minimum wage. Pretty scummy corporate behaviors there.
@@nefariumxxx 👎🤬🤬
@@cheryljohnson4292 I think it's more about raising money for charity rather than being cheaper than a corporate conglomerate
Stamps.....those are a lot of money when you have to buy them from the craftstore or Amazon....omg I would go crazy in that section. I do a lot of crafts. I loved that catface bowl too.
Woohoo! So much content this week! 🤗 Thank you 🙆♀️
You're so welcome!
@@CuriosityIncorporated hi if u happen to find a Lucy clay slicer at one of
Those shops or else pasta machine or silicone mold cutters ect plz email at my name with 0522 at gmail
I miss thrifting ( or Charity shopping) as we call it in the UK. Our local ones have been shut all year so I've taken to eBay and Vinted now for clothes/toys. Doesn't have the same thrill of finding a bargain though!
ALEX,
I was looking forward to the bedazzled fan expressions of the Goodwill ladies when you came in with the donation!!!
Next Time!
I’ve found lots of Waterford crystal at goodwill. At the two in the small towns I frequent, they have no idea what that is. I score big.
Can't believe how MASSIVE those thrift stores are!
and new!
So basically you are waiting for a back room troll to make a mistake in order for it to be worthwhile to go into these places anymore.
I've seen far too many back door deals at almost all thrift stores dating back more than twenty yrs. Far too many greedy people and if you don't believe me check into what happened to Goodwill in Ontario. How about all those truck loads of Salvation Army X-Mass toys that went missing???
Executives are not making enough money??? Rather too many grinches.
Our local thrift stores offer antiques and collectibles to area antique dealers before anything is put on the store shelves. So finding anything worth buying at the thrift store is pretty rare.
some thrift stores aren't taking donations right now
Yep. I have been cleaning out closets, etc. I started selling lots on FB Market place, eBay, Nextdoor, just to get rid of it. I've turned some clothing items in to hot pads, cookie sheet hot pads and floormats.
@@coloringwithd I’m bad about tossing old clothes if I can reuse it to make something else. Not to hoarder standards yet lol
You should check out the Crazy Lamp Lady. She makes a pretty good living doing exactly this.
@Oswegoma yikes! What did she say/do? 😬 I watch her occasionally, but I’m not going to give watch time to someone like that.
@Oswegoma No, she is certainly not!!! Why the heck do you say that??
I have never heard her say anything racist... On what basis do you make your claim?
@Oswegoma I'm curious, too. What's up with that?
I was thinking about her great luck at goodwill while watching this guy try to find anything.
I recently pulled a wool Hermès coat valued at 7,000 from Goodwill for one dollar. It’s been authenticated and is probably my best find.
Agreed! I’m not a reseller...but like to go what I call Junkin’. The prices at thrift stores (Goodwill and Salvation Army my go tos) nowadays don’t appeal to me any longer unless maybe I can’t find what i really need/want somewhere else. Very rarely is going to them worth it anymore if they want almost full value and all the stuff has been reviewed ahead of stocking on shelves by “Pricers” looking these things up for value. I get why they do it but it’s not an advantage to me most of the time. I’d rather spend my time going to garage sale, rummage sales or even some of the Mission outlets that can’t afford to hire “Pricers”. They are good places to get rid of things at best.
Alex! Thanks for the Thrift Store show! I have gotten or at least seen some wonderful things. I know they are Vintage because I played with them, and I’m vintage👵🏻. Sometimes a store makes the mistake of “fair pricing” causes them to have things taking up space. Better to move merchandise quickly so more can be put out and go. It feels almost greedy when the items are given. I understand that overhead of store and employees must be paid and money put aside for future.
Between the thrift store employees picking out the good stuff and resellers going over the inventory, it is hard to find good deals at the thrift stores any more. Often the prices are near full retail prices. That said, I enjoyed your outing to the thrift stores, great change of pace.
My husband loved his Lincoln Logs! Great for budding engineers!
This is the cleanest, most organized charity shop I've ever seen.
OMG! What a shop.... oooh those crafting stamps! I have never seen such an organised thrift shop. Thanks for the fun video Alex. I was right there with you enjoying it all 💫 oh, and the buttons. I’m a junk journal maker so that is what I would have bought too. Maybe one day I will come and visit your shop if I ever get to beautiful Canada 🇿🇦🇨🇦 I hope you and your family are well
Very nice and interesting video Alex. I thought it would not be that interesting - AND IT WAS! Thanks for taking us along - you put such hard work into your videos - and it shows!!! Love your Vlog...
I once found a relic watch for $5 at the Salvation army store. Relic is a cheaper offshoot of the Fossil watch company by cheaper I mean prices for Relic ran between $75 - $150 as opposed to $275- $800 for a Fossil. I still have it.
I see you have an authentic Alberta windshield...cracked. Most thrift stores are over priced now, it's hard to find anything good.
Is that from the hot defrost air hitting the cold windshield?
mick m No, it’s from all the sand and gravel they put down on the roads 6-7 months out of the year.
Fj cruisers windshields crack from just looking at them. Otherwise good vehicles
I loved the logs as a kid, so underrated!
I always check the collectables and dish-ware isles first. I once found a Lampe Berger there for $8 and when I checked later found that it was a limited edition that sold originally for around $250 😁👍
Managers of thrifty marts can be your best friends. Yep, I'm that guy....LOL
I knew someone who wanted to buy a horsehair couch at goodwill for several hundred to donate to the local museum. She was told by an employee that even though the couch was on the floor it was on ebay auction for another day and she should get online and bid on it... she came back in a couple days and was able to buy it. But still, pretty sketchy that it was both for sale in the store and on ebay, and that an item in goodwill was posted on ebay. Very strange
Goodwill runs it’s own auction site for local chapters to sell on, and some local chapters put items on eBay. Usually, these items aren’t on the floor, but since it was large they may have had no choice.
Thrift stores have never been about selling things cheap, they’re about selling used/donated things to raise money for a charity’s main purpose.
Loved seeing the snow ❄️♥️❄️♥️.......💞😊
I used to buy a lot at Village and thrift stores. I seldom go now because they are too pricey. I just wait a bit longer and save to buy new. Garage sales can be a good source . I enjoyed this it was an interesting take on what you look for. Keep Safe ❤ Keep Well❤
Alex, thank you so much for entertaining us yet again! You never disappoint!
Not an antique retailer but a collector. I find in most of the legit antique shops in my area if you have an actual interest in the items they are more likely to give major discounts or in some cases free items. I got around 10 antiques for around 5 cents at this one place just because I was so obviously helplessly in love with all the beautiful vintage and antique items.
Crazy prices in the thrift store, here, in the Netherlands it is much cheaper for the same stuff.
Warm in Maryland today neighbors were cutting grass and we washed vehicles. Those stores are cool the goodwill by us isn't that clean nor organized at all
Snow oh no, no snow here in Ontario yet TG! I agree with other commenters that these second hand stores are overpricing the donated goods they put out :(. But us resellers have to be more choosy but there are still the odd bargains to find to make $ off of. The guy who runs our local Sally Ann store told my husband he could make an offer on the higher priced items. So last week i seen what i thought was a nice set of 50's style Franklin Mint diecast dinky cars with the shelf the store wanted $150 I offered the guy $100 he said $120 I told him no $100 is all i could do, he took the $100. Sadly there were 5 cars from the set of 20 that were no good but I still sold the shelf with 10 cars for $215 . So I still have 5 cars to sell for around $80 hopefully. At Value Village I found a 1976 Titanic game complete it's going for $80-$117 on Ebay I paid $5.50 for it on a Tuesday. So just keep searching :)
On the other hand, I have been to places that claim to be antique stores, but are really just thrift stores in disguise.
Good values are still to be found if your willing to put in the time. My latest score is a vintage mid 70s Hilton K-120 speaker (Square Dance Speaker) in excellent condition. Purchased for $14.00 CAD. The very desirable JVC K-120 speaker alone is valued at over $ 200.00. I was just lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. Keep on searching.
Thrift stores are for people with more time than money--like me!
@@mozu517 Ha...me too.
From what I understand, those Ninja Turtle vans can fetch some decent money.
They were both broken though. The side door was snapped off on both.
They are basically doing the same as you Alex trying to get more money than they paid for stuff 😂
That is the cleanest and nicest "Thrift Store I have ever seen. Good for them.
Never know what you'll see at a thrift, definitely a needle and haystack scenario! I like your content, I love posting about antiques & art too!
You can find some great stuff, all though I actually prefer consignment stores now.
I love Lincoln Logs! Played with a set in the 80s and 90s up until I discovered lego 😁
Purging is good! If Alex can't see or remember what he has in stock, then neither can his customers! Great job transitioning everything to their new homes! 👍
Goodwill actually sells their “good” stuff in online auctions on their website.
Those Polaroids tho. I’m obsessed with the old cameras, but specifically Polaroids. I collected my first one when I was in high school and I’ve picked up a ton at thrift stores since.
Hi! My first time watching your channel and I felt like I learned a lot from you. I appreciate knowing the thoughts that go through your mind when you look at things that you're considering buying. Especially when you don't buy them. Keep the good shows coming!
Goodwills prices are too high, considering everything in the stores was free to the store, the owner of Goodwill is a multi millionaire from things given for free!
So true. I don’t donate there. I donate to local charities who’s people work for free.
Thanks for taking us along ♥️
I’m so excited and happy for your channel! You helped me look closer to things that I get at thrift stores! I’m an avid lover of vintage aesthetics (dress, glamour, and of course the everyday living items!) I cant wait to shop at my consignment shops and goodwill! Thank you!
I find treasures to flip all the time! I just sold a Heywood Wakefield Sculptural night stand set for $600. Bought the set for $20 at a local thrift store! My best thrift flip ever.
Around last month I took a trip to the local goodwill. Went over to the fishing section just to see what they had. Found an old 50s/60s Quick Reflexe rod. Looked it up saw it was ~40$. Had no price tag so I asked one of the restockers how much they would want it for. So he went in to the backroom which scared me thinking he would come out selling it for 50. Came back and said "7.99 and its yours" just wowed me
That's a good idea for lamp parts. I have a few lamps for resale that I want to rewire before I sell them.
I used to thrift and would buy/sell board games and miniatures. Picked up a game for $1 and flipped it for $100. Also found a tub full of miniatures for $6 and got about $150 when I parted them all out. Now all our stores have is 85% clothing and garbage.
Goodwill prices here in the US have gone up too. My daughter is reseller and she always picks up old ball gloves at yard sales because they sell well on eBay. Sure is looking wintry there already!
If it weren't for craft items I wouldn't go to goodwill any more. They have taken the fun out of shopping by taking 95% of the surprises you used to find and putting them on the online auctions. And over pricing the new items. With covid ravaging thru our country there are no flea markets and few garage sales - makes it tough for any one looking for resale items. :-/ I and am sure many others will be over joyed when we can look for treasures again! Thanks for sharing your explores. Helps those of us having withdrawal symptoms :-). Good luck hunting!
I remember my brother having that electric football game. It was cool back in the day, but I bet the kids today would think its so lame...lol
The prices anymore are why I don’t mind buying new. I’m getting what I want, with higher quality and don’t have deal with looking through so much.
I had that Mickey Mouse record player in 1977! My parents ordered it from the Sears catalogue for me. It took 6 weeks to arrive ....too late for Christmas....but I loved that machine. It was on all the time. I always regretted getting rid of it.
Brrrr.. looks cold there! We are having a resurgence of summer here in NJ.
As are we in Montreal.
Mississippi, too! It's 68 degrees right now at around 11 PM.
@@HannahMattox It's almost as warm here (64) just outside chicago at 5AM! Yay insomnia.. -_-
Thrift stores and Goodwill locations all suck now; no thanks to collector scabs and antique dealers. Everything is either picked over or sold at ridiculous secondary market prices.
Unfortunately, alot of the "antique" shops in my town are more like thrift stores.
We have a store just like that in Boston called Savers. I don't go often but every once in a while I pop in after I donate some things. I found a truck hood ornament in one of the bags for $5 and I sold it for $125. I think they first opened about 8 years ago and the prices just seem to go up and up. It is a good place to get rid of junk, because they take almost ANYTHING!
20 bucks ..nope 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Love your channel, thanks for such amazing content! Quite a few of us resellers make a full time living flipping items from thrift stores and yardsales ( and sharing our adventures on TH-cam!) 😁 but its work for sure
Honestly, I have no idea where you guys find the time to do so much!! (But love the content!)
I'm jealous of the US Goodwill prices - they say "oh thats too expensive" and put it back. LOL! I also notice that VV now have loads in the jewerly case that shouldn't be there for higher prices... sometimes I wonder who is helping them price items... on a side note... that was a cool old hanging lamp shade next to the lamp you were talking about as parts....