Goodwill is on some bullshit!

I go to thrift stores every now and then to find cheap electronics and video games. There prices have gotten outrageous. They want $12 dollars for an NES game that sells for a dollar on eBay. I figured they were just making up prices as they went along. Today I walked and I saw an NES advantage Stick in box for $20 with eBay listings posted on them at $30. They also had a Mattel classic football game with an eBay auction picture at $65 priced at $30. They’re literally pricing all their retro stuff at near ebay prices with printouts! I was about to ask for the manager and give them a piece of my mind but decided against it. It’s goodwill not a retail shop. I’m not even going to bother going anymore.

 

Less than half the eBay price? What a travesty.

 

The local thriftstore sells all NES game for 5$ regardless what it is. They could have Stadium Freaking events and they would sell it for 5$.
The obvious consequence is they have lots of sports games and nothing else. I did make a few good catch here though.

 

The one that was $65 in the auction was actually from the 70's/80's. This was a newer one. They get stuff for free and try to sell it for full or overpriced value. I understand if everything's five dollars. What if a copy of NWC washes up, they write across the label $5000?


I’m just really frustrated that I have to pay full price now. One of the few places to stumble upon something rare and cheap is gone. The hunt is diminished. Craigslist has been dead for a while now too. I use to be able to find good stuff for really cheap. People started being ignorant and reselling on craigslist stuff they just bought for ebay prices. Now everyone thinks what they have is super valuable. They destroyed the system they were taking advantage of. If I ever bought something I didn’t want, I resold it on ebay to keep people on craigslist blind. So I started going to thrift shops and now they’re doing the same thing. Guess I just have garage sales left.

 

It really depends on where you live. Here in Austin there is a large percentage of geeks, so Goodwill marks game and retrocomputing prices up or auctions them off quite often. I do notice that the Goodwill stores outside of the city are still a great place to find good pickups. We have some other thrift stores/pawn shops in the city that don't gouge as much, but we have a lot of retro game resale shops here, so the good stuff moves quickly! At a particular thrift store I see the same lady every single time I go, with all the good loot in her cart. Likely a reseller.

I simply hate Craigslist! People complain about buyers being flakes on there a lot, but I have had the opposite occurrence. With every single great deal or holy grail I find, the person mysteriously flakes, or they have some grandiose excuse as to why they can no longer sell the item. A few weeks ago, a guy told me that his kids must have broke his Amiga 500 in half and that he already threw it out so he could no longer sell it to me, even though I still offered him money for the accessories.

Garage sales can be difficult because you can waste so much money in gas and not find anything for weeks. Again, it really depends on your location. I find that I save money in the long-run just staying in and sniping 'decent' deals (especially with typos/wrong categories) on ebay, although it isn't nearly as fun as the thrill you get when thrifting.

 

They've been having crazy prices for the past 3+ years in my places, which is why I rarely go anymore. The only pickup I've gotten there recently that was worth my time was a dead DVR with a healthy hard drive inside for $3. However, I did pick up a ColecoVision, expansion module, 4 controllers, 3 adapters, and 30+ games in a box marked for $25 a decade ago. You win some you lose some. :shrug:

 

The ones around here have bumped up CD prices for some reason. Plus they stop selling TVs which is disappointing.

 

Possibly because nobody wants CRTs anymore. I've seen the same ones at the thrift shops near me for over a year now.

 

damn, my goodwill barely stocks games at all. i found sports talk football once last year, that was it...some bad PS1 sports games in with the CD's too.

others tell me they've had cashiers hit price charting up at the register too...scene's getting ugly, man.

 

The Goodwill's here tend to put most game stuff on shopgoodwill.com or charge stupid prices. What I've been doing is hitting the mission stores. They tend to have great deals but you have to go often. I got a PS2 game shark and action replay in a Gameshark box of $3.99. I can't complain. Also snagged a 200 mmx computer for 19.99. All other charities donate computers to the local e-waste place.

 

Its probably because the price is too high. Goodwill sold CRT TVs for $10-25+ but you could just go across the street and buy a TV at Salvation Army for $3. I know guys who troll Salvation Army looking for 19" CRT TVs for use in arcade cabs.

 

You guys are lucky those style of shops sell games. The Life lines, Salvation Army etc over here sell old clothes, toasters and broken toys.

 

One 20 minutes from me had a Playstation with hair on it...

 

My local goodwill is actually pretty good,cart games except for DS usually sells for around 2 to 3 bucks.

 

I've been finding some good stuff at mine recently but yeah the prices have been getting higher.
Anytime mine gets any 360 or PS3 stuff they often price it over what I could find it for on ebay or craigslist.

 

Man that website has some messed up priorities.
Mega Man 5 manual: $14
Sega Nomad and 4 games: $11
Both with a week left, but still.

I've never had a huge issue with thrift shops, yeah the fact that the one by me sells all PS2/GC/Xbox games for $9 is silly, but some of them are a good value.

Plus at another one (not Goodwill or Salvation Army) I got a limited edition N64 for $10.

 

They're not charging you for it, so get it bought!

 

Anybody ever venture to the goodwill outlets? They charge like 60 cents a pound. I used to go daily on my lunch break, biggest find yet was a v2 segacd

 

Wait, we're talking about a charity shop, right? Where items get donated and the proceeds go to charity?

OK firstly, they pay rent on that shop. And the manager gets paid. And secondly - IT'S FOR CHARITY.

When you buy a game for $60 on eBay, where do the profits go? 10% to eBay and 90% IN THAT INDIVIDUAL'S POCKET. When you buy a game that's been donated to a charity shop, where do the profits go? After overheads, TO CHARITY!

Are you REALLY telling me that you don't want to pay the going rate for something because the money will go to charity?! Shows what kind of person you are really, doesn't it?

 

i have wonderful luck in most every place i go,but if you are aware of how much something cost...most others are aswell. It is a profit and thats what keep's the lights on.