In the national disability rights community Goodwill has a very poor reputation for several reasons. Many executives get outrageous compensation while they pay their captive workforce doing vocational rehab deeply minimum wages to work sorting and working on the sales floor. I know ‘clients’ who are working, purportedly training for ‘real’ work for $2.43 an hour.That is close to indentured servitude if you are disabled and that is the only work you can get.
Back in 2016, the Omaha World-Herald ran a devastating series of articles about Goodwill Omaha, the well-known 501(c)(3) that is one of Nebraska’s biggest charities.
Perhaps the most damaging element in this expose was the compensation level of the group’s top executives: They were the highest paid of Goodwill organizations in the United States at the same time that the workers of the thrift shop giant were paid minimum wage. In 2014, for instance, CEO Frank McGree earned almost $935,000 in total compensation. Other executives earned over $100,000 a year, although data show that the agency was serving a steadily declining number of people.
Among those taking notice two years ago was Nebraska’s attorney general, Doug Peterson. “Our investigation of Goodwill Omaha began following a series of articles about the organization….which raised a number of questions about whether Goodwill Omaha was being operated appropriately as a nonprofit corporation ….The questions raised about possible misconduct were serious and warranted a closer look.”
I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything at a Goodwill that is higher than the equivalent retail store. Higher than equivalent things at other thrift stores, yes.
And I’ve been at a Goodwill store where they sell the high quality stuff they get at high prices. That’s another reason the other thrifts are better - Goodwill screens so you don’t get great bargains there.
Remember that Burlington changed their name from Burlington Coat Factory not that long ago & on their website in '23-'25 they have this bullet point
Launched Store Experience 2.0, Burlington’s new store layout that’s much more inviting, exciting, and off-price. In 2025, the Company retrofitted about half the chain to the new store layout, with the remainder expected to be retrofitted by the end of 2026.
I needed some assorted underwear for a photo op, literally line laundry; it was to be used once for the shoot & worn zero times; therefore, I didn’t want to spend a lot so cheap was the way to go. I came to find out that thrift stores don’t sell underwear so had to up the budget a bit
My husband shops at Marshall’s, Ross and TJ Maxx because they sometimes have lower-level couture-ish items that didn’t sell at first-run stores. He also shops at higher-end 2nd-tier stores, like Off Fifth (for Saks) and Nordstrom Rack when he can, but I don’t think they exist nearby any more. He has a canny eye for value (although he sadly still believes that the “original” price was ever a real price). These days, though, he is trying to de-clutter and get rid of excessive clothes and shoes, so he isn’t buying much. He also used to shop for gifts for women friends or for his sisters, but that is also pretty much a thing of the past.
All thrift stores do that to at least some degree. Even at my church’s rummage sale, one of our volunteers keeps an eye out for some key items and sells them online (still benefiting the church). Goodwill might be better at it than others.
I’ve also heard of people who volunteer at thrift shops, purely for the opportunity to get the first look at the merchandise, and buy things at the thrift price and resell them for their own profit.
I got a pacific islanders war club, worth maybe $200 for $5. Yeah, when they first go thru the items the sorters are given a list of common valuable items to look for , but so does every second hand store. Tiffany silver, etc.
But many rare and valuable items are not on that list. I also got a first edition Lovecraft book- in not great condition- that my local bookstore gave me $50 for and a Von Bode comic booklet worth $100.
YMMV depending on location,stock and their online auctions but it’s no secret that Goodwill shoppers have observed common goods overpriced compared to the msrp. Including myself.
Goodwill has outlet stores, where the leftovers from their regular stores get thrown onto tables and are sold by weight. I’ve never stooped to buying clothes at one, but we have found some good stuff at them. It’s an amusing experience, I’d hate to have to shop there to make ends meet.
There’s a TJ Maxx/Home Goods combo store rather near me. The clothing is on the basement level, and the home goods are up. I completely stopped going down to the clothes area because I never saw anything worth buying. Poor quality and often just weird (colors, patterns, designs, etc.).
But Home Goods often has name brands at decent prices, so I’ll get something there occasionally.
Decades ago there was a store called It’s a Dilly in Santa Monica, near Venice. In the early days, I’d find lots of designer label clothes there. They’d try to remove labels, but one Albert Nipon dress I bought there had a lace facing on the hem that incorporated the name. So, hard to disguise that! And I wore that dress to death. Sadly, the merchandise quality got lower over time, and most items weren’t worth even the cheap prices.
Now, I’m lucky enough to not have to shop at discount places. I shop the sales at higher end retail places and still get an occasional bargain. I prefer to buy quality items and keep them longer rather than buying cheap things and having them wear to pieces in a year.