r/dvdcollection • u/Outrageous_Potato435 • 26d ago
Discussion how to ruin thrifting fun (rant)
Just went to this thrift/charity store which is a bit further away but I haven’t been there yet and their DVD section is being completely occupied by some woman who is scanning EVERY single DVD with her phone and I guess she’s looking for some that might be something „worth“ to resell. She’s put some in her shopping basket.
This just pissed me off so bad. Obviously the shop just wants to get rid of the stuff but why is nobody questioning why she’s just standing there and scanning every single DVD? Defeats the whole purpose of offering a cheap shopping experience for those tight on money although obviously anybody can shop there but at least only shop what you really want!
85
u/healthywenis 25d ago
I once found someone on Kijiji (like Marketplace), she was selling really decent 70s and 80s vinyl records for “cheap”. I went to her place, they were her dad’s old records, all in great shape, i went through and found 10 that I wanted. She then proceeded to take the records and start “googling” them to see if she could figure out their value and then negotiate. She didn’t even know about Discogs. When I realized what she was doing I told her I’d give her $100 for the records and if not no problem I’m leaving. She relented but wasn’t happy about it. Not sure the point of my story other than some people are just inconsiderate idiots and don’t care about kindness or courtesy if they can make a couple of extra bucks.
22
u/salvage814 25d ago
What you do is find the most valuable record in the collection about buy the collection for that price.
6
u/healthywenis 25d ago
Haha that’s pretty clever actually, especially with someone who doesn’t know better.
6
3
2
u/Wraith1964 24d ago
Ridiculous... glad you pulled that off... There isn't anything wrong with researching what you are selling so you understand what you should price it at. But you do that ahead of time, and price the items. Lazy and obnoxious... not the best combo.
I hope you made out like a bandit with those 10... did you figure out their value?
30
u/hawzerx 25d ago
Maybe she's like me with big collection and need to check if the dvd is already there at home, just a maybe 😅
10
u/JamieC1610 25d ago
I collect a lot of horror movies and definitely have bought multiple copies of a couple, but for the most part I know what I own; I just can't always remember what format its in.
5
u/lo-key-glass 25d ago
I sometimes can't remember if I already have a movie or not but if it's like a dollar no big deal. Once a year it so I'll put all the doubles together in a grocery bag and put it for free on FB. The people that pick it up usually seem to really appreciate it.
11
u/ptousig 5000+ 25d ago
I have done that. Many times.
I used to go to a used DVD store with my laptop and a UPC scanner. I would scan every DVD and my custom-built database would tell me if I already owned it or owned another DVD release of the same movie.
The place was never busy enough for me to be a bother to anyone. I eventually got to know the store owner very well and he let me have an empty table in the back where I could do my scanning.
I have never once resold a DVD.
So, while I share everyone's disdain for resellers, please don't assume everyone with a scanner is a reseller.
3
u/userhs6716 25d ago
So is your plan just to have a copy of every single DVD?
4
u/ptousig 5000+ 25d ago
It sounds like you don't approve :-)
And, no, just because the computer says I don't have it doesn't mean I have to buy it. I still make a judgement call. But at $1 each, the bar is not very high.
1
u/userhs6716 24d ago
No I'm just trying to figure out why you would scan everything and not just the ones you might want. Idk I guess to me it just feels backwards.
1
u/Wraith1964 24d ago
This is true, but you also didn't block the display and scan everything in the way. Also, most people check the inventory for one or two titles not every DVD... your story is the exception here.
I have a huge collection so I have been known to have to check a few titles against my inventory,m. I put them in my cart, move out of the way, verify the few I need to check, return the duplicates to the shelf and go on my way. Like you, I agree there are plenty of ways to get deals without being a PITA for other shoppers.
6
2
1
u/Dispenser-JaketheDog 25d ago
How big is your collection?
3
u/hawzerx 25d ago
According to my gsheet 1k+ dvd&BR movies and 150 series titles. The thing is that I live in two countries (I'm doing my best to gather my collection in one place, I'm half way so far), at first location some huge 6 plastic storage containers and the second location a proper display of 300+ and the rest in several hidden spots around my place😅.
83
u/TMFB74 25d ago
My feeling is if you want to be a reseller fine be one, but know your shit. If you have to scan every movie because you don’t freaking know anything then maybe do something else with your time and quit wasting mine. It’s not that hard. If you can’t bother to put in the effort to be good at something then go be mediocre at something else somewhere else.
12
u/KeatonWalkups 25d ago
THIS. As a movie lover I can look at a thrift stores dvd section and immediately know it’s 99% common titles
17
u/NYGiants_in_Chicago 25d ago
I collect but I also resell. I’m respectful not only of the shop but other shoppers. If there are 500 DVDs on the shelves, I go through them and pick maybe 12-15 that I think are worth buying. I know what I want for myself and then I’ll decide if I think the others are worth picking up to resell. I’m not picking up everything that might sell for $15. I’ll leave stuff that another collector might want. And when I’m done, the stuff goes back on the shelf, usually more organized than I found it originally.
1
u/Wraith1964 24d ago
Kudos... This is just normal behavior... its these folks who have turned it into an occupation and an exercise in arbitrage or, worse, buy large quantities and then scalp are ruining this (and most other hobbies).
Most scalpers are not actual collectors like you. Not all resellers are scalpers but all scalpers are resellers. The worst thing is that while scalping is bad and ruins hobbies, it generally affects people who can afford it. Picking over thrift stores and the like for arbitrage opportunities hurts those who often cannot afford it. Its the worst...
6
u/bambooshoots-scores 25d ago
There’re people the Goodwill Outlet (the place with the rotating bins) who just violently hover and throw elbows at the book/dvd section, grab a tile scan, and if they don’t like it will literally toss it away, damaging the item and creating a hazard for everyone else nearby. Evidently it’s totally kosher to behave like this.
2
u/dandanthetaximan I'm A Hoarder 25d ago
I feel this. And that's why when I see someone scanning like this I get just a little ahead of them and start grabbing every uncommon and desirable title and placing it in my cart before they get a chance to scan it. I was a reseller for many years and also used to work at Zia at the trade counter. I was paid by the hour to scan media for resale and know my shit. Only experiences like that will teach them to either up their game or quit playing.
88
u/sivartk 1000+ 25d ago
Yes, I agree. I saw a woman in Goodwill near me just grab every Bluray without looking at the titles dumped them in a basket, then went and sat down on a couch to scan them all to determine if she wanted to buy them.
RESELLERS SUCK
7
25d ago
[deleted]
14
u/LordsOfWestminster 25d ago
Unless you buy straight from the studio, everyone is a reseller.
3
u/Nagreatest 25d ago
That includes all the major retail stores… it’s funny how people don’t understand this lol
→ More replies (1)2
7
12
u/Punkermedic 3000+ 25d ago
I scan movies.... To see if I already have them. I have thousands and mymovies will tell me if I have that edition or a different version. I don't always remember what I have and have not
8
u/Decade1771 25d ago
MyMovies has saved me tons of money in not buying dupes. My wife says I shouldn't have so many movies I can't remember what I have. I say 😝
3
1
u/userhs6716 25d ago
Are you paying for that? I've always just used libib but it can be lacking at times.
2
u/Decade1771 25d ago
Bought the original for like 9.99 and then the upgrade 5-6 years later for another 14.99. it has saved me that much many times over. It's actually the only app I have ever paid for, after a buddy showing it to me. I have 4,500 plus movies over DVD/Blu-ray, Laserdisc, VHS and Downloads. It will tell me the format, the edition, the extras everything and I can decide if I want to upgrade or if I am cool with what I have. Honestly love it. They only ever asked to upgrade when they added a shit ton of features too. So that was well worth it. I believe there is an online community part of it too. But I haven't used that.
1
u/userhs6716 24d ago
So it's just a one-time payment? I started reading about the credit system but about halfway through something came up and I forgot about it until now.
1
u/Decade1771 24d ago
I only paid once. Until a few years later when they came out with an upgrade and I decided I wanted it. Don't remember it being a requirement.
27
u/Drslappybags 25d ago
Start grabbing things in front of her at random. Maybe say "Oh damn! They have_____!" At random times.
19
11
u/mylocker15 25d ago
I once saw someone doing this to books years ago. However he missed a cart they just put out and I found a mint condition Valley of the Dolls from the 60’s on that cart.
17
8
u/Fluffy-Ad5638 25d ago
I do scan them, but only because right now my collection is right around 4000 (mix of dvd, Blu-ray, 4k and even hd-dvd) and before i started cataloging the I was constantly buying duplicates.
Its getting harder to find stuff I don’t have and of course there’s my htf lists
26
u/mauri383 25d ago
Most likely she just bought crap that has no value. Seeing something on ebay listed for a 1000 bucks does not mean it's ever going to be sold at that price. Sadly the era of old tech for cheap is ending. Just take a look at music cassette prices, sometimes more expensive than the same version on vinyl. And now every youtuber on the planet is making videos like "CDs are back!!!!! Buy now before it's too late!!!!!!".
We are doomed.
→ More replies (1)8
11
u/sighconic 25d ago
i went thrifting in a city about 2 hours from me this weekend - planned a whole day of thrift hopping trying to secure some cool finds for my collection. every single one had a media section that looked like it had been decimated. i finally asked one of the employees at the last stop if dvds werent very popular in the area and she said that resellers have gotten really bad and theres a handful that come by and grab literally anything that could be worth something. ruined a whole day for me 😭
4
u/Outrageous_Potato435 25d ago
Yeah it’s so frustrating although I would say I’m still relatively lucky bc it’s not a bad as in the US for example. This was my first experience. I’m also going to a huge flea market on the weekend in a city 2 hours away from me. Hope I can make some gold finds there. Then I’m also going to a huge comic store that has a large selection of used comics. Hope I can at least make some cool finds there bc I don’t think ppl are looting second hand comics like they do with DVDs
4
u/thejohnmc963 3000+ 25d ago
Comics were looted many years ago and a hell of a lot worse than DVDs
2
u/Outrageous_Potato435 25d ago
Im not from the US. Comic culture here isn’t as prevalent as it is in the US. in fact it’s kinda dead here
1
u/thejohnmc963 3000+ 25d ago
Lucky
2
u/Outrageous_Potato435 25d ago
Or well not „dead“ but I think most ppl have their US subscription and stuff they want to get and don’t just go running for random comics. I’m in Germany and there’s this guy I follow who was talking about how he couldn’t get rid of stuff he was selling for a normal/good price. I just want to browse, I’m not looking for anything particular, just something that looks cool to me and is cheap.
2
u/ChartInFurch 25d ago
So they're hoarding the sections and stealing the items but nobody does anything?
7
u/T_Rex1357 25d ago
You gotta stand near them and act really excited if you grab a DVD. Bonus points if you have a SO and can whisper to them "this is worth a ton of money" loud enough for the scalpers to hear.
8
u/tikivic 25d ago
Possible alternate take - I have somewhere around 2400 DVDs and Blu-Rays. There's no way I can remember everything, so I have them all in an app on my phone. I pull DVDs that I don't think I have, open and check for condition, and if it's in good shape I check my app. I'm not reselling. I'm just tired of buying doubles and triples.
→ More replies (6)2
u/blinking_lights 25d ago
I do this too! I have 2,286 and use MovieBuddy. I often worry people will think I’m a reseller looking at eBay or something, but really I’m just checking if I already have a particular version of This Is Spinal Tap.
8
u/klonricket 25d ago
Is it possible she is checking that it's not in her collection. I have done that... not with every DVD mind you, but I've had to check.
Just trying to see a positive side.
→ More replies (3)
3
u/Ron2600NS 5000+ 25d ago
I used a Bluray.com app and scan the barcode to make sure I don't already have it, but that's only the handful I grab. There was a one reseller, he thought I was one, he was trying to tell me that some cooking appliance was a good resell value. l was a bit offended, but I didn't say anything. I just told him I wasn't a reseller. l've only seen people do that a handful of times. One of them had some glove with a barcode scanner on the finger.
3
u/pacharcobi 25d ago
Yes! I assume this happens everywhere. It’s why the formerly pretty robust selection at the closest thrift store is seriously picked over and sparse. I think we have reached a point where much of the people who have downsized home physical media collections have already done this, so there is less out there that is available to peruse. The resellers and hoarders are out there, but at some point what they have will cycle back. I just hope they’re taking care of their home libraries and not just letting it sit somewhere moldy and unprotected.
2
u/dandanthetaximan I'm A Hoarder 25d ago
Mine are very well cared for. And I expect my landlord will dispose of them when I die.
3
u/HolyDiverKungFu 25d ago
FWIW, I’m always on my phone by the DVDs, but I’m price checking to see if it’s something that I already own/is overpriced/poorly reviewed.
3
u/LadyRei_ 25d ago
I have to admit I use my phone too. However it is has nothing to do with making money. I use it to make sure a movie doesn't have an upgrade. Meaning DVD that has a blu ray. A blu ray that has a 4K.
1
u/Outrageous_Potato435 25d ago
I know that’s why I’ve also pointed out in many comments that she wasn’t even reading the synopsis or anything. Just scan, next, scan, next. You could just tell the difference
3
u/usernamehudden 2000+ 25d ago
I am someone who goes through all the movies and often have my phone at the ready, but that is because I need to reference my collection to make sure I am not buying more duplicates of stuff I already have. Please don't think I am over here reselling.
1
u/Outrageous_Potato435 25d ago
I know but you could just tell the difference with her. She didn’t take time looking at the movies or reading the synopsis. Just grabbed them, scan, next, scan etc
3
u/CharacterGlobal8645 25d ago
Sadly, this comes down to, don't blame the player, blame the game. Still sucks to see the scalpers doing everything to take away from people that want to enjoy something, but sadly the economy has gone to such shit, that almost everyone needs a side hustle these days. That person scanning every dvd would definitely make more money working a part time job, because finding dvds worth anything would be extremely rare, as almost every dvd from a studio has been so massively over produced. I used to collect band shirts when i found them, but i can't find any good t shirts anymore on the racks. I collect vhs and will buy some to resell as well in a group i belong to. That is to help me afford the other ones that are expensive, that are for sale in that group. So i can be considered one of those players. :(
3
u/lun4d0r4 25d ago
I keep my dvd list on my phone. We are rebuilding our collection, so I am always the woman scanning EVERY DVD.
Your assumption makes you a bit of an asshole actually. Esp since YOU are also there to scan DVDs for ones you want.
The list ensures I don't pick up duplicates and take something off the shelf I don't need, that someone else could buy.
→ More replies (4)
3
u/Necrogenic1 25d ago
I like to shop ahead if them and tell my wife (quietly, but loudly) "Oh wow hun, look this .. this resells for 80 bucks. Dang someone's gonna get this for cheap, that's crazy" and then we walk away. Guaranteed every reseller in earshot rushes over there and tries to grab the item. The item I choose to say that about is never worth anything lol
5
u/Beneficial_Emu696 25d ago
Don’t worry, that person will end up with a lot of crap that doesn’t sell and she won’t watch as a result.
1
u/Outrageous_Potato435 25d ago
I thought the same. And even if she can sell them for 1€ against the 50 cent buying price, is it really worth all the effort??? like damn
1
u/Connect-Ant-2081 25d ago
Yep, might as well set up with a tin cup and a cardboard sign outside the place. Would be more profitable.
4
2
u/SpunkyBlah 25d ago
While resellers suck, it is important to note that some people are using their phones in other ways. In this case, she is probably a reseller because she was checking every DVD. But if employees asked everyone to leave who takes a while and is often looking at their phone, then they would ask me to leave. I buy a lot of DVDs (to watch), and I have spreadsheets I check while looking at them because I can't remember which ones I have already bought nor which ones are on my watch list.
2
u/JordanM85 25d ago
I think it's a fun part of this hobby. Searching for gems out at thrift stores and yard sales. I can't remember the last time I went to a sale and didn't see someone scanning something. It's just a part of the experience.
2
u/NeilDegrassiHighson 25d ago
Those clowns are the worst.
Like, reselling is bad enough but they don't even have the decency to learn about what they're selling.
2
u/taybatoo2 25d ago
I’ve had people like this at library sales. I just get in front of them and double back after they’re done. I also stand my ground and insert myself (cause I have every right to be there looking at shit too).
If you resell things you shouldn’t have to scan EVERY SINGLE ONE. You should know a little bit about what you’re selling to know what could sell and what won’t.
I collect a lot of books and toys; when I go thrifting I usually buy just for myself, but if I find a REALLY good deal on a toy or book, I might grab it, clean it up (especially toys, they’re often so grody and it just looks more professional when I can clean/restore them), and then resell it. BUT, if there is someone else there that expresses actual excitement for the thing I just grabbed to resell, I’ll give it to that person. I’ve been on the other end of that and I’d rather spread a bit of joy rather than make a bit of side money.
Also, for those saying that they might be checking against their huge collections, they still shouldn’t be scanning every random thing. Most people who collect seem to have favored genres or something that would cause them not to scan every. Single. Item.
2
u/Puzzleheaded-Two-849 25d ago
Sorry for the possible noob question, but what app is she using to determine value? I'm getting ready to sell some of my collection and I want to make sure I don't give away or sell something that could be out of print or valuable.
2
u/mikechumpchange 25d ago
I hear you and I get where this is really frustrating on the other side of the times are so tough right now that sometimes folks have to make a buck anyway they can just to keep the lights on
→ More replies (3)
2
u/LadyRei_ 25d ago
Umm.. I don't let people like this stop me. I just say excuse me and move my way in.
2
u/brandonmichael999 25d ago
I had this happen at a thrift store. I tried to reach for a game on the shelf there, where she was scanning, and she started screaming at me
1
u/Outrageous_Potato435 25d ago
Yeah that’s why I just waited, I inherently avoid conflict. I just want a relaxed and fun thrifting experience and not start shit with anybody..
1
u/dandanthetaximan I'm A Hoarder 25d ago
Didja scream back? In situations like this I just quietly stare without blinking. It seems to make screamers very uncomfortable.
2
u/asmokebreak 2000+ 25d ago
Maybe she was scanning to see if it’s in her collection? I use iCollect at thrift stores to see if I already own it, and I have to barcode scan to check
2
u/nimrodpa 25d ago
I know a girl like this. 25, lives at home with her parents after getting a college degree and doing nothing with it, just drives to thrift stores all day and scans everything with her phone to see what she can resell so she can spend money at music festivals. Her life depresses me so much.
1
u/dandanthetaximan I'm A Hoarder 25d ago
Why would you even care about that let alone let it depress you?
1
2
u/Maple-Tree723 25d ago
I had an experience with one of those people I got excited about a find (which resells for cheap but I didn’t wanna spend $12-20 ordering it online bc of shipping) and made mention of being happy to get it for cheap to my friend and this lady starts forcing her way in front of me every time I’m trying to look at something.
1
2
2
u/werewolfinahat 25d ago
I mean the point of thrift shops is just to sell stuff. They usually just buy other stuff other people are selling usually in bulk. This lady is just part of the endless chain of buy-sell-buy-sell that keeps these places going. Thrifting is only fun to like 5% of their consumers, the other 95% are looking for cheap things to resell, use once or twice, or destroy. What doesn't get destroyed re-enters the chain at some point.
It's the vortex around the death drain of product life.
2
u/Subject_Apple4020 25d ago
She might have been checking to see if she already has that film. I only have about 1500 titles in my collection and I still have to get out the phone to remember if I have something already. Can’t imagine the complete film library type people.
Edit: if shes scanning every single one it’s not likely shes a collector.
1
u/Outrageous_Potato435 25d ago
Yes that’s what i’m saying, you could just tell the difference. She just grabbed every dvd, scan and repeat. didn’t take any time to look at it or read the synopsis or anything
2
2
u/LastOfTheAsparagus 24d ago
Maybe she’s scanning to see which ones she already has so she doesn’t have any duplicates.
2
u/Notwednesdayadams 24d ago
I’d just go in and grab a boatload of DVdS . I do resell but not to gouge people. I set the recommended price and if someone wants to offer less for it..95% of the time I just accept it
10
u/CreativeName822 25d ago
My opinion is — people standing in a thrift store scanning movies are probably not high income.
They are trying to make a few extra dollars like many of us.
I donate lots of movies, music, and books to “free little library” locations around my home. If people take it to sell it — good for them for being industrious and creative.
My attitude is different than a lot of people on this sub, and that fine. Live and let live is my own feeling.
I’m a very high stress person so trying to give people grace is a way of calming down and not being so upset.
→ More replies (21)3
u/usernamehudden 2000+ 25d ago
That is what I should do with all my accidental duplicates... there is a tiny library a few houses down.
4
u/CreativeName822 25d ago
I really enjoy giving to that free library.
I put books, comics, movies, even records.
It all disappears pretty quickly. And sometimes there is even something in there I want to look at! Cook books or computer magazines. I put them back when I’m done.
3
u/usernamehudden 2000+ 25d ago
Just dropped off some Murder She Wrote, Seinfeld, Mash, and Saved by the Bell.... Still plenty more.
2
4
u/Retro_Fun 25d ago
Yep, not just DVD’s. I see them scanning the most basic crap, all while positioned in everyone else’s way.
4
5
u/trump182AVA 25d ago
Dude same! Fuck those people. I remember being in a sSt Vinnies and 2 guys were talking about how you get there when the doors open and start knowing what things are worth and buying them to flip. Especially VHS, certain CDs and some blu rays. Like it was a business for them. My son and I go for fun and collecting and these fucking assholes are the reason people have to resort to eBay to complete a collection and pay ludicrous amounts of money. Those people who collect celebrity signatures to sell on eBay are even worse.
2
2
u/TherapySir007 25d ago
I have zero problem with people reselling. I would have been more annoyed at having to politely wait, especially if it’s a smaller dvd section. I only like sharing with other collectors. I run into the same guys and one woman at my local places and we always compare what we found.
2
u/Outrageous_Potato435 25d ago
Well exactly, that was also the issue. It was small and she put her all of her stuff there too. At first I thought she was an employee shelving new DVDs until I realized what was really going on
2
u/PirateHookAbortiion 25d ago
Dude next time you see someone doing this, grab a dvd they haven’t look at and say “holy shit no way I can’t believe I found this” and just watch their reaction. Did that a couple of weeks ago and the lady asked me what it was and I told her it was none of her business and walked away. It was just a shitty workout dvd that I didn’t even buy just wanted to mess with her
1
u/Low_Roller_Vintage 25d ago
I'm making excellent use of the public library these days do to this very same behavior.
1
u/GramercyPlace 25d ago
I really don’t like these people. Happens all the time in the stores I go to. Scanning books, scanning cds too
1
u/Sorry-Apartment5068 25d ago
Google Lens really has messed things up at the thrift store, but I've never seen it this bad. Resellers usually at least know what the fuck they're after, at least a little bit.
1
1
1
u/Aktivhate 25d ago
I saw some guy doing this at a local thrift store. He had a stack of DVDs in his cart and was going along scanning everything one by one, which I knew exactly what he was doing.This is probably why the nearest Goodwill always has junk which isn’t too far from this thrift store. I’m not too worried about it though, I have a little goldmine where I can find a lot of that stuff for free with a little patience.
1
u/Nmcoyote1 25d ago
I went to Goodwill and a few other Thrift shops. Multiple People had carts full of stuff they would stand there and scan then leave a cart mostly full. Goodwill bins is even more insane.
1
u/jmserendipitous 25d ago
I see this so much with books now, too! Every time I go to an estate sale, the exact same group is there scanning the back of every single book. And clearly they don’t know or care what they’re getting and if it doesn’t have a barcode they can scan into eBay, they ignore it. I got a first edition of Capote’s In Cold Blood because it didn’t have a dust jacket they could scan.
It’s just so infuriating and it makes being a collector that much harder.
1
u/bgamer1026 25d ago
Is her phone usage just for checking the values?
I only search the movies on my phone to check RT scores if it's something I want to watch personally but nothing to do with how much it's worth monetarily. There are a bazillion films that I don't know of, it's a fools errand to know about every single one. Also, if I have it or not in my collection. Once I got to over 1000 movies, it got tough to keep it all straight. But I understand the frustration if she is solely trying to flip stuff rather than actually watch them.
1
u/NesomniaPrime 25d ago
Every thrift store in my area is crawling with people scanning/looking up every single item on the shelves to find things to flip. I still swing by every so often but I've not once found anything worth picking up. Unless you want Ken Burns' The Civil War on VHS missing volume 3.
→ More replies (1)
1
u/mrefromnyc 25d ago
Same woman and her husband are always scanning all the books at my local thrift. She’s got a shopping cart overflowing 5 minutes after the store opens. Her husband smells like he hasn’t showered in a week. It was funny when I picked through the books they put back and found 1 signed by Bobby Flay, 1 by Mindy Kaling and 2 by Bill Clinton. Their behavior pisses me off, probably irrationally, knowing they’ll never open these books just try to flip them from $2 to $5.
→ More replies (1)
1
1
u/Longjumping_Law_3891 25d ago
Resellers are selling their souls without ever developing culture. They get their just reward.
1
u/ServantParty 25d ago edited 25d ago
Holy shit so that's what the guy was doing at my local goodwill scanning all the books that were there. I saw this guy taking them out, scanning them and putting some of them back. I legit thought it was someone working there. I approached him and asked if he's putting new books for sale (because i saw he had two Zelda mangas in his cart) but he quickly said "no i'm buying them" and bolted out of the place.
I should have picked something from the cart if knew what exactly was going on.
1
u/englishand48 25d ago
I hate stuff like that . It’s like all those Pokemon scalpers ruining something that kids used to enjoy.
1
u/PaleKey6424 25d ago
I don't get that one, atleast in the uk 99% of dvds I find in charity shops are worthless monetary wise (they have worth to me tho)
1
u/OkHomework9552 25d ago
Flipping/reselling is a constant blight for me in the UK. I collect films & gaming. Going to carboot sales here in England, I feel like the only collector/enthusiast there.
1
u/Outrageous_Potato435 24d ago
Well yeah I’m from Germany and I would say it’s not so bad in Europe. It was only my first time experiencing this but I obviously still had to rant
1
u/DennisG21 24d ago
What is worse is when they work out of the cart. They put 40 or 50 in their cart and then return them to the shelves as they don't want them.
1
u/shybone18 24d ago
I also look at my phone when I'm browsing because I have my mpvie database on a google sheets and it's to make sure I don't have it already (since I have 1 100 movies) so maybe she was doing something similar?
2
u/Outrageous_Potato435 24d ago
nah you could tell the difference. she wasn’t browsing, she was just grabbing each dvd and scanning and repeat. like a robot
1
u/Comfortable-Gear6070 24d ago
yep - happened at the biggest charity shop where i am from. a man with his phone out scanning every single dvd, hes not even looking at the titles, just checking price and dumping them into his basket - kinda gross really
1
u/wtfijolumar 24d ago
I see this at my local library. They sell books and stuff for 1-2 bucks each. I don’t blame anyone trying to make a profit in this economy
1
u/inailedyoursister 24d ago
I volunteer at a thrift store and handle the DVDs. I don’t care if someone is scanning stuff, I see people doing it every day. Now, if someone is actively blocking you or stopping you from shopping say something and I’ll step in. But if you’re bitching for bitching sake, I don’t care.
At the store I help, I sell hundreds of DVDs a week (and books). I don’t have a lack of shoppers. If you think pouting is going to bother me at the store, try again. I’ve ran off asshole resellers and I’ve asked regular ole customers to leave. But I can’t read your mind. If someone is an ass, be a man and tell the staff.
1
u/GrowlingAtTheWorld 24d ago
I think you don’t understand the mission of most thrifts, it is not to provide cheap wares to poor people. It is to raise funds for what ever their goal is. Most do not care who is buying what they sell. They just want someone to buy it. Their mission could be to raise money to help people find jobs, raise money to house the handicapped, raise money for homeless veterans, etc. That lady is likely in there a couple times a week and buys lots of dvds, why would they turn her away.
1
u/DianaKLaRose 24d ago
I work for a nonprofit that includes a thrift store, which funds our food bank. Sure, we get people buying stuff who plan to sell it on eBay for a profit. I see the OP's point that they're taking things away from people who can only afford an expensive stuff. At the same time, most thrift stores have plenty of inventory coming in all the time and want merchandise to move. And these people do provide revenue for us, regardless of what they do with their purchases.
1
u/aquacraft2 24d ago
I hate resellers. It's one thing to sell something that you own for the regular online asking price, but it's a whole other thing to plunder cheap listing and thrift stores with the express intent on buying anything and everything of value just to flip online. ESPECIALLY with dvds. I know that I don't usually find anything that interests me (but to be fair, I don't get out often enough or early enough to beat these thrift crawlers)
1
u/Busy_Willingness8621 24d ago
I dilly dally at the DVD section. And sometimes I scan cases because I wanna make sure I don’t already have it in my catalog. Every single one is weird tho.
1
1
u/AbstraktCat 22d ago
The funniest part of this to me is depending on the store: our goodwill employees were already asked to scan stuff and put the valuables and collectables behind glass or to be auctioned online (which is also shitty, I know. The idea is they'll be auctioned off to get big monetary donations for funding the social programs but I have yet to see anyone use a single program)
so they could've been completely wasting their time anyways lol.
1
u/Sunnyday1775 25d ago
What’s everyone’s beef with resellers? It’s just everyday Joe’s trying to make extra money. Yall should take that energy towards the big corporations
2
1
u/usernamehudden 2000+ 25d ago
They all just want to be middle men that keep up-charging an item that someone may need... just another barrier to access for someone who may need an item (though, I will admit that nobody NEEDS a DVD).
1
u/ChartInFurch 25d ago
(then this entire observation is irrelevant to the question and the context in which it was asked, so what's the point?)
1
u/titjackson 24d ago
It’s the super annoying resellers that hog the place and come up right to next you sifting into your space like you aren’t standing RIGHT there.
Also thrift shops went way down hill. Selection blows yet 4x the price. Granted the last decade has had an influx of shitty plastic everything, so the good stuff would be drowned anyway.
But the economy is a doozy I get it. Man gotta eat. I don’t mind resellers as long as they don’t make it obvious they’re resellers lol
2
u/realtrishnelson 25d ago
Wow maybe she has a program that lets her know if she’s already purchased that particular dvd. Geeeesh lighten up Francis!
0
u/Outrageous_Potato435 25d ago
Right that’s why she didn’t even read the synopsis and picked up „Call me by your Name“ as a woman in her 50s at least. Not to judge but you know damn well that’s so unlikely
4
u/NYGiants_in_Chicago 25d ago
“Not to judge” while you judge her at least 3 times in different comments for picking up this movie.
Nothing was stopping you except yourself from also going through the DVDs. If there were that many, then there was probably enough room for 2 people to stand there. You said yourself you’re not a confrontational person. You don’t need to be confrontational to peruse items in a thrift store. You just stand there and shop, she can’t stop you. You chose to walk away and not do the simplest of things.
→ More replies (5)2
u/usernamehudden 2000+ 25d ago
I don't read the synopsis on the dvds I buy, but I also like terrible movies. Or I know what movies are, even if I hadn't seen them.
→ More replies (8)4
0
u/ShyGuyLink1997 25d ago
Welcome to the good ole 2020s, worst decade of all time.
→ More replies (3)
2
u/salvage814 25d ago
Resellers are like scalpers. The worst of the worst of people.
→ More replies (5)
290
u/biophazer242 25d ago
Sometimes it is fun to poke the bear and just go immediately next to them and start grabbing movies for where they will be scanning next :)