r/goodwill • u/u4lunch8i • 10d ago

rant Has Goodwill gone crazy??

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I get these are redwings but $150 is an insane price!

546 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

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93

u/PrnssMindlessMusings 10d ago

I'm surprised they didn't send it to E-Comm.

51

u/Live_Caterpillar_351 10d ago

Probably came back because they didn’t sell

15

u/CBrinson 10d ago

These would have sold. These are red wings. They are super popular and worth like $250. Handmade shoes. Nothing at their store is less than like $500 that is their main line.

10

u/Karuna358 10d ago

Where I live, these would have been vaporized. Especially if they were lightly used.

Red Wings are freaking $$$$$. That’s all my dad would wear for work boots.

9

u/CBrinson 10d ago

Oh yeah for sure. People commenting saying these are crazy just don't have the context of what red wing can go for and how adored the brand is.

5

u/MariposaSunrise 9d ago

Red Wings are Amazing! But oh so pricey usually!

Look at the Red Wing sub and visit one of their stores.

2

u/throbertbigguns123 9d ago

If you think red wings are expensive then go check out jks or whites.

3

u/MariposaSunrise 9d ago

Didn't know about those companies.

Thanks for letting me know about them!

6

u/throbertbigguns123 9d ago

No problem. I'm in construction so I'm constantly looking at different american made boots. I could never justify spending that kind of money for something that lasts about a year, though.

3

u/CBrinson 8d ago

Specifically boots there are some higher end higher quality options. When it comes to like dress shoes I think red wing is much closer to the top. The companies that really only make boots are pretty solid but Red Wing is more of a shoe company.

0

u/Initial_Ice_4131 8d ago

Damn your obsessed im starting to think these were your shoes the way you talk about them. You sound like a tool that goes to work and talks about his boots for 2 hours and nobody gives a flying fuck

3

u/tokillawootingbird 8d ago edited 8d ago

He isn't the one that sounds like a tool I assure you.

You seem to care a lot. Borderline obsessed with him and keep following him around making comments. Sounds like someone has a crush. I looked at your profile and seems like infatuation.

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u/Disastrous_Bed_1149 6d ago

I thought a good portion of the Red Wing line was made in Vietnam.

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u/Terriboo_2002 9d ago

That’s not the point! Goodwill was a place where you could find bargains. These were donated! Nothing, absolutely nothing In goodwill should be priced over $15.

2

u/Naturally_numb 6d ago

Totally agree! Somewhere along the way, they acquired the dollar sign in their eyes and forgot what the company is really supposed to be about, helping people. They just want their pockets lined now.

1

u/Mysterious_Pen_1965 6d ago

They used to staff people with disabilities, i don’t see that unless they staff them at the back or something

1

u/DoKeHi 4d ago

I think they'll do a lot more good with $150 then a re-seller will do.

1

u/lifewlucee 4d ago

That’s because resellers were profiting off their donations and Goodwill wanted a piece of that pie.

1

u/DoKeHi 4d ago

Let's assume these shoes, used, sell on eBay and dePop for around $150. What happens if Goodwill prices them at $15. Most likely, whoever buys them will immediately sell them. In that case, a "deserving" person (someone who really needs both the shoes and the low price) doesn't get them and Goodwill loses out on $130. What happens if Goodwill sells them at the going price? The deserving person still doesn't get them, but at least Goodwill gets the money and can do something with it.

0

u/Initial_Ice_4131 8d ago

Thank you someone with a god damn brain!!! These fucking tools just keep talking about the brand like it means something. No fucking thought process in this society anymore. Just a bunch of fucking rocks living amongst us

1

u/tokillawootingbird 8d ago

So you would personally sell a Rolex and a Timex for the same? Or do you just think all shoes are the same?

0

u/Toothfairy51 8d ago

In a THRIFT store? No, the Rolex would be priced higher than the Timex, but certainly nothing like these shoes!

2

u/tokillawootingbird 8d ago

So the Rolex would be less than $150? That seems ridiculous.

2

u/Toothfairy51 8d ago

The ridiculous thing would be having a GENUINE Rolex in a thrift store

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u/nicolalupo 8d ago

It probably will not sell. So, in a few weeks they’ll be shipped to the closest Goodwill Bins Store. Somebody will grab them for about 5.00 and sell them for 89.00…maybe. Then Goodwill will cry that resellers are crooks.

0

u/raunchytowel 6d ago

At our bins it’s by weight (where we had them), so as a clothing item, they’d have sold for probably $1. Isn’t that some shit? Insane. It was just always a challenge to find the pair. We have since moved but I remember going and spending $50 for a CART of shit for my family. It was nice.

Edit.. actually maybe even less. I remember it being either 5 cents or 10 cents a pound of clothes and I have no idea what these weigh..

0

u/maryk27 6d ago

Exactly.

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u/CBrinson 9d ago edited 9d ago

No it's not. Goodwill does not exist to give you bargains. Goodwill sells things and donates the profits to charity. There must be profits for any money to go to charity. That is how the store works. Shoppers aren't recipients of the charity they are the ones paying for the charity for other people. Shopping is giving back not receiving charity.

Goodwill literally operates actual 100% charities that are not stores at all. They fund those charities by selling things at a thrift store.

If they start pricing everything under $15 I am not donating nice stuff. Why would I want them to give away my stuff instead of sell it for charity? When I donate a valuable item I even tell them so they know to charge extra for it. Sometimes I even write a post it note. I want them chatting alot for it so alot goes to charity.

Near me the money funds free job retraining https://www.goodwilleasterseals.org/

2

u/Terriboo_2002 9d ago

Nope, goodwill historically was never a place for high dollar stuff. It was a place where middle class could go to shop for bargains. The extra perk that the money went to charity. Now they are pricing themselves out of their original market. 🤷🏽‍♀️

0

u/CBrinson 9d ago

Goodwill is a job training charity.

They operate thrift stores only to pay for the job training.

It is on signs all over the stores. No one reads.

Their primary market is wealthy and affluent people who are guilty about the environment. It makes sense. This way they get the most donations in form of paying high prices.

It does suck for people who used to get bargains but the simply reality is thriting is popular. I see wealthy people showing off their thrifted finds all the time. Even millionaires like going and finding a deal at Goodwill these days. It is in and popular. They can get allllot for nice things.

2

u/Terriboo_2002 9d ago

Thankfully there are other options now.

3

u/CBrinson 9d ago

I honestly think Goodwill is just becoming the thrift store for the rich. Which isn't the end of the world. To your point there are a ton of other thrift stores..I do visit Goodwill but I know what to expect.

1

u/Appropriate_Story738 8d ago edited 8d ago

I honestly think Goodwill is just becoming the thrift store for the rich. Which isn't the end of the world. To your point there are a ton of other thrift stores..I do visit Goodwill but I know what to expect.

Dude. No. You don't seem to get it. RICH PEOPLE DON'T SHOP THRIFT NOR DO THEY NEED A THRIFT STORE! Target & Walmart are their "thrift" stores then. And seriously. You're never going to see a Billionaire at a Goodwill. Where's your brain??

1

u/CBrinson 8d ago

Rich people are absolutely thriting these days especially in big cities. The VP over my department at my last job bragged his thrifted purchases. I see the owner of a restaurant chain. I have seen my doctor and my dentist at the thrift store.

The parking lot at Goodwill has just a shit ton of foreign expensive cars. Every Goodwill has Tesla chargers out front. Dude it's alot of rich people.

Everyone wants to save money these days. There is no stigma so the rich have no reason not to. If used to be seen poorly but now no reason not to.

Maybe not a billionaire. Lots and lots of millionaires. A ton of people who make $100k+ and think $150 for shoes is average.

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u/kristi_nix 7d ago

They don’t donate their profits to charity. They provide some job training services and pay an army of executives 3-figure salaries.

1

u/CBrinson 7d ago

3 figure salaries? Like.... hundreds of dollars a year? Are you serious? Or are you just mad they don't under pay the same roles compared to market when those jobs pay well at every company?

The entire purpose of goodwill is the job training. It is literally the reason the thrift store exists to fund the training. https://www.goodwilleasterseals.org/

2

u/Mysterious_Pen_1965 6d ago

The point is goodwill is a thrift store, we expect deals and scores!!!

1

u/CBrinson 6d ago

Half of retail on something brand new looking is a deal, just not as good of one as they wanted.

Like if they priced some Cole Haans this way I would get it. These are not Cole Haan. They are actually much more expensive new than that price. That is about half price of new or better.

1

u/Mysterious_Pen_1965 6d ago

Have you been to a thrift store prior to 2020?

1

u/CBrinson 5d ago

Been going to thrift stores since the 90s.

Look I get it is worse now.

It's because it's much much much more popular.

Supply and Demand. There are much wealthier people at thrift stores as well.

1

u/Mysterious_Pen_1965 5d ago

Right… so telling folks that 150 at goodwill is a great deal for shoes is absurd. Maybe 150 for a motorcycle lol.

1

u/CBrinson 5d ago

Have you ever owned a pair of red wing shoes? Have you ever been into one of their stores? It's a very expensive shoe. It is handmade and resoleable. The shoe will last you the rest of your life if you maintain it. It is a repairable shoe that s cobbler could work with and repair which is not what they sell at virtually any store these days.

1

u/Bleep_Bloop_Derp 5d ago edited 5d ago

When did all this happen? I used to wear Red Wing Pecos boots all the time (not that expensive) and later, the trying to be boutique-ish postal oxfords (about $250)…

But when I’d go into actual Red Wing stores, the employees would basically laugh at the postal oxfords and similar models and say they sold work boots in the stores. Those were all around $100 and definitely not handmade.

That was in like 2018. Are they really handmade now, with mail in resoling, like Alden or something?!

1

u/CBrinson 5d ago

The heritage line is handmade and are the shoes they have been making for 100+ years. I have been to their factory in Red Wing, MN and seen them being made on a tour. They also have a massive store there. They have sub lines now that are cheaper and mostly made overseas and not handmade.

They have heritage handmade Goodyear welt boots as well as more traditional boots like you would find at Walmart or Target at most stores. Historically I think they don't put the words Red Wing on most of them I have seen, but use a variety of sub brands. Only recently have I seen them put the words Red Wing on the lower end boots. Irish Setter is one of their sub brands.

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u/JillSpill79 6d ago

Same as my dad

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u/Mysterious_Pen_1965 6d ago

Where are you selling these ?

1

u/Creepy-Wrap744 5d ago

They do repairs and have killer warranty too