Shopper baffled by detail on seemingly ordinary Goodwill item: 'I was sad to put it down'

In the r/ThriftGrift subreddit, one Reddit user shared a photograph of a donated belt valued at close to $20 in a local Goodwill and expressed indignation at the price tag.

"I couldn't pay that much." — Photo Credit: Reddit

While shopping secondhand is usually a good way to stumble upon valuable products at discounted prices, corporate greed can sometimes interfere with the benefits of thrifting.

Most secondhand stores receive their inventory through donations or resale, which means they arrive at little to no cost — ideally, to sell back to customers at affordable rates. From everyday items to electronics to furniture to rare goods, thrift stores typically offer impressive deals that draw in shoppers hoping to save money on lightly used, quality products.

Unfortunately, when these prices rise, thrift stores like this Goodwill location may inadvertently discourage shoppers who are looking for a better bargain.

"It's cute but I couldn't pay that much for just a belt," the original poster noted in a comment. "I was sad to put it down."

Secondhand stores, in addition to helping buyers save money, extend the life cycles of used products by offering them a second chance on the sale shelves. Our overconsumption mentality has, sadly, led us to buy more items than we need and to throw away products before they're fully unusable, crowding up our landfills with usable items.

Landfill overflow seeps unwanted contaminants into nearby soil and waterways, which could negatively affect the food and water we ingest. Meanwhile, the buildup of waste in landfills also releases planet-heating gases like methane into our atmosphere, contributing in part to our rising temperatures, weather anomalies, and resource shortages.

As a result, it's essential to make secondhand shopping appealing, especially for thrifting newcomers. Regular thrift store shoppers save an average of $150 per month, according to a 2024 BusinessDasher report, and for the most part, thrifting experiences prove positive on the whole.

In the less fortunate cases, such as with the Goodwill featured in the aforementioned Reddit post, people are quick to call out overpricing when they see it.

"Why even buy a thrifted belt if it's the same price as a new belt," one user commented. "It's just pricing out the people who need the cheaper items the most."

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"Damn. That's expensive," added another. "What's the point of thrift stores if the product they're selling is more expensive [than] it is at the original store or even that it was when the original store released it."

What's your primary motivation in shopping at thrift stores?

Cheaper clothes 🤑