A Goodwill shopper took to Reddit to show off a genuinely shocking sticker price on an item they found in their local store.
Posting in the r/ThriftGrift subreddit, the poster showed off a Cen-Tech seven-function multimeter, used to measure voltage, current, and battery charge. They're standard equipment for handymen and electricians alike, and they allow you to figure out if something is getting electricity through it and how much.
The price listed on the multimeter was $7.99, which seems reasonable at first. However, the poster cuts to Harbor Freight, a hardware store located right next to the Goodwill where he found the multimeter, selling the same product new for $6.99.
As thrifting has boomed in popularity in recent years, Goodwill's pricing has come under fire from shoppers. With the viral nature of people bargain hunting gems at local thrift stores to resell for massive profit, the company has occasionally overshot their mark on the pricing of goods they think could be targets for resellers.
A commenter was quick to point out what the issue was in this case.
"Everything household is $7.99 now," they said.
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Thrifting remains a fantastic way to find secondhand goods and clothing at incredible prices. It keeps those items out of landfills and gives them new life with someone who needs them.
However, when pricing mistakes happen like this, and when companies overprice goods they think could have value, it prices out people who could make good use of those items and who rely on thrifting to get what they need.
For more on making thrifting a bigger part of your life, check out our handy guide.
Commenters were quick to share in the poster's ire with Goodwill.
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Cheaper clothes 🤑 "Lol that generic multimeter is the one Harbour Freight used to give out for free with any purchase," one said. "It's the DT-830B that is rebranded by everyone. It's not even worth $6.99. I think you can get these in bulk for a dollar a piece."
"It doesn't even look used," said another. "Or they did a phenomenal job repackaging it."
Another commenter noted that that specific brand of multimeter was unsafe to use.
"Retired IBEW electrician here. Do not use these," they said. "They are dangerous and you can get seriously injured from them not working properly. I tried one out I got for free from a friend. Cheaply made."
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