Shopper sparks outrage after sharing photo of holiday sighting at thrift store: 'Unbelievable'

Thrift stores are meant to be places where affordability comes first. However, as one Redditor found out, even second-hand items aren't immune to price gouging around the holidays. 

In a post on the r/ThriftGrift subreddit, a holiday shopper shared the outrageous price tag for a Christmas tree sold at their local Goodwill. In the first picture, a $149.99 price tag dangles from fake pine needles. 

Then, in the second photo, we see that this tree is at most average size, making it far from worthy of that price, even if sold brand new just before Christmas. 

In the caption of the post, the original poster said, "Merry Christmas to all who can afford a [tree]." 

They also noted that they purchased their previous tree for $15, implying theirs was the same or a very similar model. On that note, though, it's worth raising the possibility that this was a pricing error, though the prevailing opinion in the comments was that this was instead part of a rising trend in Goodwill charging more for higher-demand items.

Situations like this can be frustrating because they still tend to be outliers, though, that can steer individuals away from thrifting.

In reality, thrifting is one of the easiest ways to save money on everyday necessities while uncovering unique, high-quality finds at a fraction of retail prices. 

There are even times when valuable trinkets can be found within drawers or tucked away on shelves, waiting to be rediscovered.

While these savings are nice, thrifting also plays a key role in keeping usable items out of landfills by extending their life cycle. 

Roughly what percentage of your clothes do you buy secondhand? None 0️⃣ Under 20 percent 👠 20-50 percent 👖 Over 50 percent 👚 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

Textiles, plastics, and metals are all nonbiodegradable, meaning they will not break down naturally in the environment. So, keeping these materials away from landfills and in homes or stores for longer is a win-win for shoppers and the environment. 

The comment section of the post didn't hold back in its criticisms of the tree's price and Goodwill in general. 

One user said, "You can buy a new one for that price. I stopped shopping at Goodwill because of this."

"Those are like…Home Depot or Lowe's new tree prices," another user added, to which OP replied, "Unbelievable!"

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