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Shopper calls out Goodwill after spotting absurd item for sale: 'Atrocity'

Commenters didn't hold back.

One Redditor was shocked to find a taxidermied Chinese deer listed for $700 by Goodwill.

Photo Credit: Reddit

Scrolling through online thrift listings usually feels like a digital treasure hunt. But one shopper said their browsing session took a bizarre turn when they stumbled upon an item that left Reddit users equal parts stunned and strangely amused.

The post was shared in the r/ThriftGrift community, where shoppers often discuss eyebrow-raising examples of questionable secondhand pricing and strange finds (including an electric plug with no cord). This time, the item was a poorly taxidermied Chinese deer listed on eBay by a Pennsylvania Goodwill — with a jaw-dropping price tag of $699.99.

The post's title summed up the reaction many felt immediately: "The price is even more atrocious than the taxidermy."

One Redditor was shocked to find a taxidermied Chinese deer listed for $700 by Goodwill.
Photo Credit: Reddit

While thrift stores' online auctions can be useful for reaching wider audiences, the items and pricing seem increasingly disconnected from the thrift mission of offering widespread access to affordable secondhand items.

Thrifting offers enormous benefits when it works as intended. Secondhand shopping allows people to purchase everyday items at affordable prices, which is a great help to families and individuals on a budget. Plus, it keeps usable goods out of landfills and reduces demand for manufacturing, helping slash planet-warming pollution and cut down on microplastics that end up in waterways and human bodies. 

And, as this example shows, it can also be a way to uncover rare or unique items — one of the joys that keeps people coming back. Fortunately, "grift" pricing from secondhand stores is still typically an exception, not the rule. Many thrifters have found things such as valuable jewelry and designer items at deep discounts.

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Commenters remarked on not just the unsettling nature of the item itself but also the broader issue of outrageous pricing at large thrift chains.

"Goodwill can keep this atrocity," one wrote.

Another added: "This would absolutely be my favorite conversational piece. Not for $700, though. That's an insane ask."

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