Thrift stores like Goodwill keep getting more and more expensive, and the items they’re selling are also getting more and more ridiculous, as several shoppers have noted online.
You used to be able to rely on thrift stores to find good quality items (and even some true treasures like vintage pieces or high-end appliances) at a low price since they are used, after all.
But over the years, people have noticed that the prices at their local thrift stores have increased, and the quality of the merchandise is decreasing. At this point, it’s cheaper to buy certain items new from a major retailer like Walmart or a chain dollar store than to get them from a thrift store.
One customer called Goodwill out last year and said they were the “biggest scammers” when she found a pair of used men’s pajama pants selling for $8. She pointed out the price shouldn’t be so high for an item that “some man’s balls” and farts have already been in.
In another video that has gained nearly a million views, TikTok user Brian Richard Smith (@brianrichardsmith) shared the outrageous things he found on his last Goodwill trip and how much they cost.
“Even though I still haven’t won the lottery, I visited two Goodwill stores today just to look around and dream,” he says sarcastically. “Check out some of the awesome crap I saw there.”
Viewer, the first thing he shows is a small bag of rocks selling for $1.99. And they’re not special in any way, at least not from looking at them. They look like rocks you can go pick up outside.
Next up: an expired box of Kraft mac and cheese. “These are very hard to find right now, so you collectors better hurry,” Smith jokes.
They were also selling a beat-up composition book for $3 (you can get it from Walmart at a cheaper price), a wine glass engraved with a couple’s name and wedding year, and a family home video on VHS. However, that last one is labeled as Jane Fonda’s pregnancy, birth, and recovery—so one has a slight chance of being a gem.
“Make sure you put on your prospector helmet because there’s still more gold ahead,” Smith says.
He also found a mug painted by a child as a gift for their mother, a person’s black belt certificate from 2012, a CD labeled “Block Party 2006,” a $4 bag of random pens, a box of chalk selling for $2 above retail, and literal cans of spaghetti sauce and chicken noodle soup.
“There’s so much amazing stuff at Goodwill, but most of it is a little out of my price range, so I’m just gonna head out,” Smith says. “Would you have bought any of this stuff?”
This isn’t the first time people have found incredibly strange and frankly, inappropriate to resell, items. In another video a couple found a used KFC to-go container selling for $.99. Another location was selling a used plastic deli meat container.
@brianrichardsmith I can’t afford Goodwill, but I do enjoy checking out all of the incredible merchandise. #goodwill #thrift #funny #goodwillfinds #influencer #shopping #fun #opshop #random #trending #fyp ♬ Jazz bar atmosphere, classical jazz(1162356) – 2strings
Smith’s video has thousands of comments, with some people encouraging Smith to get certain items and others people being disappointed by the thrift chain.
“It would be fun to start collecting personalized mugs and cups from thrift stores. Serve my guests drinks in Steve and Nicole’s wedding glasses,” a person said.
“I’m gonna need that exclusive bag of rocks. Does Goodwill offer a layaway plan?” another joked.
“Is it just me or is it weird there’s like someone’s pantry got donated, I’ve never seen it and I don’t see any comments about em,” a commenter pointed out.
The Daily Dot reached out to Smith for comment via Instagram direct message and to Goodwill via email.
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