In recent years, even the price of secondhand goods has shot up. Where customers could previously score relatively nice items in their local thrift stores, some have found in the last few years that prices have shot up—to the point that some thrifty shoppers have given up on the endeavor altogether, or have taken to calling out secondhand stores for their pricing.
Some have theorized that the prices have gone up due to the rise of online resale of vintage and secondhand items. Savvy shoppers, realizing they have found a valuable item at a low price, can turn around and list the item on sites like Mercari, Depop, and Poshmark where selective customers are willing to pay for them.
One customer claims to have found a way around the marked-up prices many items in thrift stores like Goodwill are selling for: simply ripping off the tag.
In a video posted to TikTok by Shelby (@shelbyreneexoxo), she alludes to the removal of the tag with a price she did not like.
“POV the Goodwill tag said $24 but the ‘missing tag price match’ said $9.99,” a text overlay on the video reads.
As the video has gotten a lot of attention, to the tune of 248,000 views, she clarified that she always donates to the company at the register.
“PSA since this video is getting a lot of attraction (lol) I swear I’m not an asshole and I always donate at the register – but mama ain’t payin’ $24 for hat at goodwill,” she wrote in her comments section.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Shelby and to Goodwill via email regarding the video.
While the video suggests this is the only way to score a “discount” on higher-priced items at Goodwill, that is not the case. Throughout the week, many Goodwill stores will offer color tag sales, discounting items at 50% off based on the color of their tag. The thrift store also offers 50% off merchandise for seniors on Tuesdays. Some networks of Goodwill stores have also been known to offer direct coupons to local shoppers.
Some viewers commented on the video that they had noticed their local thrift stores cracking down on the practice of removing tags to get a lower price on merchandise.
“At ours they have signs saying ‘items without tags will not be sold same day, they will go to the back to be priced and brought back to sales floor tomorrow,’” one commenter wrote.
“All thrift stores in my area refuse to sell you the item if the tag is missing,” another said.
“I don’t have Goodwill here but I do have Salvation Army and they have to send things missing their price tags TWO HOURS AWAY to a bigger store in Syracuse to reprice them,” a third added.
@shelbyreneexoxo IYKYK 💀 goodwill prices are criminal sometimes #thrifting #thriftfinds #goodwill ♬ original sound – ar1esluver
Others shared that they too have switched many a tag on merchandise they found to be overpriced in secondhand shops.
“Sometimes I’ll peel tags off at goodwill (if you’re getting it for free why are you asking $20 for a glass bowl?) and magically at the register it’s less than a dollar,” one commented.
“tag said $29.99 for a sweater,” another commenter said. “missing tag match was $2.74. I now have one more cool ass sweater.”
“No cause I switch tags at the goodwill,” a further user wrote. “I’m gonna pay what I want for a DONATED item you got for free.”
The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here to get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.
