Cheap goods by weight: what you need to know about shopping in US thrift stores

Imagine a thrift store where everything is sold at very low prices. This place exists and is called Goodwill Outlet. Money Talks News.

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Goodwill Outlet stores, nicknamed "trash cans" because most items are thrown into giant trash bins, sell second-hand goods for a pound. Shoppers fill their carts and their selections are sorted and weighed at checkout.

Prices vary depending on location and item type. For example, one Goodwill Outlet store sells kitchenware for $0,69 per pound and most other items for $1,39 per pound. Even better, if you buy more than £25 worth of products in a certain category - such as cookware, shoes or wallets - prices will drop even lower.

Some items are exempt from the per-pound pricing system but still sell at deep discounts. These include:

• furniture and large outdoor equipment: prices vary;
• bicycles: prices vary;
• books: $ 1 apiece;
• DVDs, CDs, and PC games: $ 1 apiece.

While other thrift stores such as the Salvation Army and St. Vincent de Paul also started selling goods for the pound, Goodwill was the original innovator. How can I find it near you? Look for any Goodwill store that has the word Outlet in the name. Most likely, most of the goods there will be sold in bulk and per pound.

Here are some tips on how to get the most out of these purchases:

1. Come early

Serious buyers are early birds. Lines start to form 20-30 minutes before the doors open. Most people use this time to chat, share their latest finds and drink coffee at an upcoming Olympic-level charity event. These informal meetings are also a good place to learn about new places to sell.

2. Be above the competition

"Junk bins" are partly just boxes of consignment items, partly a place of crowds. Maybe it's the excitement of discovery - people literally dig into these boxes - or the price per pound. Whatever the reason, there is an element of competition that traditional thrift stores don't have.

Many buyers are professional assemblers; they make a living by buying and reselling used items. Pickers with smartphones in hand can be spotted by their overflowing carts and mad dash to shoe bins (a high-profit category).

Too much competition is one of the many frugal shopping mistakes. After all, who needs more stress? Tip: Bring a friend, relax and have fun.

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3. Know the rules

These outlets have their own informal code of conduct. For beginners in this area, it is important to follow two important rules:

• Make way. When stock starts to run out, warehouse staff bring in and take out individual baskets to replenish them. It is very important to stay out of their way. Avoid clearly marked areas in the sales area where boxes are placed on wheels. Stores take this rule seriously and will shout loudly to customers who don't pay attention to it.
• Stay away from enclosed carts. Some shoppers accumulate multiple shopping carts in one trip. When the cart is full, it is set aside and covered with a blanket or sheet. This is a sign for other buyers to stay away. Don't go in there and take nothing.

4. Take care of your hands and health

Bring a pair of tight work gloves with rubberized palms—the kind you might use when working in the garden—and a bottle of antibacterial hand sanitizer.

Believe me, this is important even outside the pandemic. After digging elbow-deep in a few dozen bins, you realize that gloves are essential. In addition to serving as a primary barrier to germs, they protect your hands from broken glass, broken nails, and other surprises. When you're done shopping, take off your gloves and apply generously with hand sanitizer.

5. Keep track of your belongings

Safely remove personal items during the search. Why? Because each drawer is huge (about 6 by 4 feet - 1,8 by 1,2 meters) and filled to the brim with all sorts of junk. A set of lost keys, a wallet or a smartphone will most likely disappear there forever.

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6. Do not hesitate

The boxes are not meant for procrastinators. Not sure if you really like this skirt? Put it in the cart anyway and keep driving. Otherwise, she will be hooked by another customer, or she will be lost forever in the ever-changing flow of goods.

When you're done shopping, find a quiet corner to take stock of everything in your cart. Slowly filter out the best items from the junk and head to the checkout.

7. Take lonely things

See what you like? Feel free to take individual items. Not just one skirt or sweater. And, for example, one glove or a lonely shoe. Vapors are often separated in waste bins. Steam may end up in a tank on the other side of the store. If something catches your eye, take it and keep your fingers crossed, you will find a match later.

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