I’ve shared before how I’m convinced fabric and craft stores are on to us diyers …
… and have jacked up prices accordingly on things like upholstery ticking and burlap.
Now I think the thrift stores are onto us too …
But my favorite Salvation Army — situated on the cusp of one of Chicago’s toniest neighborhoods — left me slack jawed this past week …
… and I’m hoping my blog posts raving about said Salvation Army in no way contributed to my jaw-dropping sticker shock …
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| Are you eying that numbered pillow? Click here to custom order your very own number … |
Because the very same Salvation Army where I found this little table for $5 ….
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| Intrigued by my screen porch? Click here to see more … |
… wanted $65 for a TV console that, quite frankly, needed more than just a little consoling to make it presentable.
And the very same Salvation Army that I’ve been frequenting frequently as I slowly replace my everyday dishes and flatware …
… wanted $90 for a used, sad looking bicycle — when I knew I could get a brand-spanking-new-super-shiny bicycle from Target for a mere $10 more.
And that very same Salvation Army wanted $15.99 for an ugly lamp … sans shade … that would need a $15 can of spray paint to make it look like something you might entertain in your home.
And when I questioned one of the staffers about who had gone crazy with the sticker pricer gun … I mean I had just spotted an ugly framed piece of art with a $35 price tag … she said I’m not the first one to question. And not the second. Or third. Or even fourth. She said the questions about prices had been spilling forth over the past few weeks …
… and I can see why. I mean, shouldn’t glassware at the Salvation Army be a better bargain than a mere penny less than the the Dollar Store?
But I paid my $6.53 because they were the perfect specimens for the mother-daughter project my tween picked from the “It’s A Cinch” Pinterest board that I share with this blogger and this blogger and this blogger …
So be sure to tune in tomorrow to see what we created with those sticker shock glasses …
Salvation Army prices their stuff according to the neighborhood they are in. Sad but true.
Another great second hand store, White Elephant was sooooo expensive. Why, Lincoln Park. It was across the street from the old Children’s Hospital. Great stuff, not great prices. I think I heard with the Children’s hospital relocating they have closed their doors.
Your S.A. isn’t the only one, or even G.W… the same thing is happening down here in GA. I just wait for the color coded sale day 🙂
The Salvation Army I usually go to jacked their prices up too. I quit going there because of it. I guess other people did too because it has now gone out of business!
Same thing here, especially with the Good Will. Takes all the fun out of making the trip to Good Will or Salvation Army only to get there and find prices out of line.
~Bliss~
Here, the Habitat for Humanity store has decided they want to charge the same prices as Anthropologie. I used to be able to get great finds for next-to-nothing, but now I have to wait until they have a sale. People are going to stop supporting them!
sad but true!
Linda,
I hear ya.We have many thrift stores around here.I still find great deals.But I have to go often.But some of these store forget they are a thrift store and not an antique shop.I was just at a thrift store and they wanted 45.00 each for old suit cases.I am selling at an antique mall and I would not charge that much for them.They are crazy thinking they will get that much.And they are not that nice.I know it does go to charity and that is why I shop and donate.But some people shop there because that is what they can afford.Especially in these times thrift stores should be thrift stores.We are all trying to save where we can and what we can me included.
(((Hugs)))
Anne
Ugh! This is toooooo true! I wanted a vanity set for my daughter’s room and went to salvation army and a thrifty shopper – both had vanities for over $50 that needed extensive work. Where as Amazon had a pristine set for $56, which had a 4 1/2 out of 5* rating…. My choice is obvious.
I’ve noticed the same thing in our local Sally Ann – holy cow, the prices used to be so low and now they’re jacked right up. I’m happy for them if they can make more money on the piece, but for my purposes I think I’m going to start building stuff from scratch…
Have a happy Sunday!
Oh no! I know exactly which SA you’re talking about and it was my favorite! Goodwill started jacking up their prices a few years ago. I think they began catching on to ebayers who were buying and reselling things. Then they started their own auction service to rival ebay (which is actually an interesting site to check out). I think that’s when they really started doing research on what things could sell for and their prices went crazy. Shame…
OK, I thought it was just me, or just the area I live in. Our Salvation Army regularly has 1/2 off day–we think those days are what the prices really should be, so maybe they’re pricing for that? And I’ve noticed that prices are much higher in Portland thrift stores than they are out in our suburb. (Of course, there tends to be better stuff there, too, dang it!)
Same here too; items priced based on the location of the store.
Can’t wait to see what you do with the glasses though.
🙂
Have a great holiday!
Kristy
SAStudio.etsy.com
I thought it was to help out people in need too? Hmmm. I haven’t noticed a change in ours but I haven’t been by recently … now i need to check that out!
Hugs,
Bj
Sales. Shop only sales.
Here in the Sacramento area, GW has gone crazy with pricing. I know of at least one S Army that closed up, maybe because of high prices. Takes the fun out of thrifting, unless you stick to items that have a fixed price, like books.
Charity shops here in the UK are getting more expensive too, especially the ‘big’ charities. The most insane pricing I’ve seen so far has been a pair of gold-painted chairs with tapestry cushions for £500 ($785). EACH. Madness! Yes they were nice, but not £500 nice!
Obviously these shops are there to raise money for a good cause, but a lot of them are getting greedy. As soon as used goods are being priced around the same as you can buy something new from a high-street store, something is wrong!
We have a thrift shop where lots of dealers shop -the workers save stuff for those dealers! Then leave the rest of the garbage for the rest of us to sort through!
Kelly
Boy, do I hear ya. Thrift store prices are just killin’ me!
In California almost every thrift store is more expensive than Ikea or the dollar store or sometimes even more than HomeGoods! It’s just crazy-pants over here:)
Te same with prices at the Salvation Army here in New Zealand, we now only look there and most of our finds have come from St Vincent de Pauls good will shop.
its’ the same here, in indy, linda:(
At Haven recently, I went to a session hosted by Mr Goodwill Hunting (Rashon Carraway) and he said the very same thing. He said he hardly ever shops at SA and GW bc their prices are outlandish now. He is right, they are putting up GW Stores everywhere you look now. Someone has to pay for that building and the property its built on. I generally stick with yard sales, estate sales and church-run thrift stores. I can’t remember the last time I found a great deal at our local GW or SA. I believe you are exactly right, they are on to us. :-/
Hi, Linda, I’m sure they are catching on to the DIY & recyling craze that is sweeping the country & are raising prices accordingly. That stinks though!
Haven was wonderful, I think I have finally recuperated from it, we had such a great time & it was buzzing with excitement. Yes, next year you must come!
Oh, and i’m with Barb! I’ll take a good ole’ yardsale any day over thriftstores. Love me some yardsales, those are where the true bargains can be found.
Our Salvation Army store has always been outrageous….much higher than any other stores in the area. Crazy!!! xo Diana
Hi Linda!~ I miss Salavation Army around here. I used to shop it in Florida and found the coolest things at awesome prices. The thrift stores are starting to get more pricey now than some stores.
Same here. It’s all over the place. I don’t think they have a set standard and it’s very willy-nilly! One day, I can get a side table for $5 and the next week, the same general item might be $35. There is no continuity at all! I got a dining table, with 2 leaves and four captains chairs (solid wood) for $35. There was a total POS next to it, table only for $115. And it was no antique either.
??? Just have to go a lot to get those deals 😉
We live in Indiana and I’ve seen the very same thing happening at our Goodwill. Our Salvation Army store just moved into a nicer neighborhood and a much bigger store so I am curious to see what their new prices are like. It is so sad because in our town there are very few thrift stores….. And don’t get me going about yard sales! I was shocked at the prices this summer… we are talking the same prices as the sales in stores. Umm like I want a worn item for the same price as brand new on sale in the store??? NO thanks!
I can’t wait to see what your Its a Cinch project is going to be! Toodles!!
I know what you mean. I thought the idea was to move merchandise in and out as quickly as possible.
Mary Alice
With the boutique and antique stores popping up, Salvation Army has trying to become kind of like them. Ours moved to a new location and sets stuff like a boutique and I noticed the rise in their prices too. I have complained. They do a good service to our community but you still expect to find thrifty prices at a thrift store.
A mother daughter project ..can’t wait to see it!
Our SA went a little crazy with the pricing gun for a about a month, last month, but last week, the prices were much better! Our Goodwill is insane. The stuff isn’t great and the prices are crazy high! Guess it just depends of the location, too!
I’m all over the rising prices at places like Salvation Army, Goodwill and independent second hand stores. They know which side their bread is buttered on…with the economy forcing people to shop for their real needs to the increase in crafters and DIY-ers, they have jacked up their prices accordingly. As a mixed media artist, it cranks me off as my materials (scraps really) are to the price where I sometimes can’t justify the project. As for the people who really NEED SA and GW to clothe their family or buy replacement household appliances, I say SHAME on you for putting your financial gain on the backs of those who can least afford it!
Oh, I was on such a rant and I won’t get started again…but can I just say “FABRIC STORES, WE KNOW YOU ARE RIPPING US OFF, SO WE’RE BUYING OUR FABRIC ONLINE!!”
what is going on with Salvation Army…that is CRRRRRAAAAZZZY pricing!! i am so down with what Judy (above) said…she is absolutely right.
They ARE onto us, but I think that their greed will do them in unless they see the light, and change their high priced new ways! I have been appalled by what they are asking for stuff that is absolute JUNK, let alone some of the nicer things!
I have been walking away, unless I find something that is priced fairly. I agree with the others, yard sales are the way to go!
I say we all veto the greedy GW and SA stores until they figure out how to price accordingly!
xo-Lisa
I have noticed prices at the thrift stores are reaching retail prices lately. And there is so much more junk, real junk that should have been in the trash, they are trying to peddle!
Oh yes. I was shocked the last time I was in. There were several things I saw that I could buy NEW for LESS! Whatever. I was in ARC about the same time and they were still okay.
I’ve also notice some unusual discrepancies here, where I live… hmmmmm… I think you’re onto something… I think you’re onto them, the fact that they’re onto us DIYers! Happy to have my observations confirmed… not so happy that the observations are in fact a growing trend. 🙁
We have this problem too! It should be ILLEGAL. Someone reign in the goodwill pricers, PLEASE!