A Word To Thrift Store Shoppers

Quoted into Nexus6 language.

Originally Posted by Tommy Trolley

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Not sure why I'm posting agai
n... Should get some sleep so I can h
it Goodwill bright and early and beat the co
mpetition. But I'm fascinated but the lengt
hy discussion here (I also read all 8 pages
of "the official Thrift store tips and practices
page") and feel it necessary to point out a few things.

Let's all remember with a bit of gratitude t
hat we live in a culture of such abundance that thrift stores, second-hand dealers, consignmen
t and salvaged furniture shops even exist! The fact that we
have so much that we give it away
to replace with newer things constantly is a blessing. -A
mixed blessing because I tend to think

at some point we are all going to pay dearl


y for our avarice...
but anyway. The fact that charitable organizations have seized on this blessing and set up a fairly basic system t
o deal with ou
r abundance,
at the same time raising money for the charity's cause and providing basic job opportunities f
or a few trying to rehabilitate their lives is a wonderful thing.

We might also pause to recognize that we here share a
need for this service. Not the same type of need as the
guy who needs a coat in winter, or a mother who can't
even afford JCPenney to dress her children, but our patronage at thrift stores assists the intent of there being a thrift store even if it serves the less-worth


while need to find quality or high-end labels on the cheap.
Let's not delude ourselves, howeve
r, that a search for the rare Brooks Brothers tie or Armani suit is somehow going to leave a man out in the cold naked (whether I wear it or flip it- I wear it) or that by doing what we do we are doing a good deed, or (as I read a couple posts suggesting)

that we are depriving someone of a fine quality suit who deserves it just as much as I.

Hope I'm not sounding too high-toned, but there's been a good deal of moral posturing here, so why not.

We're shopping, guys. Hoping to find a gem amid the dregs, but ju
st shopping. Now maybe most of us here are, well, different from most guys. Not in a ba
d way, in a discerning way. I've acquired
the taste for fineries in my wardrobe, yet can't (
and even if I could, wouldn't) pay full retail for it. Perhaps that ma
kes me a poseur or a wannabe, not sure since I'm still new to it all and it doesn't really matte
r. It's a treasure hunt. Interesting analogy could be made that we a

re the rare hybrid of hunters AND gatherers.

So if the Original Poster (who seems to have a hefty axe to grind against e-bay flip
ping- interesting since his post includes links to items he's put up for sale) doesn't li

ke what's going on, he's welcome IMO to complain to management all he likes. Clearly
we don't all agree with him, as we don't all agree that removing the tag on overpriced

thrift items to show our displeasure is justifiable. (That's from the other thread) In the first instance, maybe Goodwill will heed his warning while Salvation Army tells him to get ben

t. Not like there's only one game in town, well, maybe in his town... In the second instance,

where someone gave an example of a Zenga jacket marked at $100.00 (overpriced for a t

hrift, in his opinion) Maybe that particular store has a manager who, like most of us, ca

n spot quality or recognize a good name. It sounds like a bit of snobbery to imply, "How dare they. These employees are not supposed to know quality... Most of 'em just got o

ut of jail or rehab." Either the item will sell or it won't and will be marked down or tossed.

But back to my first point and I'll wrap it up. The abundance of clothing, electronics, and household bric-a-brac that clutters up the aisles is mostly crap that served it's purpo

se and it's owners were prompted to upgrade to the newer crap to replace it. I believe the term is planned obsolescence. Newer items are imported from China, Pakistan, In


donesia, and the Phillipines made for

pennies on the dollar to what we w
ill pay for them even second-han
d. Frankly, anything that clears
out the hundreds of pairs of Dockers and Wranglers and Rout
e 66, or the multitude of Van Ha
usen, Gap, and Stafford shirts, not to m
ention the stuff that's so random and worn out t
hat it's not fit for burning yet thank
fully can be recycled and find a second
ife; if it makes way for the good stuff to sta
nd out. If you or I find it, awesome... If a guy
who doesn't appreciate it's quality but wears it
to a job interview and betters himself, aweso
me... or if a foreign couple buys it all up and makes a tidy
profit on e-bay or at the flea market, I say, extra-aw
esome. Because wh
at better testament to the American dream is it than to take what most of u
s toss or donate and build a better life out of it.

And how fortunate are those of u
s here who use the system as it is just to look better for a board meeting or a first date.

Thanks for indulging my rant.

What are the roots that clutch, what branches grow\t
Out of this stony rubbish? Son of man,\t
You cannot say, or guess, for you know only\t
A heap of broken images, where the sun beats,\t
And the dead tree gives no shelter, the cricket no relief,\t
And the dry stone no sound of water. Only\t
There is shadow under this red rock,\t
(Come in under the shadow of this red rock),\t
And I will show you something different from either\t
Your shadow at morning striding behind you\t
Or your shadow at evening rising to meet you;\t
I will show you fear in a handful of dust.

you bastards are quoting the longest freaking posts on purpose, arent you?

No no, it's not just entering the carriage return at every opportunity. I think you are missing Nexus6's genius.

I've scanned his posts looking for a repeating metre (iambic pantameter, dactylic hexameter, alexandrine, etc.) and found nothing consistent, yet there seems to be some sort of rhythm there nevertheless.

Part of that is his choice of where to place the caesurae. Sometimes it breaks a thought at the logical point between premise and conclusion, e.g.:

Originally Posted by Nexus6

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Personally I don't care if some staff found a $20 bill in a pocket,
they get paid minimum wage anyway..no big deal.

Which replicates the natural steps of the thinking process. Other times, the division is more poetic and has to do with guiding the reader to the finishing of the thought while simultaneously keeping him in suspense. For example:

Originally Posted by Nexus6

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I can literally give you names and physical descriptions of the people
I am talking about,
although there are probably some laws somewhere, that would prohibit me typing that
information on the internet.

Note how even though 'that' could be the end of the sentence, the punctuation indicates otherwise, leading the reader eagerly towards its actual completion; a kind of delayed gratification, if you will.

This topic will require much more analysis in the coming weeks, but in the meantime, please be appreciative of the OP's lyrical brilliance.

Well, if you're not familiar with Toronto and why Torontonians have a bad rap, just look at this thread to see how that city is represented. Basically, you have the OP who makes Toronto look pretty bad, and then you have the OP's descriptions of the locals battling it out at the local Goodwill. Sound like a nice place to live to you? I can certainly tell you that I have NEVER witnessed anything the OP has described at any Goodwill or any other thrift store I've ever been to.

I might add that I was totally wrong to advertise where I was going thrifting today in that earlier post. This morning I posted that I'd be hitting the Housing Works at 72 Warren just off W. Broadway. That was around 9:30. I really shouldn't have done that, because by 4:30 when I finally got there, all I found was a navy Canali suit, a Canali blazer, a Kiton tie, a Turnbull & Asser tie, a Paul Stuart tie, a pair of gray flannel Incotex, a Fendi jacket (FOR RESALE) and a pair of Gucci loafers (FOR RESALE). I'm such an idiot. Had I not said anything, I'm sure I would have found dozens of Brioni suits and Kiton bath robes. Now I'm stuck with that crap mentioned above. Guess I can never go back there again. I really screwed myself.

I've learned a lot more about that chip on your shoulder than I have about Toronto.

OP is a tool /end thread.

Regarding sources: This is like the indie kids who become furious when other people find out about "their" band. Do you really think thrift stores care about what happens to their merchandise ones it passes the cash register? I can't help but keep thinking about the movie High Fidelity and the scenes where the record shop owners, Jack Black's character in particular, get all holier-than-thou on potential customers. Giving up your sources is a matter of personal preference. I guess it turns on whether you regard finding deals a competition or a hobby.

Thrift stores are businesses (or non-profit arms thereof, like Goodwill). Their purpose is to generate revenue. There is no general prohibition or inquiry into the purpose for which you are in the store to spend money. If it's to resell and turn a profit, who cares? I have never been informed of a rule that a purchase in a thrift store must be made for "family purposes." I don't know why you would think the management of these places don't already know that people buy and resell. Why is this any different than someone, like my roommate for 3 years in college, who buys used cars on the cheap, fixes them up at minimal cost, and resells for a net profit of a few thousand dollars. Sure, it might be frustrating; but is it "wrong" or "illegal"? Not as far as I can tell.

Originally Posted by Nexus6

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For the record,
Goodwill had its 'Charitable Organization' status revoked.
They are now considered 'Non-Profit'
(Whatever that is supposed to mean)


Here are some cold hard facts I'll share with you:

1)
Stores close at 9pm.
Many of the locations have loading bays at the back of the stores.
People that donate in the evenings,
do so at the back, after hours.
During the times of, say 10pm-1am,
there are alternating traffic of people backing up their cars/vans,
then getting out of their vehicles, walking up and onto the loading platforms
sifting through bagged and boxed donations, and even the giant trash bins,
taking whatever they want, stuffing into their vehicles,
and driving off.
This goes on nightly.
There are also people on foot who just walk right up and take what they want.
Consequently,
come morning, there is one hell of a mess for the staff to clean.
Again, this goes on every single day.

2)
Staff taking the jewelry & cash while 'sorting'
Being the smallest of items, they are the easiest to steal.
6 -7 years ago, you could easily find watches, real pearl necklaces,
etc. ...today...forget about it.
They are occasionally caught and fired,
but starts up again with new staff.

Personally I don't care if some staff found a $20 bill in a pocket,
they get paid minimum wage anyway..no big deal.
But the jewels, I think is going too far.

3)
Staff that have what I call 'Goods Mules'
Managers that have selected people (personal friends, whatever)
come to the store,
and mysteriously leave the the store with giant bags stuffed full of goodies without paying.
In exchange for which, these 'mules' can take whatever they want for their efforts.

4)
The Ebay sellers.
The reason I started this thread.
I'll add a thing or two more about them.
remember, this is what I have personally witnessed.

They'll use their bodies to block others from approaching
the bins or racks that have just come out.
They are seriously deluded people who think everything in these stores belongs to them only.
I have personally witnessed the women Ebayers, hit other women
with hands (slapped), or shoes, or even 'whip' other female customers with scarves,
shirts, jeans, whatever is in their hands.

This is, in any city, is physical assualt. and is a punishable criminal offence,
just as the stealing is.
The poor women who have just been physically assaulted by these people,
are utterly shocked when it happens to them,
and don't seem to realize they can call the police and lay charges.
I have not seen this with the men,
other than some light shoving.
I have witnessed verbal assault on hundreds of occasions.

I have seen store managers,
literally ignore the problem when a customer complains.
(heck, these managers are too busy stealing to be bothered with others stealing)
it is a pathetic display.

Do not fool yourselves into thinking that there is no such thing as corruption
in these stores.
Because if you actually think that, then you are in complete denial of reality.

I also personally saw one of the women Ebayers break a mans hand
fighting at the bins.
She threw a stereo component on his hand when he reached in,
and screamed at him that 'this is my bin, f**k off'
She is still there to this day.


Want to go further?
I can name names here in Toronto.
I can literally give you names and physical descriptions of the people
I am talking about,
although there are probably some laws somewhere, that would prohibit me typing that
information on the internet.
Just look a little harder when you go regularily to these stores.
Each and every one of them are soap operas.
Each with their own stage and premiere players.

This thread,
was never about those of you who buy for family or friends.
This thread,
was specifically about greed and corruption in the thrift stores.

Hands down, Goodwill suffers the most corruption.

Stores like Value Village, etc, are not charitable organizations,
as someone stated earlier.
They are 'for profit' organizations, and their prices are higher.
I have had much better luck at a Vlaue Village, than other stores.

The information I share here, as this is a discussion forum,
was intended to 'get into the open' the problems that are ongoing,
wether it is Ebayer Greed, or internal store corruption.

There are wealthy people who donate to these stores in good faith,
believing that they are helping the community by donating.
I have even seen many of them in the stores,
and leave shocked at the displays of corruption,
saying 'I'll never donate here again'
Seen it many many times.

Whatever is to come,
I think this is going to get worse before it gets better.

It is a sad state of affairs and one day, will reach critical mass.

I will end my contributions to this thread by closing with what I opened with.
If you have a lucky day at a thrift store,
never reveal the location of your find or the time you went.

To be fair,
There are good people working at these places also,
who simply wait until the Ebayers leave before putting out on the floor,
the items the Ebayers are known to go for.
That, at least, gives the other customers a fighting chance to buy something nice too.

Last week I had a shirt in my hands, that another shopper was looking at.
I offered it to him, and he was so suprised that I did that.
I told him, 'its ok, I have enough shirts. I just liked the colors on this one,
but I have enough, here brother, enjoy.'
Moments like that one, make me feel much better than having too many.

'Goodwill'?
Where is it?
It is in the decent people who GIVE.

Peace everyone.

Originally Posted by Tommy Trolley

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Never been to Toronto, but some of the comments about OP's location seem irrelevant to the discussion at hand. But if Torontonians have earned a reputation for coming across as arrogant or condescending, maybe it is relevant.

What's driving this thread into the soon to be six pages may not be the points Nexus6 is making, but the tone he uses and his text format (which reads like an op-ed scolding). He's coming across as hectoring and bombastic. His abuse of the carriage return to:

Make everything he stated
sound like the Gospel's own truths...

and if you, 'sir', can't follow his logic coherently,
then the defect is with you...
dear reader.

Seriously, I've been laughing to myself about this, and I don't mean to pick on the guy, but re-read all his posts and imagine you're watching Kieth Olberman giving commentary on MSNBC, staring directly into the camera, all somber and with gravitas, and imagine he's speaking directly to George W Bush, who in his post-presidential life has been strip-mining the re-sale market to make aquick profit on e-bay.

"How dare you, sir?!
Have you no shame?"

It's a stitch! Even better, if you watch SNL, try it in the voice of Ben Affleck spoofing Olberman on Saturday Night Live.

"North America is dying because of greed.
The thrift stores will also die because of greed.
and greed will destroy the planet entire.

No one can be so dumb as to not understand that."

"And that's...

The final word.

Now - The WORST PERSON OF THE DAY!!!!!!"

Originally Posted by HRoi

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you bastards are quoting the longest freaking posts on purpose, arent you?

Yes.

my eyes
hurt
from reading this
thread.

I am
regretting
reading the
entire thing.

Originally Posted by Nexus6

Click to expand...

For the record,
Goodwill had its 'Charitable Organization' status revoked.
They are now considered 'Non-Profit'
(Whatever that is supposed to mean)


Here are some cold hard facts I'll share with you:

1)
Stores close at 9pm....

Originally Posted by Nexus6

Click to expand...

I also personally saw one of the women Ebayers break a mans hand
fighting at the bins.
She threw a stereo component on his hand when he reached in,
and screamed at him that 'this is my bin, f**k off'
She is still there to this day.


When the store closes at nine, she's still at her bin?

..

Originally Posted by holymadness

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I've learned a lot more about that chip on your shoulder than I have about Toronto.

The chip on my shoulder is my hatred of Toronto, yes I admit - and your avatar alarms me.

I'm confused. Is this the thread where I'm supposed to list all my favourite Toronto thrift stores?