I genuinely don't understand the logic behind some thrift store markups

Picked up a like-new cast iron pan for a steal, but saw a basic plastic bowl priced higher than retail (how does that even happen?). It's frustrating when the pricing seems completely arbitrary, and I'm left scratching my head every visit.

3 comments

3 Comments

kaibaker1mo agoMost Upvoted

@daniel724's suggestion to ask staff politely actually lines up with my own approach, for what it's worth. I once found a clearly used coffee maker tagged at more than a fancy new model, which baffled me. When I mentioned it to a volunteer, they admitted they had no idea what it was and just guessed based on the box size. That kind of inconsistency is what makes thrift shopping such a gamble, in my opinion. Your mileage may vary, but I've found that speaking up can sometimes lead to those random adjustments, just like daniel724 said. It doesn't always work, but it's worth a shot when the pricing feels truly unhinged.

lily9651mo ago

Our local Salvation Army staffs volunteers who sometimes guess at prices, don't they?

daniel7241mo ago

Ever wonder if different volunteers just price things on totally different days? I've had luck just politely asking a staff member if they can check the price on something that seems off. Sometimes they'll actually adjust it if you point it out nicely.