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For all I hear in the Thrift Store Thread and see firsthand in the "thrift" stores by my house, I'm surprised I haven't seen a Stupidity thread for Thrift Stores.

Some of the prices I've seen for games at thrift stores have been just as bad as I've seen on Craigslist, so it only makes sense to have this...and if one already exists, let me know.

Vent already! Tell us about your idiotic thrift store experience!

I'm 99% sure my Goodwill prices video games based on size and it really pisses me off. A slim PS2 is $9.99, while a fat one is $29.99. Single disc PS1 games are $3.99, but 2 or more discs and it's $7.99. Same goes for movies, as well. The smaller the item, the cheaper it is. It's good for some occasions, but most of the time, it doesn't work out in your favor.

The one nearest to me apparently doesn't care much about condition, either. I once saw a fat PS2 there with no controllers and the front panel of the disc drive torn off. They were STILL asking $40 for it!

All my thrift stores are usually pretty good at pricing. I don't think I've seen any media overpriced really, but they were trying to sell this one VHS for $80 once. I don't remember exactly what the title was, but I'm pretty sure it wasn't worth the cheap plastic it was recorded on.

I don't have any chain thrifts. Only a small local one. Upside, anything i get there is extremely reasonable most times, and they will haggle.

Downside, they almost never have anything good. Best thing Ive got there was a deck only snes for $2 and that was months ago.

I envy you people with your multiple thrift stores. -_-

I have a few local thrift stores, or "resale shops", that I refuse to go into anymore because I can't stand the rotten smell of old baby clothes. *Shivers*

The Goodwill here sucks so bad, the best thing I found was Dukes of Hazard suspenders which was located next to a pair of panties big enough to use as a table cloth.

The one by my old apartment sucked. I haven't been to the one near me now. I should stop by and see whats up there.

My goodwill sucks. They sell n64s for 25 still and want 8-10 for old sports games.
I have better luck with other thrift stores or consignment shops. I have a secret consignment shop that I don't let anyone know about. I pick up games for 1-3 dollars all the time at it. Pawn shops around me used to be real good but they have wised up and no longer sell every game for 10 bucks.

At least you guys don't have a local video game chain store that purposely stalks out empty retail spaces in the same plaza's that have goodwill's in them. This basically kills my chances of getting anything good from any goodwill in the area or anything at all gaming related for that matter. You know its all going into their store and they are reselling it at 50% more than ebay prices.

Honestly I am just better off using ebay if there is an old game that I really have to have, we don't have a heck of a lot of thrifts here, and they are all 45 min away from me. Plus they are scattered so there is time involved getting to each location from the last, by the time I drive to the locations and visit them all, and come up empty handed 95% of the time (for games).. we are talking I would have to dedicate an afternoon to just thrifts and thrifts only. I could be taking the money spent on gas and time (time is money) and just putting into bidding on well priced ebay auctions and getting what I want instead of buying shovelware or old sports games, which if I find games, is what I will find 100% of the time. Every single local store and pawn shop that sells video games is so overpriced even when I compare to ebay that it isn't even worth me visiting them. I really have to watch ebay values because the local market and ebay are 2 completely different things, after all I don't want to pay too much for something when I can get it online in a few clicks delivered to my door. Its different if I happen to be passing through the area, but usually when I am passing through its Sunday, which means almost every thrift is closed.

The only place I can get cheap old games around here is yard sales, and the amount of old games at sales is rapidly drying up. I already have a big collection of games, so really, I don't NEED any more NES, SNES games etc.. Thankfully I buy other things at yard sales and I go with another person from my family so I can justify the time and gas spent on them. If I find games it just happens to be a bonus. I can't really go for other things at thrifts because around here they charge more than retail stores for clothing and other items are beyond usable and in terrible condition.

Meh, I never find anything good at my local thrift stores. Nothing but old dis only sports ps1 games for 15 bucks Or systems with no cables. I did find a ddr mario mix at a thrift store but they wanted 50 bucks and it was in horrid condition.

That and im sure several people hit those stores up to find video game stuff it just sucks. And it makes me extremely jelly when I see what others are finding at their local thrift stores.

I realize this is the internet but keep it civil people. If you don't have anything nice to say, move on.

Originally Posted by Kerig And yet you wonder why their prices are retarded. It's also a place to work off mandatory Community Service. I did my 50 hours at one back in the day. There weren't any mentally challenged folks on staff when I was there...not even hiding in the back like Santa's little dwarves. Just some old ladies and those who speak English as a non-language.

my local thrift actually does employ strictly mentally handicapped people. It can be a little.. uncomfortable? at times. lol.

I was at my local GW the other day, was talking to one of the managers. I was telling him how I wanted one of their items a while back but it was priced too much at $35, and how a CAG bought the same item in a different GW for $20.

The manager proceeded to tell me that one of the reasons why some items can be higher than others is because of the cost of rent and other overhead costs that are not covered by grants/funds from the govt.
Which is why some games/electronics tend to be a bit higher at my GW than a GW in Jacksonville, FL which has cheaper overhead.

Simple - Goodwill Outlets almost always have special days when certain items are discounted. I was there this past week and didn't get any major gems, but my copy of Ecco Tides of Time for GG, Tetris for NES and NFS 3 for PS1 all for 2.50 a piece at half off.

Yeah, I see stuff there that's over priced, like an OG Xbox for $60, but I just pass on those. The Salvation Army store near me NEVER has anything game related.

I guess I can't complain.

Yesterday was honestly the first time I have ever seen a "mentally handicapped" person working at GW. I think he had Downs Syndrome. He was stocking shelves. Most of the employees around here are 20-40 somethings with no problems at all and a few older people.

The earlier part of this thread was a riot, but this last half....eh not so much.

I too have seen some insane prices for games and game systems at Goodwill and Salvation Army. Thing is, people still buy these items many times around here. Why? They're still cheaper than the independent game stores here on many of those items. Case in point: I found a copy of Legacy Of Kain: Soul Reaver for PS1 last week at a lil indy thrift store. It was priced at $3 or so. The local shops would want $5-6 for the same game.

Did I complain about GW and SA pricing their donated stuff too high for my liking? Yep. Did it help? No. All it did was let me vent a lil frustration, but complaining(especially on the internet) gets ya nowhere. But it definitely is a good way to relieve stress.

The local shops would probably want $15 for legacy of kain here, as they want 14.99 for a copy of Thrillville for the PS2, which you can get at gamestop for $1.99.

No I don't shop at these places, so its not like I am shopping there and complaining, my SA does have bins of stuffed animals for 29 cents each so once in a while I will stop by and look through the bins for stuff that is resell worthy or just old plush that I may want for myself. That is about the only shopping I do at the Salvation army. I have walked into goodwill's but I can't remember the last time I actually bought any thing at any of them, actually I probably never have.

Originally Posted by IAmTheCheapestGamer Did I complain about GW and SA pricing their donated stuff too high for my liking? Yep. Did it help? No. All it did was let me vent a lil frustration, but complaining(especially on the internet) gets ya nowhere. But it definitely is a good way to relieve stress.

More or less, this was my point of starting the thread. That, and the fact that Craigslist is just becoming one big page of stupidity IMHO.

No, griping on the internet does nothing. But at the end of a day of disappointment, it's a little comforting to know you're not the only one annoyed.

Case in point...decided to go the SA near my house and saw a case for Def Jam: Fight for NY for GC. Asked the lady to get a closer look. Not only was the game case beaten to holy hell, it wasn't even the right game in the case!

See? Thrift Store Stupidity isn't just limited to money!

There is something about venting about the overpriced-ness of your local thrift..

Also I love talking about specific stores on here, even though I rarely actually do, where else can I vent about my local Play and trade selling common saturn games for $90 each!!