[Merged] "Value" Village is kinda expensive

[DiploDocus]

$29.99 for mens shoes which are tattered, selling that much because they might have some brand name i've never heard of

$30 for xbox 1 consoles ...some people were giving them away for free on Kijiji or selling for $10-$20

Majority of the stuff sold at Value village was given to them for FREE by people in the area. Some of the profits go to Big Brothers/Sister but I'd like to know how much exactly vs what they keep...they must be raking in the $$$$$$$$$$$$$

[Importz]

Value villages stores are huge! Lol

[mstrouble]

Ya, their clothes are priced too high now.

They had an H & M top and they priced it at $12.99. Sadly, it the actually H & M store only sold it for $7.99

I noticed they are having more half price sales, I think that's the only time to shop there.

[hagbard]

From what I've heard, they give about 1% to charity. I'm sure most other companies give more and don't promote themselves that way.

[MissMalfoy]

A friend of mine in high school worked at Value Village and said the company only donates $20 thousand a year. This could be different now - that was about 6 or 7 years ago.

[willdacanucker]

THANK YOU! I have been trying to tell my wife this for over a year now. VV USED to have damn good prices and when the 1/2 off sale would roll around we would load right up, especially on kids clothes. Now, Forget it. To bad I can not seem to convince my wife of how bad the prices are.

[TSDH]

$29.99 for mens shoes which are tattered, selling that much because they might have some brand name i've never heard of

$30 for xbox 1 consoles ...some people were giving them away for free on Kijiji or selling for $10-$20

Majority of the stuff sold at Value village was given to them for FREE by people in the area. Some of the profits go to Big Brothers/Sister but I'd like to know how much exactly vs what they keep...they must be raking in the $$$$$$$$$$$$$

Does your city have a high hipster population?

[DiploDocus]

From what I've heard, they give about 1% to charity. I'm sure most other companies give more and don't promote themselves that way.

yup

people are sympathetic to Value Village because of their marketing techniques (Bill Hicks had some great things to say about marketers/advertisers)

Value Village = "we give to charity so please give us free stuff" = free stuff mmmmm, now lets sell it back at insane prices

amazing business plan and check out this cbc piece showing how much money is involved with used clothes


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwnP-9OBhLQ

[epik89]

do not donate to value village ever.

they are so profitable and BARELY donate there money to charities or organizations

donate to salvation army or other places

[sandy_beach]

They want to make as much as they can..

http://www.angelfire.com/indie/tvi_report/

[eiad77]

I am glad I am not the only one who feels that Value Village should be avoided. The Salvation Army and other thrift stores have better prices and also donate their profits to charity. I very rarely go to Value Village. The only advantage of Value Village is that their stores are usually bigger than other thrift stores and have a wider selection.

[D n A]

I'll stick with my cross border shopping where I can buy Banada Republic sweaters at the outlet for $10

And not is Value Village the winner but also the government making money off taxes on DONATED items that were already taxed once before :eek: Can someone explain that?

[Frankie3s]

I'll stick with my cross border shopping where I can buy Banada Republic sweaters at the outlet for $10

And not is Value Village the winner but also the government making money off taxes on DONATED items that were already taxed once before :eek: Can someone explain that?

Points well made. It's the continual fleecing of the lambs to the slaughter.

[eiad77]

And not is Value Village the winner but also the government making money off taxes on DONATED items that were already taxed once before :eek: Can someone explain that?

I don't know what it's like at Value Village because I don't go there often, but there are no taxes charged at both of the thrift stores I go to most often. Also, the government loses on taxes if people get tax receipts for the goods they donate to charities anyways. If Value Village charges tax, it's probably because they are a for-profit corporation. That's just one more reason to not shop there.

[smartie]

I don't buy clothes there.I only buy books there. Probably one of the best used books stores.

[shadow_cruiser]

I also refuse to shop at Value Village because of the higher prices than Salvation Army and Goodwill. Value Village has the best book selection, that's it. I still don't understand why they charge tax. My first spot is usually Goodwill, where everything is priced at what a thrift store should be priced at. Unfortunately, most of the stuff is from 1960-70. At least they don't charge tax. Salvation Army is my favorite for furniture, definitely good stuff there.

Yesterday I saw a vase at VV which was selling for $6. The saw same vase selling for $4.99 at loblaws, brand new.

[eiad77]

The Salvation Army, Goodwill, and other charities do not charge tax because most goods and services that charities provide are exempt from HST (including supplies of donated goods): http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/bsnss/tpcs/gst-tps/gnrl/txbl/chrts/xmpt/menu-eng.html

Value Village is a for profit corporation so this exemption does not apply to it. It has to charge HST on its good just like used car dealerships have to charge HST.

[Toukolou]

VV gets all our junk, Goodwill gets the decent stuff.

[kevv]

i give them my broken stuff too. closer then the dump lol

[weedb0y]

Most charities are a scam these days

[weedb0y]

Most charities are a scam these days. Seriously

[brunes]

From what I've heard, they give about 1% to charity. I'm sure most other companies give more and don't promote themselves that way.

Nearly 100% of the Canadian Diabetes association's operating budget comes from Value Village. And your source was wrong, that is not how it works, at all. It is not based on profit, they BUY the clothes and items from the charities at a bulk rate. The charity thus knows in advance exactly how much money they will get.

I find clothing at Value Village is great. I stop in every once in awhile to browse the mens section... there is a lot of crap in there, to be sure, but there are always some treasure jewels as well... I have a couple of tommy hilfiger shirts from there, a chaps shirt, an American Eagle shirt... each of which was only $7-$8, essentially looked brand new, and some of them I have had for YEARS! For durable goods, the only thing I have ever bought there really is a Playboy directors chair for $20, just because I thought it was cool looking. It would not surprise me if durable goods were mis-priced, the people working there are not professional shoppers or appraisers.

[smartie]

A friend of mine in high school worked at Value Village and said the company only donates $20 thousand a year. This could be different now - that was about 6 or 7 years ago.

Their website said "

Every time you donate reusable clothing and household items either to them or directly to us at one of our stores via a Community Donation Center, we pay them. Over the past 10 years, we’ve paid more than $1 billion!

[wachidarin]

Even when they have 50% off sales seems like all the good stuff is taken away. I heard that the employees often put aside stuff they want for themselves...

As for the clothing donations, most people who are giving away lots of clothes usually just want to get it off their hands and don't think about where it's going.

[rotjong]

VV is a rip off for used clothes, Quite often you can get brand new clothes on sale at Old navy, or gap for a lot less then what VV is charging.VV is only good foe Halloweeen costumes.

[nagasadow]

I love VV for finding old camera equipment A few summers ago I bought some film gear from them and challenged myself to use that for the whole summer. Ended up using some yashica range finder and a nikon fg for the whole summer :D and both cost me about $20

[chadurban]

I shop their weekly and have noticed how much their prices have increased over the years. $12.99 for a bag with 2 Thomas the Train toys, $9.99 for a toy record player missing the entire needle assembly, not to mention $15 for a used pair of jeans and $10 for certain used t-shirts. This was all just today in 1 store, all the locations in my city have gone up like this.

Ok I understand that sometimes an item is a collectible, but the toy shelves were heaping in this location with overpriced used toys that weren't selling. To top it off, their 50% off sales only include certain departments now like clothing and bed/bath.

On a final note, they like to portray that you are helping the Canadian Diabetes Association by purchasing from VV. In fact, nothing the company makes goes to any charity. They just claim this as they buy used goods in bulk from what the CDA gathers in donations, to sell In their stores.

Just my rant, it used to be a good place to shop.

[relyte]

I hear ya, and agree completely. They must be doing well enough to not give a rats ***** though, as I've heard people complain to them at the checkout counter about pricing numerous times.

[brunes]

Why do you think that Value Village would have some kind of magical guard protecting them from inflation? Of course their prices have increased over the years - so has the price of everything else!

[tebore]

Yes because their costs incurred from their suppliers went up so very much in the last few years.

[chadurban]

It's basically greed. I remember the day their stores used to be full of people, these days not so much. Their sale days look like a regular day, people wise (their sales used to pack out)

[Cas77]

I remember the days when they rented small old cheap run-down retail spaces hidden behind another building.

Not sure about other cities, but now they're all going into brand new prime retail spaces in brand new strip malls...it's all business and has nothing to do with inflation.

I have no issues with what they do business-wise or how much they charge. My problem is with their deceptive marketing tactics of being the goodie 2-shoes company helping out the neighborhood and charities...especially when they're surrounded with half million dollar homes.

[Mayosandwich]

Their used underwear is still cheap, can get pairs for $1 each often

[DiploDocus]

Yes because their costs incurred from their suppliers went up so very much in the last few years.

lol exactly

99% of the items they sell are given to them for free (the remainder of items look like cheap dollar store items from overseas)

I drive past a value village every morning on my way to work and there's always clothes and other materials left at the donations center area which is re-sold

If everyone used craigslist and kijiji to give it away for free or sell it themselves Value Village would have to change its business model

[couponcodesindia]

hiiiiiiii,
Thanks for giving lot of information about it because i did not about it.

[Mar22]

Yes, I do think it is overpriced. $99.99 for a fake LV handbag, $25.99 for used worn out shoes, a no-name LCD screen of 20" priced at $119.99. I think some of them are nuts.

[mofesto]

I hear all the good stuff at thrift stores is pawned by employees on kijiji and ebay. That's why they never have anything good. Like the other poster said, VV only good as a dumping ground.

[brunes]

Yes because their costs incurred from their suppliers went up so very much in the last few years.

Yes because input cost is the only cost of a business. They don't have to pay wages to employees, pay for electricity, or pay to ship truckloads of clothes all over the country. All that stuff runs on pixie dust, so how dare they raise their prices along with inflation.

I post this in every misinformed VV hate-post - VV does a lot of good work. There are a lot of charities for whom VV is their main and really ONLY source of non-government funding. The Canadian Diabetes Association is not nor do they want to be in the business of running clothing stores - they want to be in the business of diabetes research and saving lives. So when you donate clothing or furniture to the Diabetes Association in their donation bins or their household drives - all of that goes DIRECTLY to Value Village, who pays the DA for the stuff at a bulk rate. The exact same thing happens if you drop it off at the VV store directly

Some people would rather donate to Goodwill and the Salvation Army... these organizations have a very different purpose than ones like the Diabetes Association, and running stores makes more sense for them as part of their goals is to raise people out of poverty, not cure a disease, which is very different. Personally I refuse to donate to the Salvation Army due to their religious associations. Goodwill has no presence around here at all.

[ccyk]

you dont have to buy from them if you think it is not worth it.

[Ottomaddox]

I have a semi-retired friend that has a profitable hobby buying from VV, SallyAnn & GW and reselling them. He seems to find quite a bit of good stuff.

[Barbara Ann]

I find MOST THRIFT stores expensive - even the Good Will that gets everything donated. A person posted on here about 24.99 for used shoes - I refuse to pay that much for any used item - I've seen $34.00 on used shoes - most stores are cheaper for new than Value Village which used to be a good place to shop. I've bought new jeans at Forever21 for 9.99 NEW - MWW had shoes at 70% off so a new pair would cost you $40. Unless it is a half price sale - avoid Value Village!!!

[mabba18]

I have a semi-retired friend that has a profitable hobby buying from VV, SallyAnn & GW and reselling them. He seems to find quite a bit of good stuff.

I'm not bashing your friend (I've done it a little and would do it more if I had the time), but this is why other people don't find anything good at thrift stores or garage sales anymore. It's not employees hording stuff, it's pickers who are trying to make money. Everything interesting is cleaned out before normal people have even left home.

[RCGA]

VV can blame inflation all it wants, but there's no way I'm paying $15 for a used sweater from American Eagle et al.

They've reached the point where it's not worth the effort anymore.

[Mars2012]

Anything that is remotely a name brand will be priced very high at VV - have you every seen a piece of lululemon there? Insane prices, who would buy it? There was a time when you could come away feeling like you got a bargain, but not any more. I am constantly asked to donate to the Diabetes Association "clothesline", but I think I'll drop my things off at the Salvation Army next time. Sure, VV gives a bit of money to the charities, but it is a very small fraction. I know that the SA will use that money for its community programs.

[chadurban]

I post this in every misinformed VV hate-post - VV does a lot of good work. There are a lot of charities for whom VV is their main and really ONLY source of non-government all.

Details, what other charities?

[NG]

you dont have to buy from them if you think it is not worth it.

Customers can shop where they want. Congrats on saying what everyone knows.

However customers also have the right to complain about any business they like for any reason (incl high prices)

[NG]

On the issues of prices. It's been awhile since I've been in one but VV always seemed more expensive than Goodwill.

Now that I hear the prices are even worse I can't say I ever expect to go in a VV again.

It's nuts that the prices for used stuff is actually more expensive than new stuff from real stores where you don't run the risk of bed bugs.

[brunes]

Anything that is remotely a name brand will be priced very high at VV - have you every seen a piece of lululemon there? Insane prices, who would buy it? There was a time when you could come away feeling like you got a bargain, but not any more. I am constantly asked to donate to the Diabetes Association "clothesline", but I think I'll drop my things off at the Salvation Army next time. Sure, VV gives a bit of money to the charities, but it is a very small fraction. I know that the SA will use that money for its community programs.

Another big difference between the org's is that due to how things work, the DA and other VV sponsored charities get their money RIGHT AWAY, since the items are sold at a bulk rate to VV. At Salvation Army / Goodwill, they don't see a red cent on the things you donate until they are bought since they are running their own stores.

So essentially, the DA does not care one lick if you shop at VV - they already got money from that donation.


It's nuts that the prices for used stuff is actually more expensive than new stuff from real stores where you don't run the risk of bed bugs.
This post is pretty ignorant. First of all, every single thing sold in that store is dry-cleaned. They certainly don't have "bed bugs". Second, I don't care what some of you people say about prices, they are far below retail. Show me somewhere else I can get a pair of as-new banana republic pants for $9-$12.

[NG]

^
They may dry clean the clothes but the customer can only hope the local division doesn't cut corners or happen to forget to dryclean something.

Besides I've seen them sell furniture (couches etc) and you can't dry clean that.

As for prices I've been there before and found the prices high for what I could get elsewhere.

From what people are saying who have been there recently it sounds like the prices have only gotten worse.

[Ottomaddox]

I'm not bashing your friend (I've done it a little and would do it more if I had the time), but this is why other people don't find anything good at thrift stores or garage sales anymore. It's not employees hording stuff, it's pickers who are trying to make money. Everything interesting is cleaned out before normal people have even left home.

Geez, why don't you complain about housewives without jobs and students getting the good stuff too? There's plenty of good stuff, but people need to own up and put a little effort into it.

[koods8]

If you have time, you have to go through a lotta stuff to find any deal. I went yesterday and was gonna leave after a lot of time there but found a children's size 8-10 Nautica jacket/fleece poly-filled and reversable for $7.99 in as-new condition. I washed it today and it's ready for the fall-winter.
On previous finds about 2 months ago, I found a Juicy Couture(new) girl's long-sleeved t-shirt, Ed Hardy Hoody (as-new), and a Prada front-buttoned nylon shirt....for a total of under $15.
But yeah, I'd say majority is too used to sell and overpriced.

[scoobydoo]

If you have time, you have to go through a lotta stuff to find any deal. I went yesterday and was gonna leave after a lot of time there but found a children's size 8-10 Nautica jacket/fleece poly-filled and reversable for $7.99 in as-new condition. I washed it today and it's ready for the fall-winter.
On previous finds about 2 months ago, I found a Juicy Couture(new) girl's long-sleeved t-shirt, Ed Hardy Hoody (as-new), and a Prada front-buttoned nylon shirt....for a total of under $15.
But yeah, I'd say majority is too used to sell and overpriced.

Sounds good, but if unless you're bored, broke or have quick fingers, probably not worth it.

[emmsmama]

This post is pretty ignorant. First of all, every single thing sold in that store is dry-cleaned. They certainly don't have "bed bugs". Second, I don't care what some of you people say about prices, they are far below retail. Show me somewhere else I can get a pair of as-new banana republic pants for $9-$12.

I used to think their stuff was dry-cleaned, but I've read in many places now, including info. from people who have worked there, that their clothing is not dry-cleaned or washed before going out on the floor. It's sorted to separate the saleable items from the trash, but that's it.

[NG]

I used to think their stuff was dry-cleaned, but I've read in many places now, including info. from people who have worked there, that their clothing is not dry-cleaned or washed before going out on the floor. It's sorted to separate the saleable items from the trash, but that's it.

Wow...so the entire Value Village store could be crawling with bed bugs.

That settles it - never going in there again.

[Mars2012]

Wow...so the entire Value Village store could be crawling with bed bugs.

That settles it - never going in there again.

I think that's why the thrift stores have stopped selling old mattresses. I'm pretty certain that the clothes are not laundered before they go out. I once found a ten dollar bill in a pocket of some shorts I was trying on. I think there are still deals to be found, but you have to really look. Often, you can find brand new clothing on sale for the same price.

[Ottomaddox]

I used to think their stuff was dry-cleaned, but I've read in many places now, including info. from people who have worked there, that their clothing is not dry-cleaned or washed before going out on the floor. It's sorted to separate the saleable items from the trash, but that's it.


I think that's why the thrift stores have stopped selling old mattresses. I'm pretty certain that the clothes are not laundered before they go out. I once found a ten dollar bill in a pocket of some shorts I was trying on. I think there are still deals to be found, but you have to really look. Often, you can find brand new clothing on sale for the same price.

From the smell the second you walk into these places you can tell the clothes aren't cleaned in any systematic way...

[brunes]

I used to think their stuff was dry-cleaned, but I've read in many places now, including info. from people who have worked there, that their clothing is not dry-cleaned or washed before going out on the floor. It's sorted to separate the saleable items from the trash, but that's it.

Whoever "told you" that has some alternate agenda or is otherwise full of crap.

For one, that is not even how these stores operate. Stuff you donate at a store does not directly go out on the shelf, not by a long shot. Everything given in the donation bins is FIRST shipped to the regional facility where it is sorted. Then the 5% of re-sellable stuff is dry-cleaned and packaged, the other 95% of donations are shipped off to be sold to companies where they are shredded for rags and filler. The packaged dry-cleaned stuff is then sent from the regional depot to stores all over the country. Stuff you donate in Toronto might end up being sold in Nova Scotia. Otherwise how do you think stores in lower-population areas would operate?

For two - everything in that store is dry-cleaned. Nothing could get through the sorting process without being cleaned, but heck even if you believe that other person's nonsense - you can tell just from the smell of dry-cleaning compound when you walk in the door, it hits you right in the face. You can smell it on all the clothes too. That is why I wash any clothes I buy from there - it is to get the dry cleaning smell out.



From the smell the second you walk into these places you can tell the clothes aren't cleaned in any systematic way...
As said above - that is the dry cleaning. Have you never been to a dry cleaner? This whole line of thinking is another one of these cases that boggles my mind. How ON EARTH could they be taking stuff right from a donation bin and selling it without cleaning it? It would be TOTALLY WRINKLED. Do you see wrinkles on the clothes in the store? Did you think this was being taken care of by magical wrinkle fairys?

[emmsmama]

There's no way it would be cost effective for them to dry clean everything and I have seen many things on the racks with wrinkles, marks, stains, etc. so I don't believe they even wash the clothes, let alone dry clean them. Maybe some stores do it differently, but I know that the stores where I used to live and the ones near where I live now did not dry clean their stuff. Also, I donate to VV and I've seen a dress I donated out on the racks at the same store I donated it at, so I don't believe the stuff gets sent off to some mass sorting facility. I know it was my previously owned dress because I modified it, so it was definitely the same dress. I've also seen the back of a VV store and seen all the stuff piled up inside and it would not be cost effective at all to ship stuff from stores to a mass sorting facility because they would have to pay to ship it elsewhere and then ship it back to the stores.

[NG]

The debate on if stuff is dry cleaning at VV is likely one that will change the mind of no one - you'll either believe it's dry cleaned or not.

Personally I believe that even if they dry clean most of it a % will make it to the shelf without it simply due to human error or the local mgr cutting corner.

However I've seen furniture at VV before - stuff like that is a bed bug hot spot and there's no way to dry clean that stuff or keep the bugs from spreading.

[xansmommy]

I donated a lot of stuff and clothes from my grandmother's apartment after she passed, and saw her things on the shelves/racks, the next week I was there- so it didn't go anywhere else for sorting.

[smartcdn]

You can get bed bugs just by standing there and rummaging through the clothing racks. So not going there.

[LondonOntGuy]

VV can blame inflation all it wants, but there's no way I'm paying $15 for a used sweater from American Eagle et al.

They've reached the point where it's not worth the effort anymore.

I don't know how AE prices their stuff, but if it's at least similar to how Campus Crew does it, that's way too much for a used sweater. Very often Campus Crew has sales on like one hoodie for $24 and another one for half price.

Regarding how they sort things - everything gets sent to the back where it's sorted, priced and of course, put out on the racks. After a certain amount of days they get pulled, regardless if it's nice or not, and stuffed into a bailer where they get packed onto a truck and sent who knows where. This is how it is for clothing, not sure about other stuff like household items such as a toaster or VCR.

Edit: They do not wash anything. I'm guessing if stuff came in with a piss or poop stain, it would just go straight into the bailer.

[Gammatron]

Why do you think that Value Village would have some kind of magical guard protecting them from inflation? Of course their prices have increased over the years - so has the price of everything else!

Yeah right that's why they have higher prices than Wal-Mart in clothing even though Walmart's clothes are new? The only thing VV is good for is to find old equipment/electronics, I bought a sweet old-school Rogers cable converter box there that I could have never found somewhere else which I needed.

[uber_shnitz]

It's hit and miss really. The pricing scheme is totally arbitrary and in some cases, completely left up to the employees. As a part-time employee at Value Village, I can actually price and dictate the prices of certain items (furniture and electronics).

As for dry cleaning...no nothing is washed or dry cleaned. Usually it's left up to the employees if they want to keep/sell something or just throw it away because it's too grimmy.

[Bordello]

nothing is washed or dry cleaned.

omg. forget about making purchases. I'd be nervous to just browse through their stuff.

[eager beaver]

I don't like how Value Village masquerades as a doing charity work when it is for profit. Yes it's true it is for the lazy folks at the Diabetes Associaton gets $$, but what fraction of a percent? I was talking to an large organization that donated thousands of dollars worth of items to VV when it could have gone to a real charity with retail used goods stores (in Sudbury Salvation Army, Jarrett Centre, Saint Vincent de Paul society) and they didn't realize it didnt ALL go to the DA. The problem is the DA is a lazy organization. I once was involved in fundraiser for them and they wouldn't lift a finger. So, getting a tiny fraction of large volumes by lending their name seems like a good option for the lazy folks at DA, but other organizations that do good work lose out.

[uber_shnitz]

I've never seen Value Village really market itself as a "charity" shop here in Quebec. It's just another thrift store really.

[Ottomaddox]

I've never seen Value Village really market itself as a "charity" shop here in Quebec. It's just another thrift store really.

They have a link on their website http://www.valuevillage.com/where-to-donate-to-charity.aspx so I guess that's where people would get that idea...

[macnut]

I've never seen Value Village really market itself as a "charity" shop here in Quebec. It's just another thrift store really.

What do you mean when you use the term 'Thrift Store'?

A Thrift Store is run by, or for, a charitable organization by definition.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Thrift+Store

Charity Shop and Thrift Store therefore have the same meaning.

Some people incorrectly refer to for-profit used goods stores and pawn brokers as thrift stores. Sometimes even dollar stores get lumped in there.

But the fact is regular for-profit retail stores collect tax on sales while SA, GW and other 100% charity shops/thrift stores do not.

VV doesn't cleanly fit into either category, but is much closer to the regular for-profit retail end.

It used to proclaim its charitable component but is probably now sensitive to the issue and doesn't want to draw attention to how small the contributions is.

[Russell]

I donated a lot of stuff and clothes from my grandmother's apartment after she passed, and saw her things on the shelves/racks, the next week I was there- so it didn't go anywhere else for sorting.

I had a similar experience. My grandmother's winter jacket was donated, ended up on the shelves a few days later, and then was seen parading around the neighborhood by the lady who bought it. This was an incredibly distinct jacket - one of a kind - so there's absolutely zero chance that it wasn't her jacket.

That doesn't mean it wasn't dry cleaned, but it certainly didn't have time to get shipped to a regional facility, sorted, cleaned, then shipped back out (conveniently to the store of origin).

[uber_shnitz]

What do you mean when you use the term 'Thrift Store'?

A Thrift Store is run by, or for, a charitable organization by definition.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Thrift+Store

Charity Shop and Thrift Store therefore have the same meaning.

Some people incorrectly refer to for-profit used goods stores and pawn brokers as thrift stores. Sometimes even dollar stores get lumped in there.

But the fact is regular for-profit retail stores collect tax on sales while SA, GW and other 100% charity shops/thrift stores do not.

VV doesn't cleanly fit into either category, but is much closer to the regular for-profit retail end.

It used to proclaim its charitable component but is probably now sensitive to the issue and doesn't want to draw attention to how small the contributions is.

Ah okies my bad.

Well either way, I never saw Value Village for its charity side. Even the name implies more about the aspect of selling used goods than anything else (as opposed to places like Salvation Army, which hint at more charitable causes). I mean, I only really discovered there was one when I started working there. Otherwise, it was just another store that sold used items to me (and threw away a bunch of crap people gave us).

[leannebrown79]

Value Village is way too expensive. Especially being donated items. I donate my items to the Goodwill. Atleast I know they are not severly overcharging and people who are not so fortunate can still afford to buy.

[mlauzon]

I do shop at VV occasionally, and I do agree their prices are stupid, although, I've seen items at Goodwill & SA that were a lot higher for similar items at VV; so really it all comes down to a matter of perspective.

[uber_shnitz]

IMO it's a matter of perspective. Is 20$ for a table too much? Well maybe, but then again the cheapest table at IKEA is probably like 30$ and it's not made of solid wood like the ones that are donated at VV (quite a bit of furniture is solid wood at the VV I work at as opposed to particle board).

Like I said, pries are highly subjective (I've been there for less than a month and they let me price furniture however I see fit) so it's up to the employees really how cheap/expensive they want to sell something. In many cases, they don't have a clue what something is worth either. They priced a PS2 for 25$ but an Xbox 360 for 20$.

[mlauzon]

The worst thing I hate about going to thrift stores [VV, SA, GW] is a lot of the employees are dumb, 90% of the time there are women's pants in the men's section, and you can clearly tell they are women's pants.