Shopping Discussion

When you take the "value" out of Value Village...

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  • Nov 5th, 2015 2:05 am
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Sr. Member
Mar 28, 2008
629 posts
415 upvotes
scandal vs. scam

I would call those scandals, but Value Village is just scam.
Deal Addict
Apr 2, 2007
4405 posts
4469 upvotes
carmaster wrote: For a "non-profit" this is pretty big vs. other US companies where are for profit. You can't compare against other US companies.
a "non-profit" doesn't mean that they can't make money... it just means that their profits are distributed differently.

"A nonprofit organization (NPO, also known as a non-business entity) is an organization that uses its surplus revenues to further achieve its purpose or mission, rather than distributing its surplus income to the organization's shareholders (or equivalents) as profit or dividends."
Deal Expert
Aug 22, 2006
31271 posts
17295 upvotes
Cas77 wrote: diabetes.ca? Where do you think their clothes go? They have a contract with VV and sell it all to them at 5cents a pound.
This is at least somewhat acceptable. I mean someone has to have a storefront.
But to donate the same shirt directly means that VV pays $0.00 for it. At least at $0.05/lb a real charity is getting some money.

Why is it that these 2nd hand clothing stores are the most ambiguous in how they operate? We're here debating what goes where, where donations go, who should we donate to and there's no clear cut answer. It's almost like they want to keep it that way so we can blindly keep giving like idiots.
You literally answered your own question.
Deal Addict
Dec 3, 2006
4593 posts
19422 upvotes
Vancouver, BC
Consumers are just dumb and don't do their research before they impulse buy....such a consumerist society.
Banned
May 12, 2004
9756 posts
4136 upvotes
Ottawa
death_hawk wrote: This is at least somewhat acceptable. I mean someone has to have a storefront.
But to donate the same shirt directly means that VV pays $0.00 for it. At least at $0.05/lb a real charity is getting some money.
The problem being old, ripped non-sell-able t-shirts sell for about that to rag makers. The whole Clothesline program is incredibly flawed and if you dig a little deeper under the surface it looks like 12 year olds run it. Something is definitely fishy there, so much so that as a diabetic and long time donor to Clothesline they don't see anything from me.
death_hawk wrote: You literally answered your own question.
This was more of a rhetoric than anything else.
Deal Addict
Jul 23, 2013
3038 posts
1059 upvotes
A small town north o…
carmaster wrote: Some of the biggest scams have involved Salvation Army and Goodwill.
Please show me a scam where the Salvation Army was the scammer.
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
May 9, 2009
7135 posts
3737 upvotes
Montreal
death_hawk wrote: Apparently I was mistaken anyway:
http://www.salvationarmy.ca/2013/09/26/ ... imination/

But I'd still rather support an organization that isn't backed by a religion.
Their stance has changed a lot over the last few years and varies from chapter to chapter. Last I read, their position was something along the lines of "You can be gay but if you are, you must be celibate since only heterosexual sex between a married couple is OK".

They've also done a lot of other dumb things such as refuse donations of Harry Potter and Twilight toys.
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Oct 22, 2007
9280 posts
3006 upvotes
London
Cas77 wrote: The problem being old, ripped non-sell-able t-shirts sell for about that to rag makers. The whole Clothesline program is incredibly flawed and if you dig a little deeper under the surface it looks like 12 year olds run it. Something is definitely fishy there, so much so that as a diabetic and long time donor to Clothesline they don't see anything from me.
I'm missing something here. What do you find fishy?
Penalty Box
User avatar
Oct 19, 2012
3359 posts
421 upvotes
Toronto
I needed an old Rogers cable box and a VCR to give my PC cable signal so I could record TV programs and the only place in the world I could have found that Rogers box was at Value Village and it costed me only $6 in mint conditions LOL
Member
Mar 23, 2012
277 posts
89 upvotes
WINNIPEG
Salvation Army will give you a $10 off of $25 or more worth of purchases coupon with every donation. Donate there.
Deal Addict
Feb 28, 2004
3807 posts
757 upvotes
Vancouver
there is no place to donate clothing where clothes go straight to ppl who need clothes?
Deal Addict
User avatar
Dec 16, 2007
3906 posts
1028 upvotes
Toronto
importpsycho wrote: there is no place to donate clothing where clothes go straight to ppl who need clothes?
skid row?
Sr. Member
Sep 13, 2015
533 posts
446 upvotes
Gammatron wrote: You people dont get it do you? My GF tells me the same thing.... why buy a shirt for $7.99 at Value Village when I can buy it for the same price brand new at WalMart.

Let me see. The shirt at Walmart is a chinese cheap garment that will shrink and discolor after washing... a feeble shirt made with thin cotton.


The shirt at Value Village was dropped there by a rich guy and it originally costed him $75 or more. Its thick cotton and genuine quality. It was worn by a millionaire who is cleaner than I am so what? Vallue Village is the best value.

Maybe but your shirt you just bought from VV was tossed in with someone's soiled garments covered in all sorts of body fluids. I've made a killing off thrifting but sometimes it's just better to buy "new"
Glory Glory Man United
Sr. Member
Sep 13, 2015
533 posts
446 upvotes
Gammatron wrote: I needed an old Rogers cable box and a VCR to give my PC cable signal so I could record TV programs and the only place in the world I could have found that Rogers box was at Value Village and it costed me only $6 in mint conditions LOL
Ripped off, they sell at the goodwill for roughly 1-2 dollars, I was lucky to score an 4250hd box with no account for 1.50
Glory Glory Man United
Deal Addict
Jul 23, 2013
3038 posts
1059 upvotes
A small town north o…
nexuscardguy wrote: Maybe but your shirt you just bought from VV was tossed in with someone's soiled garments covered in all sorts of body fluids. I've made a killing off thrifting but sometimes it's just better to buy "new"
Next time you go into hospital for life saving emergency surgery, remember you're going to be lying on sheets that have been covered in "all sorts of body fluids" and insist on brand new ones, rather than ones from the hospital laundry. :razz:
Deal Guru
Jul 19, 2012
14763 posts
4912 upvotes
Montreal
Solsearchin1 wrote: I don't blame people complaining. They are donating stuff to what they believe is a good cause but in the end it's just a business with profits in mind.
yep, value village *masquerades* as a non-profit charity, but it's actually a for-profit business just like walmart or best buy. but instead of actually paying for inventory, like those stores, people drop it off for free at the front door. :lol:

and prices are insane there now - I used to pick up the odd videogame or book or board game, but prices have spiked like 3-5X. I saw an old ps2 sports game with a tag at $17.99! old pc games missing manuals and discs - $19.99! and those used to be $2.99-$4.99 or so, but for some reason, vv thinks they're sitting on gold.

and do you know the worst thing? if an item doesn't sell, they just toss it in the dumpster rather than lowering the price. people that give them free stock should be slapped in the face.
Deal Guru
Jul 19, 2012
14763 posts
4912 upvotes
Montreal
importpsycho wrote: there is no place to donate clothing where clothes go straight to ppl who need clothes?
try a *real* non-profit charity with stores like the salvation army. when new immigrants/homeless people need clothing, they get certificates to redeem for clothes, and the system does work.
Deal Guru
Jul 19, 2012
14763 posts
4912 upvotes
Montreal
Solsearchin1 wrote: I wouldn't be surprised if less than 20% of its sales are donated to charity.
20%? :lol:

more like "less than 1%". do you know all these diabetics/clothesline/etc. guys who call you up for clothes and household items? well, they send all that to value village, who pays them a nominal rate by the pound. charities get nothing based on sales, just weight, and I'd be surprised of they even get 1% of the overall revenues of value village.

and everything you drop off at the front door? 100% to value village.

so when value village raises prices, they are making more money, *not* the charities. they already got their cut "by the pound".
Deal Addict
May 28, 2009
1254 posts
937 upvotes
Belleville
I give them garbage and let them dispose of it. Beats having to pay $2.50 for garbage tags.
Deal Expert
Aug 22, 2006
31271 posts
17295 upvotes
psyko514 wrote: Their stance has changed a lot over the last few years and varies from chapter to chapter. Last I read, their position was something along the lines of "You can be gay but if you are, you must be celibate since only heterosexual sex between a married couple is OK".

They've also done a lot of other dumb things such as refuse donations of Harry Potter and Twilight toys.
Ok, back on my [expletive deleted] list.

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