I have gotten some new clothes and new items in Malls cheaper than VV. Password requirements: 6 to 30 characters long; ASCII characters only (characters found on a standard US keyboard); must contain at least 4 different symbols; Tony, in fact the large dumpsters are compactors and they are locked to prevent people from climbing in them and getting killed. Not the Salvation Army. The other thesis, that those who could afford to buy new clothing but choose to shop at thrift stores because used clothing has been “fetishized” by the fashion industry are driving up demand and hence prices, is debatable. It’s a great thrift store for the money. They pay so much a lb. Our donations were passed on to this Big Warehouse American Business for pennies on the dollar. I remember the day I went in and went to barter the price of something and they said the price is on the item and that is what you have to pay. He said the clothes go as a donation to the other countries. Banks use a combination of methods in order to secure checks. If you don’t donate through a np then they don’t get a piece of the pie. I always donate my higher quality, very little wear-and-tear things directly to local shelters so they can go directly to people who need them. Great thoughts. Why is running a business like a business “pathetic”? AND there are investors with shares to be paid off. Then it resells them for prices that reflect the cost of running the store and other market factors. Some immigrants run from their countries having nothing with them. Hey great article, I have also been shopping at Value village for almost 20 years and only in the last 5 years have seen insane increased in prices with things like Levi jeans for men selling used with defect issues due to them being used for more than someone buying them brand new in the local mall down the street at retail prices. With the amount of false articles online, it is difficult to take anything seriously without research present. The author never states that they are non profit. Too much for the normal person not in the health profession, maybe only in politic. Do they choose employees they can manipulate and control into believing they are helping? Sign up for The Goods’ newsletter. So, really, I have no problems with my local VV. THAT’S where you’re going to find the tresures! I recommend donating to mcc. The reality is these are pricers following guidelines trying to price, and while they can easily estimate some Bananna republic jeans, they don’t carry a constant inventory of discount store prices. This expansion of its demographic has certainly normalized wearing second-hand clothes. Why would I pay $125 for a shirt or jeans when I can pay $12? When I turned it over there was a Dollorama tag for $ 1.50. The Salvation Army offers many other programs and services. i personal shop and give to the SPCA store..the VV was good when I had small children and they played sports…lots of cheap sports equipment…I have never been under any illusion that VV was anything less then a business..they get a lot of stuff from estates dead people…or actually relatives of dead people who need to get rid of a lot of non saleable stuff…VV will pick stuff up…their profit margins are higher then Holt Renfrew…because of course they have such low overhead…VV can easily afford to pay its employees as least as much as Holt renfrew…plus give them health care and a pension plan…like Holt Renfrew..don;t let the low rent avenue routine fool you..these guys at VV are big business, my mom and dads home blew up they were left with nothing i went into a Value Village and ask for help for clothing for them and they said NO so who do they help. My friend found in Value Village many times items from the Home Sense with the price higher than in the Home Sense. The Bay…which at one time had a good shopping feel about it now reeks of elitism…..I don’t need designer…I need value for my hard earned money. However, spend in the accommodation industry remained volatile throughout the quarter amid a second wave of the virus, ending with comparable spend levels to those seen in the latter part of Q2. The others need to practice what they say. Their clothing? Value Village is not a charity, it’s a business. There is NO “Value” in Value Village anymore where a $10 Ikea table sells used and banged up for $20, or where dollar store items that sell for $1-$3 are sold for as much as $60! Charles your theory is a complete lie!!!!!! As far as I am concerned they are crooks. 2. When ever I went snooping through it or any homeless person, the staff would come freaking out by saying, “You guys can’t just take any of that stuff”. They used to lock their massive dumpster but they would still get inside of it. (and others associations). That happens a lot of time. Leaving the charity to have to compete with the American Monster they are feeding. without even investing a penny. In the Halifax area I take mine to Phoenix, Adsum House, or Hand in Hand in Spryfield. On October 28, 2003, they signed the Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act into law. They take all the good stuff in the store and put it separate from everything else and they hold auctions twice a month. Policygenius, the nation's leading online insurance marketplace, announced today the May data release of the Policygenius Life Insurance Price … some stuff is brand new like my sons nike winter jacket was priced $49.99 with original tags same jacket in athletes world was $$239.99. I just can’t help but feel the writer is a bit of a snob. The 92-proof, 1 Liter Small Batch Bourbon "is enjoyable smooth with its notes of oak and rye spice accented by vanilla and caramel. Even post pandemic I can tell you as a person who shops a value village for personal reasons, to donate to foreign poverty charities and for profit as a reseller, I can say with confidence that over 50% of shoppers in their store daily are resellers as a reseller can spot a reseller due to behaviour. They get away with this because they have promised donatios of 14% of clothing sales to charities, but this applies only to clothing sales, which are proportionally donated; sales from all other merchandise such as jewelry, furniture, books, appliances, household stuff in general are all for profit. Don’t shop there if you don’t like the prices. 1.99 or more… depended on SIZE. Less Than 1% of Hotel Owners Are Black Women. People can do even better yet, They do have a moral issue as well promoting them selves as you said as donating to charity yet they pick the charity and it’s usually only 2 like the “Diabetes Association” and sometimes a “Local Foodbank” (I’m sure it’s different in each community) but where I am in Canada that is their options, so is that really donating to charity that affect the local poor and low income individual where the store is located (I say no). So Value Village now has an enclosed dumpster to stop the homeless from taking anything. The Dr. Frankenstein behind Mary Dean could dox me or just send me endless junk mail. People drop off donations directly to the stores as well though. Ink became easier to replicate? This particular Value Village is therefore situated within a low-income community and, through its marketing strategy “Buy More, Spend Less” has advertised itself as economically accessible to poor and working-class people. Value Village needs to definitely look at their pricing of DONATED items!! One of the impacts of Value Village being one of many companies owned by this multi-layered corporation is that the profits from Value Village need to travel all the way up to TPG Capital. 10 to 12 seems reasonable considering the condition and original price involved. I want a damn answer Charles! Every sweater I looked at in VV Was priced $9.99 1/2 being &5 If you live in southwestern Ontario donate any clothing, furniture etc to “Loads of Love” in Chatham or “Thrift on Mill” in Leamington. Excuse me, but aren’t there bigger fish to fry? I know about them personally and know that they care and love for all people. A smart shopper always does comparison shopping. Maybe the printers became cheaper? Some fact checking here is needed. Recently I saw a boardgame “clues” sold at $79.99, with the original price tag of $7.99 still on it! Most of the thrift shops are operated by a local ministries and employ folks whom they support. …The prices have risen…but still less than brand new retail. I’m open to finding a solution. Your clothes come in free you weigh and pay out to the orginazions you support.. It’s a simple process .. Really? I’ve never thought of them as serving the poor. Only a very small percentage goes to the charity as well. In other words they are making themselves conveinently inaccessible. Not the need of the person. The Salvation Army is recipient of my used things and it is priced for people in the lower end of the economic spectrum as are churches and other local 2nd hand shops. you simple shop look for the best deal and complain when you don’t like the deal that is starring you in the face. If you get away with no paying taxes and getting the label charity just because you donate to charities 14% that is unfair for everyone, for private companies that donate lots of monies and dont get that label, for poor people that are conned, and for the other charities that have to compete unfairly. Secondly, what I find truly interesting with Value Village is their games prices. Your article is well researched and accurate re Value Village. Charity donation buns makes people feel they’re doing something good by donating their used clothing but that’s rarely the case. Im in quite a few groups like this and even admin my very own for this exact reason… too many greedy people out there thinking only of themselves and not of the hundreds/thousands they could/should be helping!! This is not the environment of a charity. Many boxes of items are full profit to Value Village, they are only part of a quota in order for the charity to get paid anything for the clothing etc., As a Canadian a charity is usually run due to donations from the public, in order to assist our less fortunate. Their modes of transportation? I told them I have donated 100’s of dollars worth of product to their store and i have seen my stuff on their floor priced higher than i had payed for it originally. If you worked at VV you’d know that unsold clothing and useful items go to Africa. Facts…#1 Value Village employs all there workers, unlike the Salvation Army, who are 99% volunteers. Mission and Bible. All the profits made form sale at Sally go right back into the community providing beds,meals,treatment, counselling,and medical needs. The British High street has loads of shops that have disposable fashion from China for that: Primark, Peacock, Matalan, etc. 105 replies Manifestation, Positive Affirmations, Law of Attraction and The Secret thread > What is law of attraction? ME: Great idea! There would be a stock of toys, cloths, etcetera at the side of the front window. After her first message, there was a delay, but I remained hopeful. If the writer understood anything about this business she would know how labor intensive it is. I love my groups… ive helped soo many people in need and many who just needed a hand up… its not a hand out when you’re working your butt off everyday and still have trouble making ends meat…. WHY IS VV MORE EXPENSIVE? I would like to know why they can’t support Osteoporosis and Menopause.?? If all kids are wearing ripped jeans, the poor kids won’t stand out, right? So figure out how much money they made on my shoulder bags, etc. So lets say a pair of Nike jogging pants are selling for 49.99 at a sports store and VV sells same pants in excellent condition for 10.00 well guess what once that $15 an hour kicks in, in Ontario within a few months that 49.99 will be 69.99 and VV will have to adjust as well and might sell for 12.99. Unless its faded, or ripped? But if buying a used item when I could afford a new one is some kind of wrongful cultural appropriation, it matters little whether I bought it at the Salvation Army or a for-profit store. Cp gets just a small percentage. The purpose of charity is to help support those who need warm and decent clothing. It is exasperating. With in-depth features, Expatica brings the international community closer together. Plus many household items. Kudos…well said, wasn’t aware of their politics. It’s still cheaper than $95 jeans at department stores, and sometimes if you look, there are brand new garments with original tags still on them. If I want to buy DOLLOR store stuff I go to a DOLLOR store. And I’ve never paid $25 for a pair of their jeans. The partner is paid for every item received, whether it is trucked in by the charity partner, or dropped off at the store. Because it’s been paid for upfront, it’s impossible for a cashier’s check to bounce. Yes, shame on them. Also, if you donate to SA that donation stays in your community. (VV will not let a customer buy an unpriced item, though). I have to say that the writer of this article is extremely uninformed. Millions turn to Vox to understand what’s happening in the news. Andres. Required fields are marked *. Thank you for your provocative article. merchandise needs to go up. Twitter Facebook Reddit Mail. You can literally compare prices on two monopoly game boards being sold at the same time; both selling for the same price, but one is missing either cards, money, or tokens, or any combination there of. At the Bloor/Lansdown store in Toronto, you can see the drop-off section at the side of the store. There is now a bursting local market of vintage clothing shops, international online retailers and even commercial corporations like Urban Outfitters selling used and “revamped” items. Here’s a short TV interview with relevant links to the lawsuit and my articles. This is a bunch of opinions from a young person who is prejudiced and doesn’t think logically or clearly. I would like to find a solution to this problem in a political system that is broken. Research supporting this can be googled. Also kinda insulting. Their current advertising campaign suggests that everything they sell would have otherwise ended up in landfills, thus they are an environmental champion. I’ve been a thriftier for life and I miss the good old days for sure. I am a very regular shopper at Value Village. A must-read for English-speaking expatriates and internationals across Europe, Expatica provides a tailored local news service and essential information on living, working, and moving to your country of choice. I thought that WalMart owned Value Village? Charging more for a used item than it would cost new sounds like a flawed business model, and I doubt that it is widespread, but in any event I find it hard to believe that many people shopping at VV because of financial need are victimized by it. He wasn’t suspicious when he got an email from someone claiming to need a room while she attended school, but he did grow nervous when she sent him a cashier’s check for $3,400, since the rent was only $700. Their prices are getting higher. Really kind of a insult. ask to speak to the manager Many were knobby, worn, well washed, holes and stretched. Explore celebrity trends and tips on fashion, style, beauty, diets, health, relationships and more. They rely in this announcements to kind of make think people that they are actually a non-profit. As an employee of Value Village in my community I totally agree with this article. I only speak one language,English,apparently I am not getting my message to the people who should have investigated this misuse of the words, For Profit, Not For Profit, Charity and Donations. Value Village also has a lot of employees here in Kamloops including my spouse. We all know someone in need. But please don’t attack an organization that has a successful win-win-win model on many levels. I’m curious which of the other “many” claims are not accurate or what she should have fact checked? Especially when they can afford to pay company to come in and price everything. SA, another Thrift Store, while good for housewares prices, are also terribly expensive for clothing? They can not be pricing based on brand name – it’s an item that was dropped off as a donation!! ME: So shop somewhere else. Why in the world are they charging used toddler pajamas for 7.99, or used kids mittens for 3.99? VV employees get paid. maybe. Because a small amount of labels actually are sewn properly, they fit far better and the fabric is far more natural in most cases. The author confronted a manager about it, and even informed him it was a knock off jacket, probably not even worth 300 brand new, and got a spell about how they don’t have time to check authenticity, and poor folk wouldn’t know the difference anyway, and that he needed to leave the store. I’ve seen items in there marked up past a hundred dollars. the charge was, Misleading The Public, by not making it known they were a For Profit Business. It really use to steam me and I would get into arguments with management. That’s only about 9 percent. All of my thrift shopping is done at the Salvation Army as well all of my donations go there. Contact info@communityedition.ca. I know this because I over see it being done. When it comes to essay writing, an in-depth research is a big deal. The point is exactly, what you are describing is still a corporate strategy that operates where the bulk of the profit goes somewhere other than to the charity use for the community. “If I wanted to sell my used goods for a profit, I would do so myself.” You are free to donate wherever you want of course but you can not sell your used goods for a profit. This is unlike the Salvation Army, which is 100% donated. Financial contributions from our readers are a critical part of supporting our resource-intensive work and help us keep our journalism free for all. St Vincent DePaul The author’s argument is irresponsible and one-sided by claiming that the other reason one shops second-hand is because it’s a fashionable, or ‘hip’ activity. Show them that we as a society can work together to make change. Pursues all $10 My son work there for a time, he got a staff discount and received benefits. It’s incredible how much is being done here. These are countries that would benefit far more from having local textile industry than cheap old clothes from wealthy nations. Cashier’s checks are not great for people who don’t know each other at all, like two strangers on Craigslist. I for one, no longer donate to such companies but instead to local non-profits. It’s a great topic and I hope people look into it more thoroughly! Believe me, our charities do have the right to do as they wish with the donations, they requested in the name of their charity, but the Canadian people have the right to know who truly their donations are helping. There is a full back room of hard working people sorting and pricing. I remember when VV first opened, they were initially linked with Cerebral Palsy and did in fact claim to donate a portion to then. I can’t remember now what I was explained by someone in detail but it goes in the following line from what I vaguely remember: to be registered as a charity in Canada there is an amount of money threshold they must meet. I also have complained in person and written to the company. They did not give me any discount because it was not enough volume. I credit Emma on her ability to deliver an editorial about a subject that is long overdue and ignored by the leaders especially here in Canada .I do not find it shocking that so many of the comments showed how little we Canadians truly understand about Value Village.