Shopping at Goodwill can be a great way to save money, find things you would never pay full price for, and occasionally stumble across something genuinely special. But I’ve thrifted enough to know that seeing something for $5 or $10 can make it easy to overlook problems you would immediately notice at full price.
And thrift stores are unpredictable. Items are donated in every imaginable condition, prices aren’t necessarily based on what something originally cost, and that great find may have spent years in someone else’s closet, basement, garage, or attic before landing on the shelf.
Here are 10 things you should never do when shopping at Goodwill.
Assume Everything Is in Good Condition
Making it onto the sales floor doesn’t guarantee an item is ready for another decade of use. Check clothing for stains, holes, and worn areas, and turn household items over to look for chips, cracks, missing parts, and damage that isn’t obvious from the front.
Ignore Small Flaws Because the Price Is Cheap
A missing button is one thing, but a broken zipper, stained lining, loose seam, and missing belt on the same dress can quickly turn your bargain into a project. Be realistic about what you’re actually willing to repair instead of convincing yourself you’ll fix everything once you get home.
Related: 12 Things people accidentally sell for way too cheap at yard sales
Trust the Size on the Tag
Secondhand clothing may have shrunk, stretched, or been altered, and vintage sizing can be completely different from today’s sizes. Try clothing on whenever possible, or learn your measurements so you aren’t relying solely on the number printed on the label.
Assume the Price Is Automatically a Bargain
This one deserves repeating: thrifted does not automatically mean cheap. I’ve seen mass-produced decor and fast-fashion clothing priced surprisingly close to retail, so I’ll often do a quick search on my phone before paying a higher thrift store price for something I could potentially buy new for nearly the same amount.
Buy Something Just Because It’s Vintage
The word “vintage” can make almost anything sound exciting, but old doesn’t necessarily mean rare, valuable, or even particularly well-made. Buy vintage pieces because you love them or have researched their value; not simply because they’ve been around longer than you have.
Buy Something Just Because It’s Trending
One week everyone is hunting brass candlesticks and the next it’s vintage mugs, baskets or a particular style of picture frame. Trends can introduce you to great finds, but if an item doesn’t fit your home, wardrobe, or needs, it’s still clutter, no matter how many times you’ve seen it on social media.
Haggle Over Every Price
Goodwill isn’t a garage sale, and the person working the register usually isn’t waiting for you to make an offer. You can politely ask about store policies or significant damage, but don’t assume every price is negotiable simply because the merchandise was donated.
Fill Your Cart Just Because Everything Seems Cheap
Five dollars here and eight dollars there doesn’t feel like much until you’re standing at the register wondering how your total reached $80. Before checking out, give your cart one last look and put back anything you grabbed mainly because it seemed too inexpensive to leave behind.
Assume You’ll Be Able to Return It
Don’t rely on being able to change your mind once you get home because return and exchange policies can vary by Goodwill organization, location, and merchandise category. Check your particular store’s policy before paying, especially for expensive purchases or items you’re unsure about.
Forget to Test Electronics and Small Appliances
That $8 toaster isn’t much of a bargain if you get home and discover it doesn’t work. If the store provides an outlet or testing area, use it, and check cords, plugs, switches, missing attachments and obvious signs of damage before buying.
Related: 12 Electronics You Probably Owned That Are Vintage Today
Leave Your Cart Unattended With Your Best Finds
If you’ve found something you really don’t want to lose, don’t assume leaving it in your cart halfway across the store guarantees it will still be there when you return. Keep particularly good finds close, and never leave your purse, wallet, keys, phone, or other personal belongings unattended in a shopping cart.
Bring Upholstered Items Home Without Checking for Pests
This is especially important with upholstered furniture, luggage, baskets, linens, and anything with seams, folds, or hidden crevices. Check carefully for bed bugs, cockroaches, eggs, droppings, shed skins or other suspicious signs because pests are hitchhikers, and saving $40 on a chair isn’t worth bringing an expensive infestation into your house.
Bring Your Finds Straight Inside Without Cleaning Them
Even when something looks spotless, I don’t put a thrifted item directly into my closet or start using it without cleaning it first. Wash clothing and washable textiles according to their care labels, clean hard surfaces appropriately, and thoroughly inspect anything that can’t easily be washed before incorporating it into your home.
Rush Through the Store
If you only scan the obvious shelves and racks, you’re probably going to miss some of the most interesting stuff. Look on bottom shelves, behind other merchandise, through sections you normally skip and even on top of the clothing racks, where I’ve found everything from home decor to vintage clothing and accessories that other shoppers walked right past.
