“I’m starting to not like you” is what the clerk in the thrift
store told me. A local chain of 15 or twenty thrift stores has a location a
block from the university. To present themselves as trendier and less thrifty,
they even have created a name/brand different from the rest of their
organization. Last year it was publically reported that the organization made
$16,000,000. strictly from donations. People bring them their goods or they go
and pick them up if too large and the rest is gravy. The profits fund homeless
shelters and alcohol and drug rehabilitation. A fine model you say? Well, I
thought so as well. (This has bothered me for some time so forgive me if you
have heard me whine about this before)
The trendy university shop, I am told does very well. The
university has roughly 25,000 students and roughly 10,000 employees. The store
has taken great advantage of their targeted market. There are many students
from other parts of the country with stores that charge a great deal more and
as well, there are foreign students who out of convenience or ignorance believe
they are getting a bargain. Many of the prices are at least 3 or 4 times their
other locations. For instance, men’s footwear at their other locations are $5.00
for shoes and $7.00 for boots. At the trendy location, the prices are whatever
the market will bear. I have never seen men’s footwear for $5.00; anywhere from
$15.00-$45.00+ is typical at this shop. The other day I saw an obviously used
pair of shoes for $34.00. I don’t believe they were worth a buck. Used shirts
carry tags of $6.99. I have purchased new shirts at JCPenney sales for $5.00. In
addition, the shop sells used furniture at a premium. They actually look online
for the price of a new item and then price the used at a third regardless of
age or condition, most times. Many of their household items are sold (which are
used) at the same price as new.
Here are a few of the price differences...
US= University store,
Other= other thrift stores in same organizational chain
Men's Ties
$2.99-$6.99 US
$1.99 Other
Men's Shoes
$15.00-$45.00+ US
$5.-shoes, $7.-boots Other
Dress Shirts
$6.99-$9.99 US
$3.99-$4.99 Other
Tee Shirts
$3.99-$9.99 US
$1.99 Other
Hats
$3.99-$6.99 US
$.1.99 Other
Scarves
$6.99-$12.99 US
$1.99 Other
I have made several inquiries about prices and I guess they are sick of me. From conversations it is clear that store management and employees believe that if someone purchases the items, if anything they should have charged more. I queried why they believed it was okay to bleed one group of poor to make another group comfortable? Even though the university charges $54,000., most students don’t have much left over after that. Again, I was told that “they buy it” meaning the traffic bore the price, therefore no one got hurt. I have persisted over time and that is why they are angry with me.
US= University store,
Other= other thrift stores in same organizational chain
Men's Ties
$2.99-$6.99 US
$1.99 Other
Men's Shoes
$15.00-$45.00+ US
$5.-shoes, $7.-boots Other
Dress Shirts
$6.99-$9.99 US
$3.99-$4.99 Other
Tee Shirts
$3.99-$9.99 US
$1.99 Other
Hats
$3.99-$6.99 US
$.1.99 Other
Scarves
$6.99-$12.99 US
$1.99 Other
I have made several inquiries about prices and I guess they are sick of me. From conversations it is clear that store management and employees believe that if someone purchases the items, if anything they should have charged more. I queried why they believed it was okay to bleed one group of poor to make another group comfortable? Even though the university charges $54,000., most students don’t have much left over after that. Again, I was told that “they buy it” meaning the traffic bore the price, therefore no one got hurt. I have persisted over time and that is why they are angry with me.
Who are they, Robin Hood? How can you justify robbing one
group of poor over another? I am told that the people who shop there are not as
bad off as the people their profits serve. Could it not be argued that their
customers made a different set of choices than their constituents? And who is
to say that those who made “better” choices should be abused to help those who
did not? I have indeed heard other customers grumble about the prices but,
because the students and others who are a tad clueless of the actual value of
items still buy the goods, the store pushes the envelope. Used jeans last week
were $6.99 and this week $9.99. I asked why and was told because they were good
brand when new.
This is not an antique shop, in fact I imagine that antiques
don’t even make it to the retail floor, but that is another story. I do not
understand that they do not get that they are abusing people. How is that
alright just because you help alcohol/drug addicted people? I probably should
not be too judgmental here but, I find this all a bit a-moral. They are taking
great advantage of their customers yet, I’m the bad guy for noticing?