WHAT IMPACT WILL THE FAST GROWING FREECYCLE HAVE ON THRIFT STORES?
By Kscott
@Kscott (634)
United States
December 13, 2006 12:59pm CST
I want to know your opinion on how the widely spread, fast growing freecycle organization will have on the for profit thrift stores and consignment shops, such as Goodwill, Salvation Army, Abbey Anns, etc. Do you think this organization will put them out of business, I mean they charge outrages prices for some used stuff. Most of the things you find there are price boosted, to ridiculous amounts. I have actually found some items in there that I could by brand new, for cheaper. I wonder who does their prices, or where they come up for their guidelines for pricing their stuff. Freecycle offers items for free, and their are wonderful used items available on there. Let me know what you think!
3 people like this
6 responses
@BarBaraPrz (45433)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
5 Mar 07
Well, first off, Freecycling is done through the internet, and so there is no physical presence to alert people to its existence as there is with a brick and mortar store like Goodwill. That being the case, I'm sure there are still plenty of people who don't know about Freecycling, even though there might be a network set up in their area.
Secondly, I've noticed far too many posts on Freecycle to the effect of "must be gone ASAP! or it goes to Value Village" (or worse, the curb/dump).
And then there are those people who can't or won't wait around for someone to pick up an item, so they just dump it off at the closest thrift shop.
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (45433)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
2 Apr 07
Thanks for the best response. I had completely forgotten about this thread...
@Willowlady (10658)
• United States
6 Mar 07
I know, since I am a member of 4 freecycle groups that when there are no shows or interest in any items, that they offerer says they will take them to Goodwill or some such. So actually things will still make it there. Also some will not join a freecycle and therefore plenty of items will end up still at the thrifts stores.
1 person likes this
@rusty2rusty (6751)
• Defiance, Ohio
21 May 07
I really don't think freecycle will have that of an impact on the thrift stores. As I live in a major city with two many thrifts stores. (Lol...Can there be to many?) I have noticed freecycle users are the ones who don't want to haul there things to a thrift store to begin with. They will put in the trash first. But rather than seeing that. They give someone an option to come pick it up. I know alot of elderly people who use freecycle as a means to get rid of something that can't drive to take it to thrift stores. It is better some days if someone would come to your place to pick up....you may not have a vehicle, or your vehicle is broke, or your babysitter and can't leave.
@links123456a (30)
•
22 May 07
i dont there will be any impact we have 2 thrift stores then there are 2 smaller thrift stores run by churches and a couple o charity ones that sell thinshave never had problems with mods yet problems with no shows yes we have freecycle here and in a bunch of the surrounding close towns also we do freecycle but we also donate things to the thrift stores especially the smaller ones in our are the bigger thrift stores the clothes are reasonable but the applinces are very high priced
@kelly60 (4547)
• United States
22 Apr 07
There is plenty to go around. Many people don't know about freecycle. Others don't have internet access. Others just want to get rid of their stuff and don't want to take the time or trouble to wait for someone to come and claim it. For those people, it is probably easier to donate it to Goodwill, so they will still be getting plenty of items.
@Kscott (634)
• United States
7 May 07
Thanks for your response. I joined Freecycle on Yahoo Groups. There are different ones for different areas. I dont know where you live, but if you go to Yahoo Groups and type in freecycle it should give you a list of states and counties that have a freecycle group. People will post used and sometimes brand new items on there for whoever wants them, or post that you are looking for something, someone will respond and you set a date and time to p/u. Very useful, keeps things out of landfills, and you get to meet knew people in your community. Check it out!
@breepeace (3014)
• Canada
28 Apr 07
I do that, too. Whenever I offer something on freecycle, if it's not picked up or there's no interest then it goes to the thrift store.
I often wonder the same thing about pricing at thrift stores, though, too. Some items I see are dirt cheap and a great bargain and others, especially furniture are more than what I could get an equivalent (or nicer!) item for.
I saw a wedding dress in my local thrift store not long ago that was $160 and the lace on the train was torn, and thought first.. who brings $160 to a thrift store?
