I Would Have Never Thought That GoodWill Would Be Affected By Tariffs.......

[global1]

I stopped by my local Goodwill yesterday. I frequent Goodwill on a regular basis. I'm always looking for a deal, a good price on an item that I may need or replace or to maybe find an antique or collectable. Being retired and on a fixed income - it gives me something to do - and maybe save a buck from time to time.

When my Mother passed back in 2012 and I had to liquidate her belongings - I relied on Goodwill to take most of her clothes. She loved to shop and always dressed like a million bucks. She took good care of her clothes. Goodwill doesn't purchase the clothes - these are donated. There should be no need to raise their pricing

I donated her clothes to Goodwill. What got me hooked on Goodwill was that the clothes that I donated were in 'like new' condition. Whomever purchased any of her clothes got a real good deal. Made me feel good that someone could get the same enjoyment of shopping and looking good - like my Mother did.

Realizing that - From time to time I even purchased a shirt here or there and took advantage of a good deal from time to time.

The people that rely on Goodwill for their household goods and clothes buy from Goodwill because it is affordable to them.

I was shocked to see that Goodwill has raised their prices on clothes and they are getting farther and farther away from being good buys. They are getting greedy - because they could.

Now really there should be no reason for them to raise the prices. These clothes are donated. They don't pay a penny to purchase the clothes that hang on their racks. They just raised the prices because - they could.

These are not tariff touched items. They are just taking advantage of a price raise because they could.

I just find it sad that so many businesses get greedy because they see an opportunity to jack up prices because - everything else around them is going up.

I guess it's time for me to dump Goodwill because they - put themselves off like they are a charitable organization - but bottom line - they're just like any business and just out to make a buck.

[JustAnotherGen]

1. I'm not so sure

I know if NJ we are facing steep increases in gas and electric, and higher prices all the way around. So our local second hand shop has increased their prices a bit.

They don't have second price gas, electric, water, labels, internet for sales/bookkeeping, etc. etc.

I think mine is the only municipality in NJ that decreased our property taxes this year. Everything else is up.

[ananda]

2. I'm so sorry to hear that.

I have also been a donor, and always thought well of Goodwill.

I'm sorry to see them raise prices like that.

[Ritabert]

3. I noticed this a few years ago.

You used to be able to get a blouse for $3. Next thing I looked they were $5.99 and up. Same with Savers and our local animal shelter resale shop.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

4. Donations might be falling if people are holding on to items longer to pinch pennies. . . . nt

[TommyT139]

5. If Goodwill still operates training programs

...their other costs are certainly increasing. Apart from that, it is common for resellers of vintage clothing to scour Goodwill (and similar sources) and then re-sell the items online, via Poshmark, Etsy, Depop, etc.

So it's understandable that the Goodwill would want to raise their prices, both to make more money, and to reduce the attraction for resellers to divert stock from customers who will actually wear the clothes.

From a bigger picture view, the fact that governments foist off essential social services onto nonprofits, churches, etc. is a "hidden cost" (dare I say tax?) that affects us all. As with most things, wealthier areas make out better, because of what's entering the donation stream, both money and goods.

It's analogous to society depending on traditionally-"women's" work to run, without all those extra hours of home/child care and maintenance factoring in to everyday costs.

[mwmisses4289]

6. Didn't goodwill get a new ceo a few years back?

Iirc, guy said something about wanting to run it like a real busines: i.e., pay the employees crappy wages while squeezing as much out of it as possible. (Yes, I know they are a nonprofit, and the whole money thing for a nonprofit is complicated, but most nonprofits do need to make some money to pay bills, etc.)

[jaymac]

18. franchise

I may be wrong but I thought goodwill was a franchise that was purchased..so the profit aspect would surely be important......and while they do a good job of taking the odd things they are given ( old traps, tents ) and packaging them to sell on to other countries. so, recycling at least.
still, the whole idea when they started 20 odd years ago was a way for disabled people to have jobs there, to get training to go on to other jobs. don't know if that still exists. you should find a local church thrift and give to them. the ark in maine runs a real thrift and they use their money to provide spaying for those who can't afford it and also run an animal shelter, too. you'll find a good alternative if you just look........

[Mosby]

33. There is no national organization.

They are all local. In AZ the biggest is Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona. They exist to enrich all the top management. Look at the "financial report" at the link below. Does that look like a 10k or any kind of income statement?

They had 293 million in sales in 2023, and 53 MILLION in "management and general" expenses which is payroll and perks like free company cars. Remember, there is no cost of goods. Zero. Just things like sorting tables and gaylords. Most of their locations are company owned, so payroll and utilities are the main costs.

The entire sections of program services and support services is made up in-kind numbers and MORE payroll. They are claiming that they provided 300 million dollars of job services. Fucking nonsense.

Tim O'Neal is a tool, who only got his position because the prior president was having an affair with a subordinate and both were fired. Tim came from Savers and wasn't even a good manager there.

I would love to see the real financial statements, it's probably even worse now than I think.

https://www.goodwillaz.org/annual-reports/

[Wiz Imp]

46. There is no national Goodwill organization but there is an international one.

All Goodwill locations are part of Goodwill Industries International. They do have an Annual Report and Financial Statement:

https://www.goodwill.org/annual-report/

https://www.goodwill.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2023-GII-Annual-Report_-People-Planet-and-the-Power-of-Work.pdf

https://www.goodwill.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Goodwill-Industries-International_-Inc.-and-Related-Entities_24_FS_Final.pdf

https://www.goodwill.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/2024-Goodwill-Industries-International_-Inc.-990-Public-Disclosure-Copy.pdf

And locally, while the vast majority of their merchandise comes from donations, Goodwill does sell some new merchandise.

[Wiz Imp]

41. started 20 odd years ago? LOL wow are you misinformed

Goodwill was founded in 1902.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goodwill_Industries

And NO, Goodwill is not a franchise.

Goodwill Industries operates as a network of independent, community-based organizations in Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Finland, Italy, South Korea, Mexico, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, the United States, Uruguay and Venezuela.

[Ilsa]

7. I thought their clothes were too pricey last year.

A tshirt might cost $4-5. A new tshirt can cost as low as $3 (heavy cotton jersey).

[bif]

8. I refuse to shop at Goodwill

It is NOT a nonprofit. It's owned by CEO Mark Curran who makes millions of dollars a year. And they do almost nothing for charities.

[global1]

13. I'm Going To Re-Evaluate My Shopping At Goodwill......

The perception of Goodwill - is that it is a non-profit and charitable organization catering to poor and needy people.

However - it that is just a ruse to turn it into a business that a wealthy investor can get rich on at the expense of those who trade there - I now have second thoughts about it.

They now see it as a business where they can use the perception people have of Goodwill and pull the wool over the eyes of those that shop there.

It's really sad how the greedy can turn things around to their benefit and take advantage of those in need.

A sad commentary on the world we live in now. Everything is a deception. Caveat Emptor - let the buyer beware.

Upon edit: My future donations will go to churches and real charitable non-profit organizations where those in need will be able to trust that they are not being taken advantage of.

[Mariana]

24. "I'm Going To Re-Evaluate My Shopping At Goodwill......"

It's usually best not to base decisions on unsourced assertions made by randos on the internet.

[FB47243]

17. False .....debunked years ago

Fact check indicates that this is not true.

[Mariana]

19. Source, please.

[markie]

23. see post 21

[Ms. Toad]

35. You might want to do some fact checking.

Goodwill: Goodwill Industries International is not a business that takes in donated items and resells them for a profit. It is a not-for-profit organization that provides job training, employment placement services and other community-based programs for people who have disabilities, lack education or job experience, or face employment challenges. Goodwill raises money for their programs through a chain of thrift stores which also operate as non-profits.The CEO of Goodwill Industries International is not Mark Curran, nor does he make $2.3 million a year. The current President and CEO of Goodwill is Jim Gibbons, who in 2015 received a total reported compensation of $712,202.

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/executive-salaries-charities/

Further, even if the CEO was Mark Curran (it never was), CEOs do not own the company which employs them.

[Wiz Imp]

47. COMPLETELY FALSE

https://tacomagoodwill.org/about/community/#:~:text=For%20years%20there%20has%20been,near%20that%20large%20of%20salary.

For years there has been false information circulating about a “Mark Curran, CEO & Owner of Goodwill who earns $2.3 million a year.” This is a fictitious character who does not exist. The real CEO of Goodwill Industries International is Jim Gibbons and he doesn’t earn anywhere near that large of salary.

Similar statements can be found on most Goodwill websites.

A Sampling:

https://www.yourgoodwill.org/?id=63
https://www.goodwillsc.org/five-things-you-should-know-about-goodwill/
https://www.goodwillgoodskills.org/debunking-the-myths-about-goodwill/
https://www.goodwillheartland.org/about-us/get-goodwill-facts/
https://goodwillnj.org/fact-vs-fiction/
https://thegoodwill.org/rumors/
https://www.goodwillwm.org/index.php?page=fact-vs-fiction

[Ghost of Tom Joad]

9. I was also surprised by how much Goodwill is raising their prices

When you collect rewards from stores like Macy’s or JCPenney, you can buy brand new clothing often times for less than what you pay at Goodwill. A couple of weeks ago at Penny’s I bought a jacket and three tops and my rewards bought the total to eight dollars.

[chia]

39. You have to buy a lot of merchandise to generate enough rewards to bring the cost of a jacket + 3 tops down to $8

Not saying you didn't get a great deal on those four items, but I know from shopping at stores like this that you have to spend money in order to save money.

[swong19104]

10. Goodwill isn't a nonprofit

They’re a for-profit store that sells things people donate to them, thinking that Goodwill is a nonprofit.

[Ms. Toad]

36. Do some fact checking, before passing on false information.

https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/530196517

Here is their 990 (the non--profit tax return): https://www.goodwill.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/2024-Goodwill-Industries-International_-Inc.-990-Public-Disclosure-Copy.pdf

It is a 501(c)(3) organization (see line I on the 990). You can find the definition of a 501(c)(3) organization here, if you aren't familiar with them. https://www.peoples-law.org/501c3-nonprofit-organizations-my-organization-charitable

[Wiz Imp]

48. 100 percent FALSE

https://www.goodwill.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/2024-Goodwill-Industries-International_-Inc.-990-Public-Disclosure-Copy.pdf

[LauraInLA]

11. Thrifting has become more of a hobby with young adults, and in consequence the prices have been rising

for years. My 21yo kiddo talks about how expensive GW is. Goodwill is often not a good place for “poorer” people to buy clothes any more. This predates Trump.

[Blue Full Moon]

12. All the stores are raising prices on everything.

Tariffs are a good excuse. Price gouging continues in trump 2.0 greedflation.

[homegirl]

14. Goodwill

in my community had employee problems, wages way too low. That's what led to price increases here. And pricing simplification as they lost many employees!

[SCantiGOP]

15. What is the world are you talking about?

The OP says, “…businesses get greedy…” They are not a business, they are a non-profit.
And, again, “They are getting greedy…”? As a 501-c-3 non-profit any excess revenues they earn have to be re-invested in their mission.
Wouldn’t general inflation and reduced donations due to economic uncertainty be much simpler explanations?

[spinbaby]

16. I've stopped going there a long time ago

Not only have they raised their prices, both all the good stuff gets pulled out to sell online. They often sell literal garbage—damaged Shein, half burnt candles, empty jelly jars. I now frequent our local city mission store and a consignment shop.

[LittleGirl]

20. I stopped supporting them when they gave

The CEO a million dollars a year in pay and benefits. My cousin is one of their trainers. Her income is so low, she got food stamps for years.
They have become greedy and I refuse to support them anymore.

[Wiz Imp]

50. Not True

https://www.goodwillgoodskills.org/debunking-the-myths-about-goodwill/

Myth: Goodwill is owned by Mark Curran who makes millions of dollars in salary each year.

This graphic circulates a lot on social media. This is not true. The President and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland and East Central Ohio is Anne Richards, a northeast Ohio native who works at the Canton office. No CEO in the Goodwill system has ever made millions of dollars as an annual salary. Ever. Mark Curran has never owned Goodwill or worked for Goodwill Industries.

The CEO of Goodwill Industries International is Steven Preston and he reports to a volunteer board of directors.

[markie]

21. a bit of information...

some from a few years ago... a few different ways to look at this... some positive, some not so... seems to be a personal choice as to the merits

https://www.goodwill.org/annual-report/

https://www.countryliving.com/shopping/a18198848/is-goodwill-a-nonprofit/

https://thestuffofsuccess.com/2023/09/07/is-goodwill-non-profit-or-for-profit/

https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/470378996
"This charity's score is 95%, earning it a Four-Star rating. If this organization aligns with your passions and values, you can give with confidence."

?si=SNng_KEaMzhJjnoM

[Mariana]

25. But some rando on the internet said the CEO makes millions!

And they don't actually contribute to charity! And they're a for-profit business! Surely some rando on the internet is a much more credible source than those you've provided here.

[markie]

27. just like real life

sometimes things aren't all black and white.... each states Goodwill is run a bit differently... Goodwill can keep clothing out of the landfill... there is some training and help for select people... yes, the big guy (CEO, supervisor, etc.) always makes too much money in relation to the workers and prices can be too high... so we decide if it is worth it... I go in once in awhile when I need something but don't usually find what I need... my partner did just go into a Goodwill this morning and bought a hat (cap) he needed for a prop in a play... $3.00 and 30% off because we are old

[Pacifist Patriot]

22. My local Good Will stores raised prices significantly over the last few years.

When it became cheaper to buy a new dress at Ross than a used one at Good Will I stopped going.

[Bev54]

26. I stopped giving to Goodwill and Value Village because they were pricing said items far too high.

I now donate to different local charities that either donate to people in need or sell at charitable prices. I give my good business clothing to the women's transition house that helps women from shelters get jobs.

[Jrsygrl96]

28. They are not like any other business.

Most businesses buy goods and sell them for a higher price in order to make a profit. Goodwill gets their goods for FREE and sells them for a profit. NO MONEY GOES TO ANY CHARITY AT ALL! When I found that out I stopped donating. I give to The Salvation Army now.

[Ms. Toad]

38. Goodwill is a charity.

The money they make selling donated items is used to (1) cover expenses related to running the stores and the non-profit and (2) pay for the charitable arm of the organization. They provide job training and employment for people with barriers to employment - often people with mental or physical disabilities, the local one also has emergency funding for people who have sudden unexpected needs (clothing, furniture, household items).

Is there a reason you expect them to send the money they take in to a different charitable organization - rather than using it to fund the charitable arm of their own organization?

And, while I don't personally boycott the Salvation army because of my grandfather's connection to it, it has a very objectionable stance toward the LGBT community.

There was a smear campaign run against them a few years ago (some of the nonsense spread around that time is included in this thread). That is likely where you got your false information. It is obviously up to you to decide where to donate - but I hope you'll make that decision based on facts, not malicious rumors.

[bucolic_frolic]

29. Consumers are squeezed so their sales volume is down.

But they still have to keep the lights on, pay employees, rent, utilities, and do what charity they do. So they have to make it up somewhere.

[Cloudhopper]

30. I recently watched a video on YouTube of someone

at a Goodwill store comparing some of the prices for newer items to prices online, and in quite a few cases the cost at Goodwill was more than the original. There are quite a few of those videos.

[Hekate]

31. I can understand being surprised, but before all the nodding heads declare a Goodwill boycott...

…can somebody please do some research on why this happened. Something as basic as telephoning the national headquarters — or emailing — or investigating their website.

The poster who pointed out their costs in rent, gas for the trucks they use for donation pickups, and everything else is right.

I donate to ARC, as they are local. I gave them my “career wardrobe” when I was sure I was neither returning to an office setting nor ever going to be “that size” again. (I chose a different mode of dress for my community work, something that didn’t shout, “Here’s the secretary, bring coffee” when I was trying to chair a county commission. )

In any case — do a little basic research before giving up on a trusted resource.

[Nigrum Cattus]

32. They may be raising prices because they have lost fed $$

I, have also used Goodwill because the other "thrift" store
is salvation army, a hard right wing organization. Good will
has, in the past, used many disabled people to work in their
sorting centers and consequently, presumably, received Fed
support.

[appleannie1]

34. I stopped shopping at Goodwill years ago. I prefer shopping at local thrift stores.

Until I moved from PA, I shopped at the thrift store that ran the local food bank. All the workers were volunteers and the profits paid for food for people that needed it. There was another thrift store on the other side of town that operated the same way. Volunteer workers. The money they made went into an account and whenever a local family had something catastrophic occur ( an extended illness, death, fire etc.) they paid utility bills, medical bills etc. for that family. That way I knew the money I spent would not go into some CEO's bonus check and would go instead where it was needed.

[Ms. Toad]

40. The local Goodwill has a similar fund.

It distributed $125,000 in 2023 to residents of 5 counties for clothing, furniture, and household items - the last year for which I have numbers. That is on top of the work they do in employment training for people with employment barriers - and in providing jobs post-training for some of those individuals. The local CEO has refused raises for each of the last several years.

The national CEO makes in the ballpark of $700,000 - far less than comparable CEOs in the for profit sector.

Goodwill is organized locally - reach out to your local Goodwill to find out where they spend their money.

[FakeNoose]

37. They sell more than just the donated items

Goodwill also sell "closeouts" which they purchase from other retailers at steep discounts, when the stores want to get rid of them. Here's an example, let's say Kohl's or Macy's has racks of out-of-season items that didn't sell when discounted. They want to get these racks out of the store because they need to make room for the new season's clothing. It used to be stores like BigLots or Marshall's that would take these items, but now the closeouts are going to the Goodwill stores and others like them. I don't know for sure but I think Goodwill pays for the closeouts at a steep discount. Or Maybe they get them for free.

All I know is that I have shopped at Goodwill and found items with the "new" store tags still on them. The original selling prices are crossed out or covered up, and Goodwill has a policy of selling every item for the same price. For example, every blouse is $4.99 (or whatever) even though something might have an original selling price of $80.00 on the tag.

[chia]

43. I've donated clothes to Goodwill that still had the price tags on them. Maybe that's all it is

[FakeNoose]

49. Yes that's true, but they sometimes have several identical items on the rack

How can Goodwill get the same item (maybe in different sizes) at the same time, if they all came from different individuals.

[Ms. Toad]

42. Do yourself a favor and reach out to your local Goodwill.

You'll find that most of your concerns will be addressed in their annual report.

Goodwill isn't designed to be a store that provides cheap goods, although for the most part it does. The store sales primarily support the work of the organization - the focus of which is providing job training to people who might otherwise be warehoused in an institution somewhere (people with barriers to employment - often mental, sometimes physical). It provides some direct placement, but the training itself (and support provided to the individuals it is training) is its primary mission. The training is comprehensive - from providing bus passes and helping the individuals figure out how to use public transportation, to skills, and mentoring. That training costs money. The stores provide that money.

[synni]

44. I stopped shopping there years ago

Not only have they been gouging people with their prices, but they don't even help the disabled as they pretend to.

I don't have time to tell the entire story, but when I sought help from Goodwill as a disabled person, you wouldn't believe the runaround that I was given. They did absolutely nothing to help me get a job, as they were supposed to.

Now, I only donate to local thrift shops that actually help people.

[Horse with no Name]

45. It isn't the tariffs.

It’s the resellers. Goodwill has been steady raising prices for the last couple of years. In most instances, it’s cheaper to buy new.

[Wiz Imp]

51. Amazing. This thread effectively proves that even people on DU are not immune

from falling for and propagating ridiculous conspiracy theories. Hell, more than one person posted the long ago debunked myth about Goodwill paying a CEO named Mark Curran $2.3 million, even though no such person ever worked for, let alone was CEO of Goodwill. And those posts received quite a few RECS indicating numerous others likely bought into the false narrative they were pushing.

It's really quite sad. I would hope people posting here would have the common sense to check out ridiculous claims such as those made about Goodwill before automatically believing them.

[tulipsandroses]

52. Well if cost goes up for the rest of us, it is going to go up for them too. They have several job training programs.

The training programs are free. Like anything else, prices will have to go up when they have increase in expenses. It's not just that they got the item for free. Electricity, is not free, rent is not free, heat is not free. Instructors training are not free. Office supplies are not free. Health insurance for employees is not free.
Unless there is real evidence of malfeasance, I think a simple answer is, things cost more for them, just like the rest of us.
People may not be giving as much as they used to. Also, "thrifting" is popular. They face competition from online thrift stores, places online that people can sell their used goods like Poshmark, rather than hauling it to Goodwill.