For those of us who love a bargain, there’s nothing quite like hunting through a thrift store and finding a real gem there. But if there has been a lack of good finds at your local thrift store lately, might there be a surprisingly sinister reason?
A TikTok video that appears to show a Goodwill employee hoarding donated sneakers has gone viral. Was the employee keeping the sneakers for themselves, or is this standard operating procedure at Goodwill?
Let’s dig into what we know.
Shoes can be high-value items.
Pretty much everyone knows this, even if they’re not a sneakerhead or brand aficionado. Prices range from virtually nothing to hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
The drama went down at a Goodwill store.
Most people understand the concept of Goodwill as a store where you can donate used items that the store will then sell for a discounted price. But as we’ll see, there’s a little bit more to it than that.
The video has racked up millions of views.
It’s a very short video, just eight seconds in length, and you can view it here . There isn’t much to see, though. The caption claims the employee sorted out a pair of “Off-White” sneakers from a donation bin and took them to the back.
…Off-White sneakers?
I guess I’ve been living in a cave because I’ve never heard of the brand, but Off-White is a luxury fashion brand whose shoes can sell for hundreds of dollars. The shoes shown here are a collaboration between Nike and Off-White, and they’re probably out of my price range.
Sure enough, the employee picked out the shoes and walked to the back.
Is it an example of nefarious activity? Was the employee keeping them for himself when he should have allowed them to be resold like the rest of the shoes?
There’s a little more to the story.
As numerous commenters, including several Goodwill employees, pointed out, the store doesn’t necessarily resell everything in-store. They have an online store where they sell some of the higher-value items they receive.
Is that fair?
Lots of people donate to Goodwill under the assumption that their items will go to someone in need in their community, not a bargain-hunter online.
That said, it’s important to point out that the employee wasn’t necessarily keeping the shoes for himself (although we can’t rule that out). He may have just been following Goodwill’s standard procedures.
What do you think?
Everyone needs shoes, and people in need will likely look to places like Goodwill in order to get them. Is it fair for stores like Goodwill to separate big-ticket items so they can sell them online? Be sure to check out the original video , and then let us know your thoughts in the comments.
