Thrifting at secondhand stores was once a low-cost, high-reward experience. If you had enough patience to look through the meticulous color-coded racks, you could find a brand name item for mere dollars. Now, after the rise of resellers and corporate capitalism, thrifting has turned into an upselling frenzy.
Over the past few years, social media has provided a platform for resellers to buy cheap, fashionable clothing from thrift stores before selling them online for an incredible profit. Apps like Depop, Poshmark, and Ebay are popular apps created to take advantage of this market. Consequently, this deprives the people who go to the thrift store for truly affordable clothes from accessing said materials.
Are the resellers all to blame, though? Take Goodwill for example, their business model is rooted in reselling clothing donations they get for free. When did they stop pricing items appropriately to fit their altruistic values? Their mission statement is to, “enhance the dignity and quality of life of individuals and families by strengthening communities, eliminating barriers to opportunity, and helping people in need reach their full potential through learning and the power of work.” When does selling a half-burnt candle for $7 “enhance the dignity and quality of life and individuals”?! I swear to God I saw it with my own two eyes.
It would be wrong to forget the jobs and opportunities Goodwill provides to marginalized communities. They take pride in their employment of disabled people, veterans, and ex-convicts. Goodwill also offers housing support and financial stability programs that aim to aid the communities they are in.
Nevertheless, it is illogical to increase the price of second-hand clothes to the point where they rival retailers- especially when CEO Steven C. Preston makes $1 million annually and has a net worth of $10 million. I wonder how Goodwill’s mission statement aligns with financially burdening the same communities they so proudly support. To sum it up- we’ve lost the plot, and our pockets are paying for it.