What is a Goodwill Pound Store?
There are a lot of different names used for Goodwill stores and it could become a little confusing. Here is an explanation of what a Goodwill Pound store is
So what is a Goodwill Pound store? A Goodwill Pound Store is the same things as a Goodwill Outlet or Goodwill Clearance Center. These are stores where merchandise is sold by the pound instead of per piece. They do sell some furniture by the piece but at highly discounted prices. You can get huge discounts and find some great deals!
If you’ve never heard of a Goodwill Pound Store, you might still be a little confused. It was new to us when we first heard about it too!
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How Does a Goodwill Pound Store Work?
Goodwill Pound stores are mostly found in Florida and there is also a Pound Outlet in New Hampshire. It’s simply a different name for Goodwill Outlet, but it works exactly the same.
Here is a detailed description of how merchandise travels through the Goodwill ecosystem.
From Old Junk In Your House to the Goodwill Pound Store
When you donate your stuff to any Goodwill location, either at the store it’s self or in one of they donation bins that are placed around town, items first go through a sorting process.
Goodwill employees sort through all the donated items and decide what is sell-able and what is not. Unsalable items are recycled, properly disposed of, or traded with other local thrift stores for clothing and other textiles.
The items that they decide to keep are then priced with a sticker or a colored barb that helps them determine how long the item has been on the shelves.
Merchandise will go through a series of sales and discounts during their time at the Goodwill in hopes of finding them a new home. Items that remain unsold after 4 to 6 weeks on the shelves are pulled and then sent to the Goodwill Pound Store.
What Happens at the Goodwill Pound Store?
The Pound store receives the items in large bundles which they dump out into approximately 9-foot by 4-foot blue bins. The bins are usually arranged into rows on the sales floor and people are free to dig through them to find the treasures they want.
Throughout the day, these bins are rotated with new merchandise. The good news about this is no matter what time you go to the Goodwill Pound Store, you’ll likely see new items that the people before you never saw.
The bin rotation schedule is different at every store. Some do it every 30 minutes, some every hour, every two hours, etc. Before heading to the Pound Store, make sure you call ahead to ask what their bin rotation schedule is. This way you can ensure that you plan your trip around at least one, if not two, rotations.
Most pound stores will sort clothing in to separate bins, maybe glass items, and all other items will be mixed together randomly. You have to dig through the bins to find the treasures and you never know what might be in there.
Goodwill Pound Stores also sell other items by the piece instead of by the pound. For example, furniture, books, some small appliances, etc. might all be priced individually. However, these prices are much cheaper than what you see in the Goodwill retail stores. Their point is to get rid of the items so the pricing reflects that.
Goodwill Pound Store Rules
Each store has their own rules for how they like to do things. There will be signs posted around the store and as soon as you walk in so that you’ll know exactly what to expect.
Here is a general description of how things work:
Wait. The bins must be put in place and locked before anyone is allowed to approach or touch anything. One of the employees will tell everyone when they can approach the bins.
Carts only. Some Goodwill Pound Stores do not allow you to bring in any other bags or containers to carry items. You may be restricted to the use of shopping carts only.
Cash and carry. Goodwill pound stores will not hold items for you. If you buy a large piece of furniture or qanity of items and don’t have the vehicle to haul it, they will not hold it. You are required to remove items form the store at the time of purchase.
Only Goodwill transactions. If someone in the store wants an item that you already purchased, you are not allowed to sell it to them inside the building. You must go to the parking lot or some other place to make the transaction.
Kids. The Goodwill Pound store can be a dangerous place for kids. There is a lot of hustling around and they could become a stumbling block. Children should be accompanied and monitored by an adult.
Tips for Shopping the Goodwill Pound Store
Walking into a store like this can quickly become overwhelming. There is a lot of stuff to dig through. You should go in with an idea of exactly what you’re looking for. This goes for avid thrifters looking for a good deal and online resellers who are sourcing items for profit.
Also, you have to dig, dig, dig. Therefore, wearing gloves is extremely important. Not only can there be some nasty things in the bins, but things often get tossed around and broken and you can easily get cut. For that reason, we recommend wearing cut resistant gloves.