Ex-Goodwill Employee Sends This New Warning to Shoppers

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Goodwill stores are a haven for thrifters and those who just want to score a good deal. Chances are you’ve ended up browsing at one of these second-hand shops, whether you were looking for a vintage Halloween costume or if you prefer to upcycle clothing and give it new life. But these stores don’t only sell clothes, they offer everything from books to furniture to those now-vintage DVDs and CDs. But if you’ve been to your local Goodwill lately, you may have noticed some inventory changes. Read on to find out what an ex-employee says you won’t ever find at Goodwill stores.

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Founded in 1902 by Methodist minister Reverend Edgar J. Helms , Goodwill was established on the philosophy of “ not charity, but a chance ,” according to its website. Helms collected goods from wealthier areas of Boston, hired less fortunate workers to repair them, then sold or gave those goods back to the workers.

Today, you can shop at over 3,200 Goodwill centers across the nation, where donated items are sold to “fund job-training and placement programs in their communities,” according to the Harvard Business Review. In 1999, the organization also launched its online platform, shopgoodwill.com, which had generated over $1 billion in sales by 2021. This number seems staggering, but there may actually be a reason for it, one former employee said.

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An ex-Goodwill employee named Jonathan took to the social media platform TikTok to share information about one company practice. According to the TikToker, he worked as a drive-thru ambassador, meaning he was responsible for pricing donated items before they were put out on the floor.

During the process, however, certain “valuable” items were set aside to be sold on Goodwill’s online platform instead of the brick-and-mortar stores.

“We were told that if we ever came across anything that we thought was valuable, to take it straight to the manager so it could be sold to our e-commerce store,” the TikToker said, noting that items are auctioned off on the platform, as “Goodwill’s version of eBay.”

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Heading to hunt for hidden treasures or collectibles at Goodwill stores could end up being fruitless, per the former employee’s warnings. “Nowadays, you just can’t find really good items at Goodwill, because they’re all getting sold off to be sold at this store,” he warned.

The TikToker also said that Goodwill employees have scanners, which can be used to check barcodes on items that might be valuable, particularly rare books, video games, DVDs, and Blu-ray discs.

“Those get scanned, and if it pings in our system as valuable, they immediately get sent to e-commerce,” he said. However, as Blu-rays are becoming less valuable, they might be easier to spot in your local store, he added.

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“This is exactly why I stopped donating to Goodwill,” one user wrote, with another adding, “This is accurate! I was a store manager at Goodwill and I was delegated to send valuable items, books, shoes, purses, etc. to corporate.”

Others disagreed, stating that their local Goodwill stores don’t follow this practice, while separate commentators said that they opt to shop and donate to local thrift stores instead of Goodwill.

If you’re holding out hope to find one of those big-ticket items at Goodwill, there is a chance they could fall through the cracks, but otherwise, you may want to consider shopping at another thrift store.

“Maybe you can get lucky if a drive-thru ambassador is slacking and doesn’t know that something is valuable and you can find it, but that’s the only real reason to go shop at Goodwill,” the TikToker said.

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Ex-Walmart Employee Warns This is the One Question to Never Ask

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If you shop at Walmart , chances are you’ve interacted with someone who works there. In the U.S. alone, Walmart employs nearly 1.6 million associates who oversee operations, man the registers, stock shelves, and perform managerial duties, among other responsibilities. Customer care is key for many big retailers, including Walmart, which lists “Service to the Customer” as one of its foundational beliefs . But according to one former Walmart employee, there is one thing you should avoid asking certain workers while shopping. Read on to find out what question won’t get you very far the next time you head to your local store.

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As a one-stop shop for everyday necessities, Walmart boasts a dedicated base of shoppers and bargain hunters. And former employees have aimed to help out by sharing secrets, tips, and tricks that customers would otherwise be unaware of on social media. One previous worker took to TikTok, posting a video about the self-checkout machines, which are programmed to display warning messages if you are purchasing an item that is age-restricted or recalled, or if you’ve missed a scan. A separate video from another ex-employee also claimed that Walmart workers can actually pause your self-checkout process due to concerns about theft or skipped scans . Now yet another previous employee has addressed secrets about Walmart, including a common request that will likely not be met.

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Former Walmart employee Paris Mars , known by her social media handle HeyParis, took to YouTube to discuss her time as a Walmart employee. In a video on her personal channel, she cautions shoppers against asking Walmart associates to check for an item in the back.

If you’re hoping for extra inventory hidden somewhere on storage shelves, you may be out of luck. While this may not apply to all Walmart employees, HeyParis said it is unlikely that the typical associate will actually go and check for you. “They’re going to go to the back, they’re going to talk to their friends, and come right back out,” she said.

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According to HeyParis, if you need someone to check the back, your best bet is talking to one of the employees who work in the back area of the store. These are the employees who generally move larger boxes and crates often using a wheeled platform or a dolly.

“If you ask one of them, they’re more likely to actually look in back for the product you’re looking for than an actual Walmart employee,” she explained.

Alternatively, you can approach an employee with a price gun. The associate can then check on the spot to see how many items the store currently has in stock. And while it seems like common sense, being kind and polite when speaking with associates or management may help your case.

“Be nice to the managers and you will always, always, always get your way,” HeyParis said. “If you talk with a normal voice and you’re just explaining stuff, I promise you the managers will respect you and will do anything in their power to make you happy.”

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In the same video, HeyParis stated that Walmart employees are not fully trained before being assigned to a specific department, claiming that employees “learn as we grow.” Aside from the electronics department, where employees are typically hired by the phone companies themselves, Walmart associates are also unable to answer product-related questions. HeyParis alleges that Walmart instructs employees to “read the box” for products, in the event a customer asks for help.

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