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SX-1250 on ShopGoodwill.com

Wigwam Jones said:
Hehehe, very amusing!
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It would seem long gone are the days that thrift stores just sell items at low prices to help the community and give back in that sense. Now it's about making profit.

I'm not saying it's wrong, but it certainly sucks for us consumers! I imagine their prices will go past eBay on a regular basis soon.
 
canuckaudiog said:
It would seem long gone are the days that thrift stores just sell items at low prices to help the community and give back in that sense. Now it's about making profit.

I'm not saying it's wrong, but it certainly sucks for us consumers! I imagine their prices will go past eBay on a regular basis soon.
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I think you need to be clear what is meant by 'making a profit'. Goodwill is a registered non-profit, and they are actually rated quite highly by giving a large percentage of their 'profit' back to the community they serve.

Goodwill receives a grade of 'A' from Charitywatch:

http://www.charitywatch.org/toprated.html

The Better Business Bureau ranks them highly:

http://www.bbb.org/charity-reviews/...industries-international-in-rockville-md-3642

They also show a breakdown of how the funds are spent:

Uses of Funds as a % of Total Expenses

Programs: 89% Fund Raising: 1% Administrative: 10% Other Expenses: Less than 1%
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There have been criticisms of some of the salaries paid to the CEO of some of the local branches - especially in the NW of the USA. However, in my opinion, if the CEO is effective at what he or she is doing, and the percentage of the money gathered and spent on the designated charity remains high, it's really not something I'd be concerned about. If you ran a charity, would you rather hire a successful CEO who commands top dollar and really supercharges your ability to help your designated audience, or hire whatever you could get for a couple bucks and watch your charity go down the tubes? Seems like a no-brainer to me. Like my dad used say, "I'd LOVE to have to pay a million dollars a year in taxes. You know how much money I'd have to MAKE to pay that much?" It's all in how you look at it.

In any case, Goodwill is not a 'for-profit' company, and they do not make a profit. Their ratings as a charity are high; they do what they claim to do. I cannot see this as anything but a win for the people they serve. If it means end-consumers pay higher prices for the items they buy at the thrift stores, that's the whole point! The stores are there to generate revenue to help others, not to provide low-cost items to stereo guys.

Sadly, there are a couple people on AK whom I suspect are obsessed with or hate Goodwill. I hate when this topic comes up, because they seem to like to jump in with nasty hateful remarks. They also send me PMs which are borderline threats, so that's fun. Nice people. Why they hate on Goodwill, I do not know.
 
canuckaudiog said:
It would seem long gone are the days that thrift stores just sell items at low prices to help the community and give back in that sense. Now it's about making profit.

I'm not saying it's wrong, but it certainly sucks for us consumers! I imagine their prices will go past eBay on a regular basis soon.
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Well, not to get on a high horse, but...

Speaking for myself, by allowing me (and other hoarders like me) to buy my umpteenth receiver or pair of speakers for 10 dollars, thrift stores really haven't been "helping the community" much.

On the other hand, selling stuff for what it's really worth and giving the higher proceeds to the needy--if that's what they really manage to do--really represents something like progress.

We junk collectors and flippers (not that I do that!) can fend for ourselves.

EDIT: Wigwam made my point with actual facts!
 
foppy said:
Well, not to get on a high horse, but...

Speaking for myself, by allowing me (and other hoarders like me) to buy my umpteenth receiver or pair of speakers for 10 dollars, thrift stores really haven't been "helping the community" much.

On the other hand, selling stuff for what it's really worth and giving the higher proceeds to the needy--if that's what they really manage to do--really represents something like progress.

We junk collectors and flippers (not that I do that!) can fend for ourselves.

EDIT: Wigwam made my point with actual facts!
Click to expand...

I love it when I get a 'bargain' at a thrift store, and I don't think I am cheating any non-profit out of anything; the price they mark it at is actually what it's 'worth' on that day, to me. And if they price their goods too high, they don't sell, and thus don't help anyone. However, I also agree with you; in an action environment like shopgoodwill.com, the buyers set the market price, and whatever it goes for is also what it's 'worth' on that day to that buyer.

It helps them to expand their pool of potential buyers. How many people within ten miles of where I live actually want a pair of 40 year old speakers besides me? But expand that market by putting it online, and prices can go higher for some items.

I enjoy buying at thrifts and saving money - and helping others. It works for me on both counts. I don't begrudge them the money they make putting things online to sell; if it's more than I want to pay, I don't bid.

And the important thing to me is that Goodwill actually *is* a legitimate non-profit, helping the community, and I commend them for doing so. I'm glad they do what they do, along with the others I know of in my area, like Salvation Army, St Vincent de Paul, and Grace Centers of Hope.
 
foppy said:
Well, not to get on a high horse, but...

Speaking for myself, by allowing me (and other hoarders like me) to buy my umpteenth receiver or pair of speakers for 10 dollars, thrift stores really haven't been "helping the community" much.

On the other hand, selling stuff for what it's really worth and giving the higher proceeds to the needy--if that's what they really manage to do--really represents something like progress.

We junk collectors and flippers (not that I do that!) can fend for ourselves.

EDIT: Wigwam made my point with actual facts!
Click to expand...

Like I said, it is Goodwill selling the unit, I hope they get ALL THE MONEY. They do good things with that money. If it goes above the bay, maybe the buyer is aware the money goes to programs and not fund raising or management.

Maybe the NW Goodwill stores have found the shopgoodwill comfortable to deal with and other stores around the country have other ways of moving these heavy, old chunks of gear.

I don't see much here, having heard once that this type of gear is sent to a sort facility. Maybe it is then sent where it will bring more money or sold in bulk. There was that thread about someone that did get truckloads at a time.
 
Wigwam Jones said:
I love it when I get a 'bargain' at a thrift store, and I don't think I am cheating any non-profit out of anything; the price they mark it at is actually what it's 'worth' on that day, to me. And if they price their goods too high, they don't sell, and thus don't help anyone. However, I also agree with you; in an action environment like shopgoodwill.com, the buyers set the market price, and whatever it goes for is also what it's 'worth' on that day to that buyer.

It helps them to expand their pool of potential buyers. How many people within ten miles of where I live actually want a pair of 40 year old speakers besides me? But expand that market by putting it online, and prices can go higher for some items.

I enjoy buying at thrifts and saving money - and helping others. It works for me on both counts. I don't begrudge them the money they make putting things online to sell; if it's more than I want to pay, I don't bid.

And the important thing to me is that Goodwill actually *is* a legitimate non-profit, helping the community, and I commend them for doing so. I'm glad they do what they do, along with the others I know of in my area, like Salvation Army, St Vincent de Paul, and Grace Centers of Hope.
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Don't get me wrong, I will continue to love my Salvation and SVdP bargains too (no Goodwill nearby) and feel no guilt about them.

But like you, I can hardly blame these places if they figure out a better way to pursue their real mission, which isn't to elate me with cheap old speakers.
 
All I can say, is I wish shopgoodwill becomes the new ebay. I wouldn't mind selling my crap on their site for that kind of money, plus my fees go to a non profit...and I bet I can except other payments then paypal. Boy I also may not have to file taxes as though I own a corporation...how can we ask goodwill to sell on their site? :D
 
jjblue84 said:
All I can say, is I wish shopgoodwill becomes the new ebay. I wouldn't mind selling my crap on their site for that kind of money, plus my fees go to a non profit...and I bet I can except other payments then paypal. Boy I also may not have to file taxes as though I own a corporation...how can we ask goodwill to sell on their site? :D
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Donate your stuff to Goodwill and it will get sold.
 
Ah yeah that's right.. Goodwill is a not-for-profit organization. I forgot that little important tidbit of information.

Well I suppose it's not so bad then. I kind of wish they were more reasonable on pricing though when it comes to old stereo gear, it is nice to donate and give back but it's also nice to get a good deal. Win win IMO. But well, they do what they want knowing what's best for them and that's up to them.
 
bailebc said:
They must have gotten a large donation from a pioneer collector (or his family) because there is also an SX-980 listed as well. Lots of nice Pioneer.

EDIT: Just realized they are all in different locations. Suppose it is just a good time for pioneer.
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It's kind of odd; things often show up in packs. I had been looking at R2R's on their website for awhile, didn't see anything that jumped out at me. Then I saw the Akai M8 I ended up getting for $20. Right along with that - another M8, then a third, then a Roberts 770X (same as M8). Now we're back to none again. All from different locations. Weird.
 
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