I've gotten frustrated with Habitat Restore

[fan-of-fans]

When my Habitat Restore reopened a few months ago, I took a trunk full of stuff that I had been planning to donate.

In the weeks that followed, I never saw any of it put out for sale.

I had the same experience last year when I donated some things. I've noticed also, that there isn't as much out on the sales floor as I used to see.

I get the feeling they are throwing most of the stuff away if it's older or isn't in perfect condition. Which they didn't used to do. Some of the vacuums I donated were ones I got FROM Habitat in the past but just lost interest in fixing up.

They've even acted annoyed the last time I went and donated stuff. It's ridiculous to me that they act like the stuff is useless when it's stuff that they would have sold in the past.

It's really annoying if they're going to be so picky about what they sell. I've gotten to where I think I'll be making future donations at other thrift stores, where it's more likely to go out for sale. Or just throw it away myself, and save the trip. I just feel bad throwing things away that other people could use. Some of this stuff I definitely know of people who would want, but I don't have the time or interest to go about selling it online and shipping it out.

 

[madman]

That's dumb. It's literally their business to take your crap and resell it. If they think it's not worth much, they could easily just price it so low that someone would buy it, despite age or condition.

 

[electrolux137]

~
~


You wanna talk about picky ... try donating stuff to Goodwill sometime!


 

 

[human]

The only time I've had anything rejected at Goodwill was when I tried to donate an old dryer. They told me they didn't take large appliances and didn't know where I could donate it. I knew darned well where I could take it and told the guy so. I just didn't want to drive all the way across town when the Goodwill was only a couple of miles from my house. Of course, the biggest irony was I had replaced the dryer with a one that I'd gotten from a different Goodwill in another city.

The Goodwill stores around here lately have gotten kind of boutiquey. There's one in particular that only carries clothes and decorative housewares--no toys, no books, no movies or music and very little in the way of appliances or electronics and certainly no vacuums. I think they must triage their donated goods and send the stuff they don't want to the Goodwill Outlet downtown where they sell it by the pound.

 

[lesinutah]

Restore

In my area shares items with 3 locations. I'd imagine they spread out the items. They could sale sinks well at one location but the other location it doesn't sale.

Les

 

[electrolux137]

~
~


A Goodwill store in the San Fernando Valley used to have a huge "as is" yard full of mountains of crap piled in large wooden bins. There was so much stuff that you couldn't even see what was there. They eventually cleared it out and closed that area off to the public. Just as well. It was the WORST kind of junk you could imagine.

 

[tolivac]

Before you donate to one of these places---look out back if you see a compactor or more than one-go elsewhere.If the store staff doesn't think your items are saleable--they go into the compactor.Plastic toys and other items go into them to be baled for recycle.The place may get more for the recycle than trying to sell the plastic items by themselves.The "boutique" Salvation Army place near me closed-was across from my favorite vac shop-they only sold clothes and some furniture-was not the fun place it used to be.-Those you could find anything!

 

[gottahaveahoove]

I donated numerous items to Goodwill and Sally's

They would take forever to pick it up on my porch. It was awful. Some local places have decent things, depending on season, times, etc.
More of it is junk that anything worth wile. On Thursdays, when I worked in the Philadelphia burbs, I'd make my regular jaunt. I'd fine amazing things... lots of Hoover items as well.
There's an old appliance store near me called Sugarman's. Well, it WAS an appliance store. Now, it's a vast thrift store flea market mall. I hadn't been there in decades. My friends from NY, Chris and Joel would stop there on their way to my mini meets. If you have the time, it's great. LOTS of stuff. It's open weekends only, all year long.

 

[marks_here]

Working with HFH

They have gotten picky as to what is sellable and isn't. Inside the sorting area are huge bins where less desirable things get tossed into. Our store here doesn't take clothes but other sites will. Appliances are run & tested to make sure they work, wiped down but not cleaned real good then out to the sales floor. If appliances didn't work they were taken to a huge walk in dumpster for scrap where most things that were too hard to fix (most new appliances with mother boards that have gone out) or volunteers didn't want to mess with them. When I would go out on the truck we had the discretion of not taking things if they were too far gone or just junk. Every now & then someone would donate practically new appliances that came with a new house that they didn't like, a semi-new Maytag HE washer/dryer that were only 3yrs old we're going for $250/200 where they cost over $1000. There is one place here in town that takes everything even wiper blades that they sell. They don't take tv's with a tube in them or anything past 5yrs old that's electronic.

 

[kirby519]

It is hard for folks that appreciate and enjoy collecting the more utilitarian items in life most just take for granted.

Goodwill, Salvation Army stores etc are or were a great place for collectors. Find that one Item you really want and it is a great shopping day.

You can still find the electronic items in the stores around here however not as bountiful. With all the streaming of videos and music electronics takes special buyers to keep those items moving. I have had to hold myself back on more than once to keep from making purchase of a vacuum or vintage small appliance. A few other items as well. If you get far away enough from the big city you can still make some nice scores out in the county side. I scored a complete Rexair vacuum manufactured in 1945 out in farm country a few years ago.

Closer to the big city the goal of these stores is to provide a place to purchase still wearable clothing, Items for the kitchen and items to decorate and furnish a rental unit for those who cannot afford to pay full price for these items. Sadly the folks at these stores don't know how to clean up a vacuum to keep it service able and or receive items that are badly beaten up and or missing tools that would make them attractive to someone that just needs an efficient way to do a little cleaning.