Goodwill Industries ripoff Employees plunder through donations intended to help the needy! Teays Valley West Virginia

It's true, we had to always watch the back door, donations would disapppear before we could get prices on them. Some people are honest and some are not. Those that steal, I figure GOD will take care of them in the end.

You are right, employees do go through the good stuff. At the main sorting warehouse. Also, Goodwill sells to brokers. Every wonder why you can't find any Levi Jeans any more?...The are being sold "AS NEW" in the Troutdale OutLet Levi Store in Troutdale Oregon...

The Gresham Oregon Store manager 1994 to 1996 , Pat Richards, was loading her car and truck up with stolen donated items BEFORE the store opened in the morning....Oil paintings, expensive collectables etc. She was busted by a not to bright handyman who didn't FALL BACK his alarm clock in the morning. He arrived at work in the dark, at lease 1 hour early. It still took another 6 months of "investigations" before Goodwill fired this gal....and then she just fell back on her mental illness as an defense....

Another stunt that the employees do, is back date the pricing dates on the tags. Then they go out on the floor and buy stuff for cheap, and within the 2 day limit. Many items are priced at the store location in the back room. Clothing, furniture, knick-knacks etc. And employee is only suppose to buy stuff if it has been on the floor for 2 days or more. They just back date a sweater, coat or shoes etc, and then get off work and buy it with their store discount.


Oh yeah, watch your purses there too....in 15 years I have been shopping when 2 purses where stolen. Women make the mistake of putting there purses in the shopping cart, and then covering up the purse with garments and merchandise. This is a big mistake. Twice, someone has walked off with a loaded shopping cart, with the customers pursed hidden in the kiddy seat. Wear your purse over your shoulder, keep it in plain sight. Purse snachers work in rings of 2, 3 or more people.
One watches you, One takes your purse.


Goodwill will never call the police or let you put the story on the news....the don't want the bad press.....

The Goodwill i work for does not allow employees to take the cream. Items must be on the sales floor available to customers for 24 hours. This is a stringent policy, they have a loss prevention manager who investigates any infractions, people are disciplined or dismissed. We cannot even buy things thrown in the dumpster, for fear that people would deliberately chuck good stuff and take it afterward. Does the policy get broken, yes but people are eventually found out and disciplined.

And as for prices, Goodwill has to pay gas for trucks, rent, salaries, and raise money for increasingly expensive charity efforts that are getting less and less state and federal money. All this with an average price per item that is far lower than most stores.

Its important to note that there are many individually run Goodwill chains throughout the country, they all have some difference in policy and procedures, but the previous commenter is correct, many don't even allow employees to shop in there own store!

The real rip-off artists are some of our generous donors. I have personally gotten or seen, bags of garbage, moldy mildewed clothing, clothing full of mouse poop and bird seed, dead mice, clothing stained with human pee or poop- sometimes not washed, dead birds, knives or broken glass objects nestled in with clothing, many appliances that do not work, including ones that Goodwill needs to dispose of. People dump TV's and Computer monitors that are either broken or very out dated and guess who pays by the thousands for disposal. Many Many other unusable items that Goodwill disposes of for them, and they get a tax write off. Having said this, we still have many many great donors who give us wonderful stuff, many not wanting a tax slip. But they are getting fewer and far between. So smartin' up people.

The Goodwill in my area does not even allow employees to shop in our stores. Someone at my store just recently got fired for stealing because he took donated property. Even coins found in donated purses have to be turned in immediately. They take this very seriously. We take in the donations, sort them, clean them, then put them on the shelves. Cashiers are not allowed to cash out family, or friends.

We also pay close attention to the prices on the items, just in case an employee tries to give someone a good deal. Managers are not allowed to price an item if someone has wiped the price off, or taken the sticker off. It has to go back to the department it came from and that person has to reprice it. Are you sure that this is a Goodwill? And not a Salvation Army?

How exactly does Goodwill work? I always had the understanding that people donated goods, which in turn were sold to the public, and the funds raised went to various charity funds. Can anybody shed some light here?

Another question I have is people placing numerous complaints on this sites, that employees of groups such as Goodwill are "grabbing the good stuff". What exactly defines "good stuff"? Many people here are claiming to be poor and in need. Is "good stuff" things such as jackets, socks, diapers, baby food, or bed sheets, or is it things such as radios, leather jackets, CD's, or sports logo clothing?

Surely, if people are looking for the first items I described (baby needs, warm cloths etc) and are deeply in need, are there not social workers who can help obtain the social and financial aid for those things? For those people who are claiming to be "in need" here. The computer that the messages types here cost a few bucks. money that could have purchased neccessary items. People lived fine before computers ever even existed.

As for employees "getting the good stuff". they work there and have various employee perks. And every Goodwill I have gone into has not had a waiver telling who could or couldn't shop there. Like I said. I always thought they made money for charities by SELLING" the goods donated.

My suggestion for those who can't find what they are looking for at these places in question. try shopping at another store. I'm sure there are plenty of places selling cheap goods. You can also scout out tag sales, or charity drive sales at various churches. hey, if you have a computer, try to get a good deal on Ebay.

I went to my local Goodwill Store and bought me a very nice winter coat for the horribly outrageous sum of $6.50.

I think you people need to get a life.

I get rather angry when I report or talk about this sham of a company. If you want to get more info about the group I worked for then type in goodwill sucks in Yahoo search and follow the second link. I will be updating the site soon.
Thank you all!

I get rather angry when I report or talk about this sham of a company. If you want to get more info about the group I worked for then type in goodwill sucks in Yahoo search and follow the second link. I will be updating the site soon.
Thank you all!

I get rather angry when I report or talk about this sham of a company. If you want to get more info about the group I worked for then type in goodwill sucks in Yahoo search and follow the second link. I will be updating the site soon.
Thank you all!

We basically get so many goods there, and such little wages, that we sometimes take the extras but I only make 8 dollars an hour, so if I get a little deals, it won't waste anything. It would go to the dumpster.

I think we deserve pay raises. I actually make around 7 dollars less than I could anywhere else.

I don't agree with either of you. Yeah, all of the employees go through the donations but who is to say that all of us working there aren't "low-income".I'm not sure if you realize the going rate for a Thrift store cashier is minimum wage.We want all of the good deals too!!And No we don't just get to load up our cars with heaping mounds of items for free, we pay just like everyone else.(just not as much)I no longer work at the Thrift store and I make good money now. I do still shop there and while yes some things are overpriced that's the way the world goes around!! Wal- Mart,Target, All of them are out for one thing and one thing only MONEY!!

XXXX
Spokane,Washington

I don't agree with either of you. Yeah, all of the employees go through the donations but who is to say that all of us working there aren't "low-income".I'm not sure if you realize the going rate for a Thrift store cashier is minimum wage.We want all of the good deals too!!And No we don't just get to load up our cars with heaping mounds of items for free, we pay just like everyone else.(just not as much)I no longer work at the Thrift store and I make good money now. I do still shop there and while yes some things are overpriced that's the way the world goes around!! Wal- Mart,Target, All of them are out for one thing and one thing only MONEY!!

XXXX
Spokane,Washington

I don't agree with either of you. Yeah, all of the employees go through the donations but who is to say that all of us working there aren't "low-income".I'm not sure if you realize the going rate for a Thrift store cashier is minimum wage.We want all of the good deals too!!And No we don't just get to load up our cars with heaping mounds of items for free, we pay just like everyone else.(just not as much)I no longer work at the Thrift store and I make good money now. I do still shop there and while yes some things are overpriced that's the way the world goes around!! Wal- Mart,Target, All of them are out for one thing and one thing only MONEY!!

XXXX
Spokane,Washington

I don't agree with either of you. Yeah, all of the employees go through the donations but who is to say that all of us working there aren't "low-income".I'm not sure if you realize the going rate for a Thrift store cashier is minimum wage.We want all of the good deals too!!And No we don't just get to load up our cars with heaping mounds of items for free, we pay just like everyone else.(just not as much)I no longer work at the Thrift store and I make good money now. I do still shop there and while yes some things are overpriced that's the way the world goes around!! Wal- Mart,Target, All of them are out for one thing and one thing only MONEY!!

XXXX
Spokane,Washington

Unfortunately that is the way these places operate. Even here in Parkersburg. Our losal Salvation Army Thrift Store has hosts of employees who rummage through the good and put the bad on the floor. Relatives get the goodies. I have gone to Marietta Ohio also to the Goodwill and SATS. Same problems there. I don't think there can be a resolution to the problem. And the staff overcharges for items. Some of the prices are ridiculous. Poor folk shops at these places, not the rich and famous. In fact last week I shopped st SATS and bought my grandchildren some clothes. I just about had a coronary when I was told 47.00 for the mere bit of clothing I had. I have minimal monthly funds and that amount for used goods is unreal. Our store has cameras in the store part but not in the back where the sorting goes on. I think in the back is the most needed place for employee observation.