An Insider’s Guide to Treasure Hunting at the Goodwill Bins
Paul Sableman under CC BY 4.0 / Flickr
I’m a master thrifter and have been for decades. There isn’t an estate sale, flea market or thrift store I haven’t been to — that’s no small task, considering the size of Los Angeles, California. Virtually everything in my home is thrifted, down to the 1950s Inland “Magic Touch” aluminum ice cube trays.
As of late, because it’s close to where I live, I’ve been frequenting Goodwill’s outlet store, known informally as “the Bins.” Here, you can find some serious gems, but you’ll have to dig. There is also some etiquette you should follow — not only for health reasons (we’ll get to that later) but also to avoid getting kicked out of the store.
Everything has gotten more expensive in the past few years — even prices at thrift stores have increased. The Bins are a last-stop shop for many items that, for whatever reason, didn’t sell in the retail store, but that doesn’t mean you won’t find some gems.
What Happens to the Stuff You Donate to Goodwill?
After you donate your stuff, Goodwill employees go through and sort it to ensure it’s usable and non-toxic (i.e., not wet with mold or mildew).
It’s separated by what it is (men’s clothes, books, housewares, etc.), priced and sent out to the main store in your area. Items are color-coded for daily or weekly specials and to let staffers know how long an item has been on the floor.
What Happens If an Item Doesn’t Sell in the Main Store
If your donation doesn’t sell within about a month, it’s taken off the shelves and sent to an outlet store (aka “the Bins”).
Here, customers can purchase items at a much-reduced rate — typically by the pound, but prices vary by location. Some outlet locations also have wholesale auctions throughout the day or week.
How Many Bins Are Rolled Out Each Day?
The number of bins rolled out every day will depend on the location, each of which has its own process. In Los Angeles’ Goodwill Outlet Store, for example, workers are required to roll out 400 bins a day, seven days a week. At any given time, there are about 60 bins on the floor, so there’s always merchandise coming and going.
For this reason, you’ll find that if you go enough, you’ll not only see the same faces, but you’ll also find that some people spend several hours in the store, as most patrons are resellers who do business online. Many of them know each other, compare hauls and trade items in the store.
If there is a flea market in the area within the same week, you’ll see more people stocking up on goods to sell for the upcoming weekend. Some resellers may stick strictly to the book bins, while others may be mainly vintage clothing buyers.
Are The Same Bins Rolled Out More Than Once?
You only see a particular bin and its items once and only for a short period, typically less than an hour. Once a bin’s items are gone, they’re off the floor for good. They will not come back around a second time. So, where do they go?
These items are sold to textile recyclers, according to Goodwill’s website. I was told that there is one local recycler who works with the L.A. store and picks up all the solo shoes (ones not in a pair) and recycles them.
Goodwill aims to keep whatever items haven’t sold out of landfills. While some things do end up there, the organization attempts to see that most of its items are reused in some way.