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Goodwill is trying to shake off the idea that it’s a Goodwill

As the great retail-pocalypse continues, Goodwill is trying to rebrand itself as a new, cheaper store and online shopping destination for thrifty millennials looking for a bargain. In Roanoke, Va., Goodwill is testing a new type of store format called Simply Goodwill. Prices at Simply Goodwill will be lower than at a traditional thrift shop with […]

Goodwill is trying to shake off the idea that it’s a Goodwill

[Photo: Flickr user Mike Mozart]

BY Melissa Locker1 minute read

As the great retail-pocalypse continues, Goodwill is trying to rebrand itself as a new, cheaper store and online shopping destination for thrifty millennials looking for a bargain.

In Roanoke, Va., Goodwill is testing a new type of store format called Simply Goodwill. Prices at Simply Goodwill will be lower than at a traditional thrift shop with children’s clothing starting at $1.00 and adult clothing starts at $2.75, according to Forbes. Because Goodwills are independently operated, it will be up to the other shops to decide whether to replicate the idea.

It’s probably worth trying, though, because while retailers across the country are shuttering, thrift-store shopping is growing, with up to 18% of Americans regularly purchasing goods from thrift shops, according to the Association of Resale Professionals.

Of course, this isn’t the first time that Goodwill has tried something new. A few years ago it introduced an upscale boutique format to sell the odd pair of Yeezys, Gibson guitars, or Gucci belts that happen to come through their doors. While the 60 or so high-end boutiques will remain open, the company is also exploring the world of online shopping. Shopgoodwill.com now hosts eBay style auctions where Goodwill shops around the country can list any high-ticket items that come in, according to Forbes. Of course, that takes out half the fun of browsing at the Goodwill with the hopes of becoming one of those urban legends who finds an Hermès bag with a $4.99 paper price tag stuck on it.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Melissa Locker is a writer and world renowned fish telepathist. More


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