Two of the stores were the type of outlet where everything is 50% off and very organized. Basically, like going into a normal Goodwill but everything is 50% off. The third outlet was the exact opposite. Everyone was running around like Kevin in Home Alone! Picture a lot of Haitian people running, screaming and searching through bins and that's basically the scene I walked in to.
My philosophy at CGO (crazy Goodwill outlets) is to allow the craziness to happen then I am a scavenger in the calm. My reasons for not joining the craziness are:
1. I don't trust myself to not get into a fight with someone who pushes or bumps into me.
2. I'm pretty confident that I know what's valuable more than the other thrifters. I've spent hours researching valuable brands. Have they? Doubt it.
At the CGO in Sarasota, my philosophy paid off. I allowed everybody to push, scream and act crazy. When it all calmed down, I decided to have a look. I found a bin of 75-100 ties that nobody had looked through. I purchased 13 ties including Harley Davidson, Christian Dior and Robert Talbott. Plus I found this belt:
The belt is Polo Ralph Lauren. It's made of American Alligator and is a men's size 38. I sold the belt within a day of listing it. Here is my profit margin:
Purchase Price: 30 cents
Sold: $64.00
That is a nice profit! Overall, I spent $4.48 at that outlet store and will make around $150. I wonder if the people who pushed and yelled can say the same?
On my quest to save $1400 by September 11th for a trip to New Orleans, I'm about $125.00 short. Hopefully, I can get there!
Here are a few other items I sold recently:
Purchase Price: $0.00
Sold: $21.99
Jimi Hendrix 1994 concert poster
Purchase Price: $0.00
Sold: $14.99
Harley-Davidson men's shirt lot
Purchase Price: $2.49
Sold: $21.99
Chip and Pepper juniors jeans
Chip and Pepper is a decent brand to buy and sell. Most thrift stores don't know it, so if you can get it cheap...go for it. Just don't pay very much if you want to make a profit.
Purchase Price: $0.00
Sold: $11.99
How were your August sales and finds?
Great finds! Was this the Goodwill Outlet near Sarasota Airport? Just curious because the girls that work at the bargain barn in North Port told me they are afraid to go to the one near the airport because it's so crazy there. Lol. Love your blog by the way!
ReplyDeleteThank you! Yes it was the one by the airport. My first time there and what an experience!!! It was VERY much like the one I go to in Ocala except in Ocala they put out new bins about once an hour (maybe a little more). The one in Sarasota didn't even let me look through the ties and they were moving me out of the way to put out new bins. I didn't like that at all! At least give the people who aren't into the pushing and screaming a chance to look at one bin before you take them away.
ReplyDeleteI would recommend going though. It's cheap entertainment at the very least!
Do you thrift shop in that area often? Do you resell? I drive by the area all the time and coached basketball in the North Port, Sarasota-Bradenton area many times but it was my first time thrift shopping there. I enjoyed it. Are there good stores in North Port?
Lol, sounds like great entertainment! Will have to check it out. I heard the Ocala outlet was crazy too but have never made it there. The Goodwill outlet in North Port is great. I went again on Labor Day and found great stuff. (I resell clothes on Ebay btw). I am in Pinellas County but the thrifting in Venice and North Port is awesome & better than here so I go down there every couple months.
ReplyDelete