Goodwill secrets staff don’t want you to know – why clothes smell like vanilla (2024)

FOR some people, thrifting is a lifestyle.

That noted, there are things popular thrift store chains like Goodwill don't tell shoppers firsthand that could transform their shopping experience.

Becky Guiles who goes by Freebie Lady on social media knowns this all too well, and has used her YouTube platform to give viewers little known insight about Goodwill stores.

SIGNATURE VANILLA SCENT

In a video unveiling Goodwill employee secrets, Guiles began: "Have you ever been in a Goodwill and you notice all of the clothes smell like vanilla or another scent?

"I always thought it was because they treated the clothes in the back staff room for things like bed bugs, lice, and other disgusting stuff. But they don't.

"It's actually something to trick you. What they actually do is they have an air freshener back there. So be sure you wash your clothes when you take them home from Goodwill."

Though Goodwill asks that customers wash or dry clean their clothes before it's donated, there's no guarantee that this is followed.

DISCOUNTED GIFT CARDS AND COUPONS

According to Guiles, you could buy discounted gift cards for Goodwill at places like Gift Card Granny and Arise.com, or even on eBay.

Many Goodwills also have coupons and point reward systems. You can either ask the manager at your local Goodwill or go online to your Goodwill web page and sign up for any email perks.

DONATED ITEMS ARE SOLD IN DIFFERENT STORES

Usually, it's assumed that if an item was donated to a specific Goodwill, then it will definitely be sold at that Goodwill. That's not always the case.

The items are actually sold at stores where they are more likely to be bought by customers.

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"If one neighborhood sells more furniture –like a college town –than another Goodwill, then they will send that furniture over to the Goodwill that sells the most furniture," Guiles explained.

"Same with every other item in Goodwill. That's why it's super important to check out all of the Goodwills around you."

This will come as a shock to people who assume that shopping in a wealthier town's Goodwill will lead them to better finds.

GOODWILL PAIRS WITH STORES TO GET BRAND NEW ITEMS

These new items are slightly damaged, or close out items, for example.

"At my Goodwill they actually sell brand new with the tags Zara clothes that come directly from Zara company, and they are slashed at 70 percent off," Guiles revealed.

"And they either have a little slight imperfection, or they're just a returned item.

"All you have to do is ask the manager at you local Goodwill if they pair with any companies to get brand new items and what days they put them on the floor.

"Your managers are real people and they're usually very nice and they want to sell the items. So they'll usually give you any information that you are wondering about."

RETURNING ITEMS

At most Goodwill stores if you find that you don't like your item or find something wrong with it after taking it home, you can return it for up to seven days, and sometimes even 14.

Guiles noted that if you get electronics and they don't work you can sell them for full credit or electronic credit.

The savvy shopper also advised testing your electronics at the store.

"Employees are more than willing to help to let you test out electronics. There's outlets all over the place. So just plug it in, give it a whirl."

Guiles spoke on her most successful Goodwill shopping trips: "I have found numerous resources online that say what day is the best day to go shopping at Goodwill.

"For my particular stores I have found that Wednesdays are the day. And this is why.

"Saturday's are usually the last day of garage sales. People pack up and donate the stuff on Sundays, and that gives distribution centers and donation centers two days to sort the items and get them on to the store floor by Wednesday."