Hunting down a great find at Goodwill is not for the faint of heart–you have to have patience, a good eye, and be willing to fight the girlie pops who waltz in and you just know they have impeccable taste based on their baggy jeans and bows in their hair.
What thrift shoppers don’t expect, however, is for the store’s prices to make their mission harder. Goodwill is a thrift store, after all, and shouldn’t the prices reflect that? Recently, it seems that might not be the case.
In a viral clip, TikToker Sarah (@solosarahh) was in disbelief after she caught the thrift shop selling a Target item at a questionable price point.
Goodwill upselling Target item?
“I’m so sorry, but I am at Goodwill and I am done,” she begins. “It is getting so out of control.”
Sarah then lifts a king-sized duvet cover from Target, which she said was clearanced. The price tag reads $49.99.
“This probably went to defective salvage and cost nothing,” she adds. Sarah then shows a $14.99 curtain to the camera, and another curtain that was priced at $49.99 but is currently at $20.
“I’m done,” she reiterates. “Goodwill, you [expletive] suck.”
In the caption, she added, “[Goodwill] DO BETTER. Their prices are more expensive than Target or Walmart. Can we just start selling our stuff to each other or giving it away for free?”
Viewers largely agree with her
Sarah’s clip, which earned half a million views as of Monday, rallied viewers in the comments section.
“It’s called corporate greed,” a top comment read. Several others claimed they no longer bought from the store, though they still “shopped,” aka shoplifted.
“Goodwill gets their inventory FOR FREE,” one said. “They could sell everything for 1.00 and still make 100% profit on each item. And then they have the nerve to ask me to donate at the end of my transaction?”
Other shared the items they have caught Goodwill selling. “$1.25 item from Dollar Tree was marked $3.99 today. BOTH tags still visible,” while another saif they found an empty jar of Nutella for $5.
At least one user called out the charity’s CEO by name, writing, “We need to be blaming their CEO Steve Preston. He took over in 2019 and he cares more about profit than helping the community.”
Does Goodwill get their stuff for free?
Goodwill receives its items based on donations, and with its rising prices, it seems folks’ questions have become common enough that the company answered them on their FAQ webpage.
“Why do you charge for stuff you get for free? Each item sold in our stores helps to fund job help programs. The sale of the donated goods allows us to assist so many people in our area. While the products are donated, we do incur substantial costs with processing and selling the merchandise,” the website states.
However, the company’s CEO has received backlash. According to a report by ProPublica, Preston’s annual salary is $632,016, with an additional $53,284. This could probably explain the outrage shoppers are feeling. For example, Sarah is not the only one to go viral blasting Goodwill on TikTok. In one viral clip, a shopper found the store selling a used plastic Starbucks cup for $1.49. In another, a woman finds a $6 purse from Target being sold for $9.99.
@solosarahh @Goodwill Industries Intl. DO BETTER. Their prices are more expensive than Target or Walmart. Can we just start selling our stuff to each other or giving it away for free? #goodwill #thrifting #target #walmart #fyp #corporategreed #boycott ♬ original sound – Solosarahhh
The Mary Sue reached out to Sarah via TikTok direct message and to Goodwill via email.
Update Aug. 18, 2025:
In an email to the Mary Sue, a spokesperson for the company shared the following statement:
“Goodwill is a network of 151 local nonprofit organizations, governed by local boards and operated by local management. There are more than 3,300 Goodwill stores in North America. Goodwill stores sell donated goods and the funds from these sales provide people in the local communities who have faced challenges in getting jobs with free skills training, career coaching and placement services and other social support services that can help them advance in their careers or other life circumstances. For that reason, when a store receives donations, the staff works to set a price that reflects fair market value for their community while also making the most of the donated item’s value. Thanks to purchases made by our shoppers, Goodwill can assist people in the local community who need job training and other support services all at no cost to them.
Generally, items that do not sell in the stores after a period of time are marked down. In locations where Goodwill has outlet stores, items that do not sell in stores are sold in outlet stores by the pound.”
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