A routine thrift shopping trip at a Colorado Goodwill turned into a customer service nightmare that left a regular shopper questioning whether she’ll ever return to the store.
What started as excitement over finding the perfect leather jacket quickly spiraled into an encounter with management that the shopper called unprofessional and rude.
Thrift Store Prices Are Too High
In a trending video with more than 55,000 views, Colorado thrifter Sarah Elizabeth Mares (@sarahelizabethmares) shared her shocking experience at the Goodwill location in Castle Rock, Colorado.
Mares explained that she’s a regular at this Goodwill and often shops there weekly. When she went this time, she was excited to finally see jackets out as the season changed.
“I’ve had a black leather jacket on my, like, thrifting wish list for the last year or two,” she said.
Her excitement peaked when she discovered two genuine black leather jackets in the men’s department. One was an Eddie Bauer jacket priced at $14.99, which she felt was “totally reasonable.” The other was a no-name brand jacket with a genuine leather tag, priced at $54.
The sizing presented a problem: the reasonably priced Eddie Bauer jacket was an extra large that left her “swimming in it,” while the expensive no-name jacket in large “fit perfect.”
“Obviously, like, I don’t wanna pay $54 for a used, no-name brand black leather jacket,” Mares said.
Despite never having made such a request before, she decided to take both jackets to the front counter to ask for a price match or discount.
Initially, the interaction went smoothly. Mares says the checkout employee, who recognized her as a regular customer, understood Mares’ perspective.
“Right away, she’s like, ‘Oh, yeah. Oh my gosh. If anything, I would expect for the Eddie Bauer one to be the one that’s priced higher,'” Mares recounted.
The employee called over a manager to approve the price adjustment, but that’s when things took a turn.
Did the Manager Help?
“This girl, who I’ve never seen there before, she probably looked like she was, like, in her early twenties. She’s wearing a squirrel onesie costume, walks up to the front,” Mares shared.
Before the employee could even explain the situation, the manager immediately shut down the request.
“The manager takes one look at me and says, ‘Oh, no. We’re not gonna price match,'” Mares said. “She didn’t, she literally didn’t even know the situation. She said she wasn’t gonna price match before she even explained to her what was going on.”
When the checkout employee tried to explain that the jackets were identical except for pricing, the manager’s response was even more shocking.
“Actually, the $14.99 is marked incorrectly. So if anything, we need to mark that higher before you purchase it,” the manager said.
Mares was so taken aback by the manager’s rudeness that she left without purchasing either jacket.
“As someone who donates to Goodwill regularly, shops at Goodwill regularly, has never asked for anything, like, I just could not fathom the unprofessionalism,” said in the video.
The incident has left Mares questioning her loyalty to the store.
“Honestly, I don’t know if I’ll be shopping at Goodwill again,” she said.
Why Has Goodwill Gotten More Expensive?
Thrifters have noticed prices rising significantly, with some items now costing more than new ones at Walmart or Target.
Several factors drive these price increases, Yahoo Finance reported. Operating costs, including rent, utilities and wages have increased over time.
Thrifting’s growing popularity has also pushed prices up. As more environmentally conscious consumers and younger people seek secondhand items, demand has increased, allowing stores to charge more.
Examples of overpriced items include used coffee mugs selling for over $2 when new ones cost $1 at discount stores, and empty spaghetti sauce jars priced at $2.99 when buying the sauce in the same jar costs $1.98.
The pricing trend has left longtime customers questioning whether Goodwill still offers the value it once did.
Tariffs Could Increase Thrift Competition
The impact of tariffs on clothing could push even more people toward secondhand shopping, potentially driving prices higher, Axios reported.
“While resale does well all the time, it does even better during an economic turn down,” Adele Meyer, executive director of the National Association of Resale Professionals, told Axios.
Historical data support this trend. During the Great Recession, nearly two-thirds of resale stores reported a 31% average increase in sales.
The secondhand market was already growing before the current economic pressures. A 2024 report found that 35% of shoppers embarked on their first resale journey in the past year, with a majority citing increased cost of living or cost savings compared to buying new as their motivation.
This growing demand could further complicate pricing at stores like Goodwill, as increased customer traffic may justify higher prices even as shoppers seek affordability.
@sarahelizabethmares Has anyone else had a horrible shopping experience at the @Goodwill Industries Intl. in Castle Rock, Co? I’m still in shock! #goodwill #goodwillfinds ♬ original sound – sarah mares
Commenters React
“I call them GREEDWILL,” a top comment read.
“I try to donate to women’s shelters or a church thrift store. Done with Goodwill. Just a corporate greedy company,” a person said.
“I stopped donating to them about a year ago. $25 bucks for a used pair of jeans is crazy,” another wrote.
“I hate when they act like the money is coming straight out of their paycheck,” a commenter added.
The Mary Sue reached out to Mares for comment via email and Instagram direct message and to Goodwill via email.
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