Woman grabs $10 grab bag from Goodwill, realizing she scored. Then the cashier steps in after realizing what she scanned: ‘We always send these off’
Thrift shopping at Goodwill is supposed to be a gold mine for bargain hunters. Hidden gems throughout the store eagerly wait for someone to claim them. If rummaging through piles of items isn’t your cup of tea, you can always help yourself to their grab bags.
What Are The Grab Bags At Goodwill?
For $10, customers can purchase a plastic bag full of assorted items. These bags contain secondhand toys, clothes, crafts, and more, located in designated areas of the building. Once you pay for the goodie bag, it’s a requirement to open it outside. And it’s a done deal since they’re non-refundable.
But Fellow Indiana-based thrifter Lacey (@redheadedmama05) had an item in her bag that shouldn’t be in there. She re-enacts this discovery to over 1.5 million viewers by retracing her steps through the entrance.
Why Did Goodwill Halt The Transaction?
“After the cashier scanned my item, she was bagging them up and I guess happened to realize what she just scanned,” she says, heading over to a wall of grab bags. “It was a grab bag full for $10.”
Then, she pauses to pan over the shelves of the $10 bags. “She said, ‘Wait a minute. Are these Little People in here? Why was this on the shelf?’” she recalls the cashier saying, adding. “‘We’re not supposed to put any Little People on the shelves.'”
Then, the content creator panned over the wall to reveal the bags filled with these plastic figures.
“Then, she said, ‘We always send these off,’” she remembers the worker referring to the company’s auction site. However, it doesn’t stop Lacey from helping herself to another one by plucking it off the shelf and placing it in her cart.
Viewers Are Appalled
“Hate when employees act like they’re losing money,” the top comment with 22Meak likes wrote.
“Mind you they get that for FREE,” a second remarked.
“I can’t stand how greedy goodwill is,” a third criticized.
Even a fourth refused to give up their collection because of this. “Guess I’ll be hoarding my little people forever,” they said.
Meanwhile, others recalled their similar encounters at Goodwill.
“I’ve had one take something as scanning it and call a manger. Manager took it into the back said sorry can’t sell this. It was a free people dress,” one commenter revealed.
“This same thing happened to me yesterday, I gave her attitude right back and said I will be purchasing these, not my problem,” a second shared.
In the comments section, she clarified a few details. “I got to keep them! That goodwill ships things off for their online store.”
Certain products inevitably slip through the cracks. While Lacey was lucky to retain her purchase, some were not so lucky. One California woman experienced this firsthand in October. When she attempted to purchase a luxury bag on sale, only for the manager to swoop in and snatch it for the online store.
What Is Goodwill’s Online Store?
Typically, online stores are the in-person counterpart where customers place orders in their virtual cart to check out. Pretty hassle-free, right? However, don’t let the term ‘online store’ fool you. Since 1999, Goodwill has operated ShopGoodwill.com, a noncommercial version of eBay that allows consumers to bid on higher-end, pre-owned products and have them delivered to their doorstep. According to their website, all the funds are donated to spread the Goodwill mission of giving back to the community.
@redheadedmama05 I couldn’t believe I found these!! #thriftscore #fisherpricelittlepeople #goodwillfinds #thrifting #toycollection ♬ original sound – Thrifty Redhead
The Mary Sue reached out to Lacey via TikTok comment and direct message as well as Goodwill via press email.
Have a tip we should know? [email protected]
