‘They have no idea what they’re doing’: Woman proves Goodwill prices don’t add up after finding ‘fake’ Coach bag for $40–then stumbling onto a real one
When thrift shopping at Goodwill, one would expect to find decent items at affordable prices. After all, it is a thrift shop. At least, that’s what it used to be. Within a couple of years, the organization has faced accusations of price gouging. As this Goodwill customer observed, the nonprofit cannot allegedly differentiate authentic luxury brands from counterfeits.
What did this woman find at Goodwill?
“At the Goodwill right now. I have to show you guys how stupid this is,” avid thrift shopper Brighton (@brightandbeyond777) says, standing in front of a bag rack inside her local Goodwill. “They have no idea what they’re doing.”
Then, she flips her camera to pull what is supposed to be a Coach Signature Stripe Shoulder Khaki Yellow Hobo Bag hanging. Immediately, all signs indicate its true authenticity.
“This extremely fake Coach. This is not even on straight,” she says, focusing on the logo. “It feels cheap. It’s not like their normal canvas,” the content creator adds, running her hands across the fabric. According to the yellow price tag she reveals, the store is charging $39.99 for it.
After spotting a small black leather bag, Brighton is more perplexed.
“Then, I found this. Not branded except for,” she says, pointing to the “Coach” leather hang tag. “The saddle bag has a creed,” she continues, showing the faint “Coach” serial number on the inside. All of these indicate this is a real Coach purse. However, the $5 price shows the employees weren’t aware of it.
What did viewers say?
The video amassed over 790,000 views. Because viral videos often end up on big companies’ FYPs, many pleaded with Brighton to remove her clip.
“Take this down. Don’t EDUCATE THEM,” one viewer begged.
“Stop showing them. They’re gonna start learning. Books are already $4,” another agreed.
“Let them be delulu. We want the deals,” a third remarked.
Moreover, others shared their luxury bag finds from Goodwill.
“Two weeks in a row I got an authentic bag. a Kate spade for $2 and a vintage dooney & Bourke for $5,” one commenter revealed.
“Yep, I found an all leather coach from 1999 just thrown in with the $5.99 bags. When I went to check out, they had a fake logo print monstrosity behind the counter,” a second stated.
What does Goodwill do with luxury items?
Apparently, what Brighton and other viewers discovered is a rarity. From one Goodwill customer’s experience, high-value items such as these brands head straight to the online auction despite being donated after an employee allegedly swiped her extravagant bag she found. Indeed, its website confirms this: “Higher-quality items like luxury or designer brands are sent to ShopGoodwill, an online auction site where people nationwide can thrift from the comfort of their home, all while supporting Goodwill’s mission to connect people with employment.”
How to spot a fake Coach bag
There are three main components to look for. First is the story patch (i.e., the serial number) etched in the bag. First, check whether the numbers and the name are spelled correctly. Next is the material the bag is made of—Business Insider recommends inspecting the hang tag to confirm it matches the bag’s smooth leather quality. Instead, the fake tags are typically thin and frail. Finally, keep an eye on the craftsmanship. Real bags have perfect, even stitching with a butter-soft signature “C” emblazoned, Love Your Purse explains. On the other hand, inauthentic ones have jagged, uneven, or overly stitched lines using a crooked “C” or “G”, “Q”, or “O” to form it.
If you’re ever in doubt, visit your local Coach or Coach Outlet so an employee can verify. To err on the side of caution, purchase directly from the retailer.
@brightandbeyond777 #thriftwithme #thriftfinds #thrifting #coach ♬ original sound – brighton | thrifty mom
The Mary Sue reached out to Brighton via email and TikTok comment as well as Goodwill via press email.
Update Nov. 22, 2025:
During an interview with The Mary Sue, Brighton revealed she discovered these bags at a Goodwill in Colorado, where the faux one was locked up and the authentic one was in the racks.
“Goodwill usually keeps bags they believe are valuable locked up to prevent theft. It’s always interesting to see what they choose to put behind lock and key,” she shared via email. “The fake Coach bag was locked up because whoever priced it didn’t notice the obvious signs that it wasn’t authentic. The faux leather literally disintegrating, the flimsy canvas, and a crooked Coach creed that was placed on the outside of the bag.”
She continued, “Meanwhile, the authentic vintage Coach bag (a black 1990s Hippie Saddle bag) was tossed into the racks with hundreds of other purses they didn’t consider valuable enough to lock up.”
Because her curiosity was piqued, she wanted to check out the price tag.
“I’ve been going to Goodwill for years and the pricing has changed drastically lately. When I saw the fake Coach, I had to look at the price tag just out of curiosity,” the content creator said. “It was $39.99, which would actually be a reasonable price if it were an authentic Coach bag.”
However, Brighton didn’t blame the price mislabeling on the employees.
“I want to be clear that Goodwill employees aren’t to blame at all, they’re doing their jobs with the guidelines they’re given. The issue is the corporate side of Goodwill, which has shifted from being an affordable nonprofit donation center to pricing items like a for-profit resale store, even though their entire inventory is donated,” she stated. “With endless online resources to tell them what’s trending and sought after, they’ve become very quick to mark items up to the point that their customer base can no longer afford to shop there.”
But she has discovered gems over the years at Goodwill.
“With how high Goodwill’s prices have gotten, it’s almost not worth shopping there anymore. But every once in a while, you come across something GOOD that they completely overlooked,” she revealed. “I’ve found some amazing pieces over the years. I recently came across a Chloe quilted coat. But my most prized Goodwill find was an Altuzarra bag, also not locked up, that retailed for around $2,800. I bought it for $13.”
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