Why do Goodwill prices feel so high now?

Growing up we got a lot of our clothes from thrift stores—from Salvation Army, to the local church-affiliated resale store.

It wasn’t because my brother and I were hip, it was because secondhand shops were an inexpensive option for a family on a tight budget.

Fast forward 30 years. Shopping secondhand has become fashionable, which is great, but an annoying part is that a lot of things that shouldn’t cost a lot, now are.

A few weeks ago in one charity shop I found:

• expired glue sticks priced like a new

• an opened box of saline solution (gross)

• and ripped jeans going for nearly what a new pair of the same brand costs

So I went looking for an answer. Why is Goodwill so expensive now? And why does the same store still turn up the occasional steal?

I'm not the only one asking. There are plenty of Reddit threads asking how Goodwill, the Salvation Army or the local nonprofit thrift store can charge this much for something that was donated. Here's what's going on with resale pricing in 2026.

Why does Goodwill charge so much for donated items?

Two reasons: a lot more people are shopping secondhand, and running a thrift store costs more than it used to.

Thrifting isn't just for families on a budget anymore. U.S. used-merchandise stores (the Census Bureau's category for thrift shops, consignment and antique stores) sold $24.6 billion in 2025, up 12% from the year before. All of retail grew 3.5%. And it's speeding up. In the first seven months of 2026, used-merchandise stores sold 15% more than a year earlier, while retail overall grew about 5% (Census Bureau).

Goodwill had its best year ever in 2025, with about $7 billion in revenue, according to its chief operating officer.

Then there's cost. Donations come in free, but someone still has to sort them, price them and hang them up, in a store that pays rent and wages. Jennifer Le Zotte, a history professor at UNC Wilmington who wrote a book on the history of secondhand shopping, told Marketplace in September that overhead is up for everyone.

How does Goodwill price items?

There's no national Goodwill price list. Goodwill is about 150 separate local organizations, and each one sets its own prices based on local market research (Goodwill). A Goodwill spokesperson told Marketplace those prices reflect local market conditions, item quality and shopper demand.

Several of them price by category, not by the item you're holding. Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont posts its price list online. Every pair of adult jeans is $6.99. Adult shirts are $4.99. Adult shoes are $6.99. Things like furniture, small appliances and antiques get priced one at a time, based on quality and condition.

Goodwill Industries of the Valleys works the same way. Its pricing software gives staff five to 10 price options per category, and it doesn't tell brands apart.

And there's a lot to get through. Goodwill counted close to 120 million separate donation drop-offs in 2025. A flat price per category is fast. It also doesn't notice an expiration date, a broken seal or a rip.

That's probably how my expired glue sticks ended up priced like new ones. It's also why the same store can feel like a rip-off and a steal on the same day. Ripped jeans and barely worn jeans can carry the same tag, and so can a name-brand shirt and a store-brand one.

Why are thrift stores so expensive now?

Stores have also gotten a lot better at spotting what's valuable.

Le Zotte told Marketplace that shops have become savvier about what their stuff is worth, and many now pull higher-priced items into their own section. Thrifting blogger Toni Agovino said staff who have the time may look things up on eBay or Poshmark and price them close to those listings.

Some of the best donations never make it to the rack at all. ShopGoodwill, Goodwill's online auction site, sold $450 million worth of goods in 2025, its best year yet.

We've also all gotten used to paying more for everything. Le Zotte said that because shoppers expect higher prices, shops feel they can charge more, and that prices could come back down if buyers stop paying them.

Do resellers drive up thrift store prices?

Depends who you ask. Resellers buy thrift finds to flip online, and a lot of shoppers blame them.

Goodwill has pushed back. In 2023, Goodwill Industries of Akron told Kent State NewsLab that resellers don't drive up costs, and that it sees them as new customers. Agovino sees it differently. She told Marketplace that stores see resellers profiting and want that money for themselves, and at a charity shop, that money goes to the mission.

Either way, the result for shoppers is the same. The more a store prices like a reseller, the fewer underpriced finds are left for the rest of us.

Is Goodwill cheaper than Walmart?

Sometimes. It depends on the item.

In 2024, Goodwill South Texas' chief operating officer told KRIS 6 News that his team checks prices at other thrift stores and big retailers and tries to come in lower. But a category price is set for a typical item, not the one in your hands. If a basic T-shirt is on sale new for less than $4.99, it's cheaper new than at a store where every shirt is $4.99. You're more likely to save on the well-made jacket or the name-brand jeans that got the same tag as everything else in their category.

Sales help too. Some Goodwills run a color-of-the-week sale. At Goodwill of Greater Washington, anything with that week's tag color is 50% off, Monday through Sunday.

How to tell if a thrift store price is a deal

• Look up what the same thing costs new, including on sale or clearance.

• For name-brand or nicer pieces, check what the same item has actually sold for used, not what people are asking.

• Check the condition against the price. A category price doesn't account for rips, stains or missing parts.

• Check dates and seals on anything you'd use up, like glue, saline solution or makeup.

• Ask which tag color is on sale this week.

• Shop around. Prices are set locally, so the same thing can cost more at one store than another.