CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Dave Dorsey is a Goodwill customer that spoke with KRIS 6. We asked him if he noticed an increase in prices at Goodwill and thrift stores over the last few years.
"I did just notice it just now. Blue jeans are $9 a pair inside," Dorsey said.
Dorsey said he remembers blue jeans being over 50% cheaper a few years ago.
"Four dollars," Dorsey said.
So what was Goodwill's response to claims their prices have increased?
Will Lufburrow, Goodwill's Chief Operating Officer for South Texas stated that Goodwill is, "trying to keep our prices as low as we can. We actually go to the market. We analyze what the market is doing. We try to be lower for the thrift shopper," Lufburrow said.
Lufburrow said daily discounts and price comparisons are some ways they keep their prices competitive.
"We look at other thrifters, we look at major retailers, we try to be competitive but lower than they are," said Lufburrow.
KRIS 6 reporter, Tony Jaramillo, found two items to compare against retailers. One was a Wrangler men's button-up, which is $5.59. Since it has a purple sticker, it is 25% off, making it $4.19 before tax. So how does this stack up against Walmart?
A similar shirt is about $17 before tax.
What about these men's pants? They are $6.44 before tax and $30 before tax brand new at Target.
Dorsey said while secondhand prices have gone up, you can still find deals at thrift stores you cannot find anywhere else.
"There’s a suitcase I’m looking at. It’s a London Fog versus some Walmart something. So I mean, you look at the difference on that. The London Fog is only ten dollars. It’s probably worth $100," Dorsey said.
So what is the future of thrifting?
According to this Business Insider article, “The market for second-hand goods in the us is expected to grow 16 times faster than full-price clothing and be worth $82 billion by 2026."
For the latest local news updates, click here, or download the KRIS 6 News App.
