In large information for thrifters in every single place, Goodwill goes digital. It’s launching GoodwillFinds, a brand new web site that means that you can flick through roughly 100,000 items of secondhand merchandise from the consolation of your sofa.
As an alternative of creating your strategy to one among Goodwill’s 3,300 shops, now you’ll be able to simply click on in your favourite bargains and have them shipped to you. As a result of your purchases will come from Goodwill areas throughout the U.S. and Canada, the transport prices for every merchandise will differ — however they’ll by no means be a shock. At checkout, you’ll be provided transport choices primarily based in your handle.
The objective is to listing 1,000,000 objects on the positioning inside just a few years, said Matthew Kaness, the web site’s CEO. Finally, the plan is for GoodwillFinds to be personalised for consumers primarily based on every buyer’s earlier purchases on the positioning.
For now, there’s a search bar, and it’s also possible to browse by class. Do you want girls’s clothes, males’s clothes or sneakers? Cookware, jewellery or books? Residence decor? Collector’s objects? It’s all there.
When individuals donate their secondhand stuff to Goodwill shops, staff will determine which issues to listing on-line. They’ll examine every merchandise, and if it’s soiled or in dangerous form, they gained’t attempt to promote it.
Goodwill additionally says they’ll settle for returns for purchases that arrive broken, or if there’s an incorrect merchandise in your order. GoodwillFinds takes main bank cards and PayPal, however not Apple Pay.
The brand new web site is the brainchild of a coalition of Goodwill leaders from throughout the nation who wished to deliver Goodwill totally into the digital age. It’s an enchancment over Goodwill’s earlier web providing, an public sale web site referred to as ShopGoodwill (which continues to be working). You possibly can’t simply click-and-purchase on that web site — it’s important to bid on objects.
This new Goodwill procuring web site comes simply in time for the vacation procuring season, too.
And though we’re large followers of placing collectively reasonably priced Halloween costumes, you’ll want to position your on-line order for spooky stuff by Oct. 20, based on the web site. After that, you’ll must go to Goodwill in individual to throw collectively an inexpensive zombie or rocker costume.
Goodwill is a 120-year-old nonprofit group, the granddaddy of thrift outlets in every single place. Once you purchase from Goodwill — or from GoodwillFinds — the proceeds assist fund Goodwill’s community-based social service applications throughout the U.S. and Canada, like youth mentorship, job placement {and professional} coaching.
Additionally, it’s a great way to avoid wasting a buck or two.
Mike Brassfield ([email protected]) is a senior author at The PNW.