A viral TikTok showing the price disparity between Goodwill and an independent “thrift store” has angered viewers, leading them to blame resellers for “ruining thrifting.”
In the video posted on Jan. 27, Angel Munoz (@angelmunoz80) was walking through his local thrift store when he spotted a set of three brass swans. “Let’s see how much it is,” he said before checking the price tag that showed the decor costs $220.
@angelmunoz90 #brass #thiftshop #thriftstore #thriftstorefinds #bruh #pricegouging #Swan ♬ original sound – Angel Munoz
“Well, I bet it has a cool history or something or like was handmade,” Munoz said in the video. “Or they bought it from Goodwill for $8.99,” he continued, flipping over the swan to reveal a Goodwill price tag showing the much cheaper price.
This video has now amassed a whopping 1.8 million views. Outrage against resellers spewed in the comments, with hundreds coming for antique stores and thrift flippers.
“This is why I don’t thrift anymore,” a comment with thousands of likes read.
“I bet half of their inventory came from the ‘free’ section of Facebook marketplace,” another wrote.
TikTokers debated in the comments, many saying this was how businesses make a profit while others called it a scam.
“Aren’t they doing what you are supposed to? Buy cheap sale high? Why mad?” a commenter wrote.
“Because thrifting, which was an accessible way for poor people to get access to things, is now gentrified and only the wealthy can afford to thrift,” a user replied.
As the commenters continued arguing over whether antique stores should even be called thrift stores, other self-identified thrift-flippers defended the swan’s price tag.
“The people in these comments don’t know how many hours it takes to find and curate vintage items to resell. those large brass items are worth that,” they wrote.
“At least take the sticker off first,” someone else replied.
Goodwill Industries, which is funded by its massive network of retail stores across the country, is a non-profit organization that relies on donated goods to generate income. There seems to be a general consensus in the comments, however, that the prices have slowly been increasing over the years.
“Resellers have rly ruined thrifting,” a TikToker wrote in the comments. “Can’t blame them though, this society demands a greasy side hustle just to survive.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Angel Munoz via TikTok comment.
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