Re: Ripoff Thrift Stores, Was: New Apple II BBS

[Byron Desnoyers Winmill <wbdesnoy@ucalgary.ca>]

On Fri, 6 Feb 2004, Sheldon Simms wrote:
> someone will purchase their merchandise and resell it on Ebay,
> collecting the difference. I don't see why this is a problem, but
> apparently thrift stores think it is, so they raise their prices to
> match Ebay's. So can we conclude that the presence of Ebay harms poor
> people by increasing their cost of living?

I very much doubt that thrift stores price things according to ePay.
More often than not, they don't know what the value of something is so
they will over value certain items and under value others.  It was this
way long before ePay.  Actually, I had a clerk scream at me up and down
when I offered five bucks for an Apple IIgs game.  Something about them
raising money for charitable causes.  If you sense some bitterness from
them over reselling stuff, that may be why.  ;-)  Then there is the
problem of dealers snatching up all of the good stuff to fatten their
pockets, leaving crap for thrift store customers (this is pretty bad
for business).

As for getting deals out of thrift stores: it is possible to do so on a
consistent basis.  But I'm not about to announce the tricks of the
trade to ePayers, because I have no desire to compete with them.  Every
time you swipe something from a thrift store to fatten your wallet, I
loose a potential toy to play with.  I have no desire to fatten your
pockets, the pockets of ePay, the pockets of the shipping companies,
and the pockets of those who run the various payment schemes.  I would
rather see that money reinvested in the community.