W.PA Goodwills are changing~~

[aGentlerTime]

The GW's in my area have a new YOUNG Executive Officer who has come in "green" and decided to 'clean house' his way without thinking through the consequences, and it is cutting sales already dramatically in the first week of some  of  the changeovers.  I wonder if most of your GW's across the country are doing the same or similar. 

Our GW's are now being mandated to to sizing all clothing items, which can be good for some and horrible for others.  Ease of the find makes discovering the occasional extraordinary "find" next to impossible.  They have also took to pricing ALL purses to $3.99 all shoes to $3.99. Lowered some clothing items, but took away all 1/2 color of the week discounts. They also eliminated the 30% Tuesday senior discount. Another thing of the past is bagged jewelry (the tangled messes and broken/missing stones or ugly pieces tossed in a catch all bag for a lot price)  Under this new Executive's directives, all single unit intact jewelry will be sold for $1.  Anything that falls into what used to go to bagged jewelry will now be shipped to Mars, and sold for pennies to the dollar of what they could have gotten in America.

The grapevine also says that the new Executive is making all employees reapply for their positions and accept new job descriptions for reemployment. If this is not acceptable, they will be let go at the end of this month.  What again, has happened to the initial mission of GW (helping people better their lives).  The "less than managers" employees are not even aware of this transpiring.  This is not fair to people who put in a fair days work and are loyal to their positions.

GW has turned into just another business that is all about the buck and lost the mission. That turns my stomach.

[valleythriftshopper]

Our GW's are now being mandated to to sizing all clothing items, which can be good for some and horrible for others.  Ease of the find makes discovering the occasional extraordinary "find" next to impossible.  They have also took to pricing ALL purses to $3.99 all shoes to $3.99. Lowered some clothing items, but took away all 1/2 color of the week discounts. They also eliminated the 30% Tuesday senior discount. Another thing of the past is bagged jewelry (the tangled messes and broken/missing stones or ugly pieces tossed in a catch all bag for a lot price)  Under this new Executive's directives, all single unit intact jewelry will be sold for $1.  Anything that falls into what used to go to bagged jewelry will now be shipped to Mars, and sold for pennies to the dollar of what they could have gotten in America.

 

Sounds like all those policies could be hit or miss, but look at the bright side.  3.99 would be too much for some things but a bargain for others, like designer bags or shoes for $3.99.  Same with jewelry- $1.00 for a single earring is stupid, but a vintage or sterling piece for $1.00 is a find!  The little independant thrift here prices everything the same- from designer to regular, so I got the new Vera Bradley purse for $2.00 yesterday because all purses are $2.00.  So if they put flat prices on everything it can actually work out in your favor.

[aGentlerTime]

I did forget to mention that they will be special pricing high end items.  Our GW's have individually priced shoes and handbags that are not in the high end section for a long time and the new policy will eliminate that. I guess I get most upset that the mission to help people learn to be self sufficient is being lost due to them being more interested in profit.  I remember years ago, GW had a senior officer retiring, and they were having a sit down dinner for his retirement. They put a $100 per ticket price on attending which disallowed the ones who would most love to be there (the "clients" who work the store learning basic skills)from attending. Its just tidbits like that which make me question the mission that they stand behind. It does not stop me from going to the store but it does bother me.

[Troy McClure]

Wait it out...sometimes change is good and sometimes it will be reversed.  You never know, too me if 1/2 the GW's vanishe it would make it great for the other Thrift stores and even better on the real thrift shopper.

[Anna5231980]

I think its sad.  The whole mission of Goodwill is to help people with disabilities.  I was offered the job of running shopgoodwill.com in SW Florida recently.  A major part of being offered the job was that I had been out of work due major surgeries and disabilities.  So, I can say that at least in our part of the country Goodwill's mission to help people with disabilities is still intact.

[Krisathome]

I don't think our GW is very concerned with helping people that need it.  It just seems to get more greedy for the big bucks. 

I do know that anything that comes into the store that is an antique or in anyway valuable gets shipped out to a bigger GW in another town.  That is making the employees angry and a few of them have walked off the job. 

And I seem to remember years ago GW had people with disabilities working in the stores.  I have never seen that happen here.  Guess I don't know what their philosophy is anymore. 

[Thrift Shop Romantic]

Being from Western PA, I'll be interested to see how these things shake out. I was actually just to two Goodwills over the weekend and didn't notice anything terribly different-- other than that it was raining and the thrifters had not really come out-- so the shelves were quite full of merchandise.

[aGentlerTime]

Monroeville was the first store HR hit with the "you must reapply for your job or you will be let go June 30th" surprise.  Monroeville also has clothes all sized and one set prices on purses and shoes. Mcknight Road has implimented some of the new procedures and Banksville should be done by this week.  I do not go to Cheswick anymore, but I hear they are evolving too. I am not sure why the changeover dates are not all the same and I really do not understand them telling ALL GW employees of the drastic changes occuring by June 30.

[Magpie18]

From a payroll/HR view,  it would be really DUMB not to tell the employees at the same time ( even if the roll out varies for different location).

Always assume employees at different locations talk to each other.

sounds like  that area GW's unemployment rate is going to take a hit next year

[aGentlerTime]

I just hope the employees don't react with emotions, and just up and quit. They need to wait to be let go :O(  I agree that employees would talk among themselves ,and to other stores, and find out also.  The grapevine is whispering that a HR rep is visiting one store at a time to discuss the changes.  It doesnt sound too professional to me, nor what I would expect of a non-profit that is supposed to be uplifting people's lives.

[dukek9]

Do you all have long term employees at your Goodwills? I swear everytime I get to feel like I recognize the workers at Goodwill, they are gone and new faces are in place.

Dee

[aGentlerTime]

Ours have alot of turnover but there are the few dedicated ones that are so loyal to their position and have been there for years. It seems like most that are turning over are the high school and college aged people who are continually in transition.

[Magpie18]

Well, since their focus is job training -- maybe turnover is a good thing?