We left California in February and have been on the road since - currently we're in upstate New York. I've been selling on eBay for about 14 years and doing very well so I didn't want to give up the extra income when my husband retired and we hit the road.
I have to say I've been depending on Thriftshopper.com to find the stores in each city and it's usually pretty accurate although a few have closed or moved. I also read the reviews and if they're bad we avoid the store - it seems that in many cases there aren't recent reviews which is sad because people do read them.
I'm amazed at the difference in prices and products across the US. In Texas (near Dallas) the Goodwill was asking $7.99 for long sleeve blouses and in Kentucky they were $2.99. Goodwill has been the most reliable source as far as quality and consistency - the worst has been Salvation Army! A lot of their stores are very dirty and very overpriced. And then there's the controversial Savers. I do find things there and always wait for the Senior Discount or when they have the stamp cards but generally speaking they're over-priced.
Generally speaking the thrift stores have all learned to use Ebay as their measure for worth and almost all mark up brand names but miss the "boutique" brands. Most do not pay much attention to condition either. They're getting much more savvy on collectibles, too.
Traveling in New England I saw some beautiful furniture for great prices - We got some great deals at Amvets stores in Knoxville, TN. Now and again we have found a little non-profit store like the animal rescue one in St. Augustine FL that was a great store with friendly people and great prices.
All in all it's a great experience and gathering some great stories - someday I think I'll write a book about thrift store etiquette!
If anyone has any good stores to share we're in New York state and heading south through PA, MD and on to VA then home to California before the weather gets nasty again.
