Thrift Store Finds (Value Village, Salvation Army, Etc...)

[GreatGreg]

Yes, I noticed price increases too. From $2.99 to $3.99.

Prices vary from store to store though.

[Rhylliam]

Originally Posted by disco1979

Some Value Villages in Toronto have been increasing their prices. I found Minari sealed with slip for $7.99. Generally they go for $5.99 in most Value Village stores but this store has raised the price by two dollars.

All Calgary Value Village stores put DVDs up to 3.99 over a year ago. Most TV shows are either 7.99 or 5.99 depending on location. Blu-rays are supposed to be 5.99 now too. They didn't used to sticker every item, but now are. The new stickers leave an ugly residue versus their older style. Plus you pay these guys tax on purchases.

Meanwhile, Goodwill locations lowered their DVD prices to 2.00 each, including Blu-rays, and no tax.

[disco1979]

Originally Posted by Rhylliam

All Calgary Value Village stores put DVDs up to 3.99 over a year ago. Most TV shows are either 7.99 or 5.99 depending on location. Blu-rays are supposed to be 5.99 now too. They didn't used to sticker every item, but now are. The new stickers leave an ugly residue versus their older style. Plus you pay these guys tax on purchases.

Meanwhile, Goodwill locations lowered their DVD prices to 2.00 each, including Blu-rays, and no tax.

Sadly, Ontario lost most of our Goodwills a few years ago when they abruptly closed a bunch of locations. I believe they have opened in Mississauga but I have not visited that store.

A few VVs in Toronto have all items priced with a sticker as they have moved to the self-checkout module. So all cassettes, CDs, DVDs and Blu-rays are priced.

[Rhylliam]

Originally Posted by disco1979

A few VVs in Toronto have all items priced with a sticker as they have moved to the self-checkout module. So all cassettes, CDs, DVDs and Blu-rays are priced.

Ahh I wonder if this is to prep for Alberta stores moving toward self-checkouts.

[TheMGR]

These Value Village stores should be ashamed of themselves for pricing used blu-rays at $7.99, I've seen this happening over the past few weeks at one of the stores and it's ridiculous. Until now pretty much every blu-ray was $3.99, so this is a significant price increase. But at least they're still selling the case for Spectre with the disc for Hitch in it instead for $3.99, so that's something.

However I will say that generally they have one of the easiest self checkout systems around, it's a breeze and it's definitely preferable to standing in the legendarily long and slow-moving VV checkout line.

[ertman]

Originally Posted by TheMGR

These Value Village stores should be ashamed of themselves for pricing used blu-rays at $7.99, I've seen this happening over the past few weeks at one of the stores and it's ridiculous. Until now pretty much every blu-ray was $3.99, so this is a significant price increase. But at least they're still selling the case for Spectre with the disc for Hitch in it instead for $3.99, so that's something.

However I will say that generally they have one of the easiest self checkout systems around, it's a breeze and it's definitely preferable to standing in the legendarily long and slow-moving VV checkout line.

At my "local" Value Village(s) the pricing for blur ays has gone from $2.99 in 2018 to $5.99 currently. The change to $5.99 was in beginning of 2021.

You should have seen the price gouging during the pandemic. They were selling 10-12 year 32 inch old tvs for $200, where the week before they were $70.

[NadalFan]

I picked up Tank Girl DVD at the Airdrie Value Village for $4. They also had blu Ray's for $4

[Rhylliam]

Originally Posted by ertman

At my "local" Value Village(s) the pricing for blur ays has gone from $2.99 in 2018 to $5.99 currently. The change to $5.99 was in beginning of 2021.

You should have seen the price gouging during the pandemic. They were selling 10-12 year 32 inch old tvs for $200, where the week before they were $70.

Value Village (Calgary, Macleod Trail @ Southland) has started tagging DVDs at $2.99. There was a mix of 3.99 & 2.99. Whenever I would get those survey receipts, that was my sole complaint, so maybe they're actually listening and returning slowly to the older pricing? My argument was that DVDs at Goodwill were literally half the price.

[supervij]

Today (and yesterday) the Salvation Army thrift stores have a 50% off sale for books and media. But check the case before paying! I almost bought a Pocahontas Blu-ray but in my curiosity to see if there was a DMI points slip, I opened the case to find no discs. It was only $2 but I’m glad I checked before paying!

[TheMGR]

Seeing more and more $7.99 BDs at one of the Value Villages I visit a lot so that was a bummer (although it would have been a fair price for the 4-film Lethal Weapon collection had any of the discs actually been in the box) but I did manage to find, for $3.99, a slipcovered copy of the limited "Backer's Edition" DVD for the sci-fi/action movie Code 8 which was crowdfunded through Indiegogo; even better, when I looked inside there was a second loose disc in the case which turned out to be the Backer's Edition of the movie on Blu-Ray which I guess someone had just tossed in there. I think aside from the packaging, the only difference between this and the commercial disc release is that it includes additional audio options and the original short film that inspired the feature. Anyway you gotta scour those shelves if you want to find the good stuff!

[Frantic Canadian]

Originally Posted by supervij

Today (and yesterday) the Salvation Army thrift stores have a 50% off sale for books and media. But check the case before paying! I almost bought a Pocahontas Blu-ray but in my curiosity to see if there was a DMI points slip, I opened the case to find no discs. It was only $2 but I’m glad I checked before paying!

I stopped by local one today and they seemed to have gotten rid of any and all VHS, DVD, and Blu-Ray. I haven't been there in months, though, so I don't know how recent that is. Also, ALWAYS check the case to make sure that A) the disc is actually in there B) the correct disc is actually in there and C) that the disc isn't scratched to hell.

Originally Posted by TheMGR

Seeing more and more $7.99 BDs at one of the Value Villages I visit a lot so that was a bummer (although it would have been a fair price for the 4-film Lethal Weapon collection had any of the discs actually been in the box) but I did manage to find, for $3.99, a slipcovered copy of the limited "Backer's Edition" DVD for the sci-fi/action movie Code 8 which was crowdfunded through Indiegogo; even better, when I looked inside there was a second loose disc in the case which turned out to be the Backer's Edition of the movie on Blu-Ray which I guess someone had just tossed in there. I think aside from the packaging, the only difference between this and the commercial disc release is that it includes additional audio options and the original short film that inspired the feature. Anyway you gotta scour those shelves if you want to find the good stuff!

They're still charging 5.99$ for Blu-Rays at my local one. I'm honestly surprised that they didn't raise the price on them considering that they raised the price on VHS from 99 cents to 1.99$ and on DVDs from 2.99$ to 3.99$. Their Blu-Ray selection is extremely small, sometimes only a handful at most, though. I don't even bother with their DVDs any more at that price when I can get them for 2$ at a nearby pawn shop and 1$ at another one. It would have to be something rare or hard to find in order for me to pay 4$ for a DVD now.

[TheMGR]

I strongly agree $3.99 is too much for your garden-variety DVD and I'd much prefer they were cheaper, but my local pawn shop (who used to sell pretty much everything for $1-3) not only moved further away but started raising their prices a while back, and aside from Value Village there aren't really any other convenient options for browsing the shelves for deals around here and fortunately the VVs in my area generally have lots of DVDs for sale at all times (and the turnover is pretty good as well). So if I see a rarity or something I really want that isn't on Blu-Ray or which is hard to find on BD, I'll grab it at that price -- and sometimes that includes TV season sets like the SNL Complete Third Season set I found recently so that sweetens the deal a bit. It's a crapshoot but I'm just glad to still be able to go into a store and maybe find something cool, even if I walk out empty handed there's always next time

[disco1979]

Sometimes the cashier doesn't know the difference between a DVD or Blu-Ray. So they may not turn it over and scan the price but treat it as a DVD. Most of the VV stores price them at $3.99 each, whereas - with the exception of a few stores in Toronto that price them at $6.99 or $7.99 - they tend to be $5.99.

Lately it's been a bit quiet but I did find a mint condition copy of U2 Rattle and Hum.

And a sealed edition of Dreamworks Ultimate Holiday Collection.

[HD Canuck]

Scored one blu-ray at a thrift store for $5, problem is, I went to so many yesterday I can't remember which one.



I mainly went out to score video games. Hit up a few Value Village, Goodwill, Salvation Army, and WINS locations. Very good haul yesterday. Except that games are ranging anywhere from $3.99 to $7.99 between VV locations, with better games like Super Mario Bros Wii and Zelda for $14.99. The prices aren't equivalent between VV locations. Also scored a Wii in box for $40 at Goodwill and a Wii Disney Infinity deck for $3.99 at VV.

Got my first Nintendo Wii 3 weeks ago. Love it. Games are cheap for it right now. It's like that era when the SNES and N64 came out and the Value Villages were filled with NES consoles and accessories. Wish I told my 12 year-old self back in the early 90s to buy a bunch up and leave in a box. They're going for around $100 now depending on what accessories are in the package. It was thanks to the pandemic I got back into retro gaming. Not much to do at home during those first months so dusted off the NES and SNES and Gameboy games and had a blast. Picked up my first N64 and Wii this year.

If anyone is after books, Goodwill is the best. Just $2. Scored a Commander James Lovell autographed copy of Apollo 13 last week for $2.

[Hbx360]

Local Value Village is expensive, with Blu-rays typically being $7.99, but sometimes even $9.99. And some of the movies and CDs had the discs stolen. I was unsuccessful in finding any electronic music CDs, and almost any albums from prominent rock or pop artists were almost always $5.99.

But I can report that I found and purchased my first 4K from a thrift store. At $7.99 and not a highly regarded film, Independence Day: Resurgence is not as good of a deal as some have gotten, but it is a now OOP Fox 4K title, so I thought why not. The 4K disc was a bit loose but without scratches, and the digital code sheet was included and unused. I think I got lucky in that it was among the DVDs instead of the regular Blu-rays, likely on account of case colour.

[Thebunk]

The main place I go to here (they have two locations here) sell their BDs\4Ks all for $4 for one, $10 for 3.

Yesterday I was lucky enough to stumble upon The Wild Robot (with Slip), Alien: Romulus and then for the third title it was slim pickings but I decided to grab the Vacation 2015 version as I have seen a recent review of it and the trailer does look good.

[disco1979]

I find it harder these days to find treasures. Regarding Blu Rays, thrift stores still carry more DVDs than Blus.

Last year I had probably my greatest discovery when I found a massive amount of 4Ks in mint condition (The Deer Hunter, Unforgiven, Spartacus, Blade Runner 2049, Wonder Woman, some Marvel movies, First Man, Dunkirk, the Jack Ryan collection, the X-Men movie collection) and some sealed discs (The Wizard of Oz 3D and the Kino Lorber edition of Hitchcock's Lifeboat).

[Hbx360]

Originally Posted by disco1979

I find it harder these days to find treasures. Regarding Blu Rays, thrift stores still carry more DVDs than Blus.

Last year I had probably my greatest discovery when I found a massive amount of 4Ks in mint condition (The Deer Hunter, Unforgiven, Spartacus, Blade Runner 2049, Wonder Woman, some Marvel movies, First Man, Dunkirk, the Jack Ryan collection, the X-Men movie collection) and some sealed discs (The Wizard of Oz 3D and the Kino Lorber edition of Hitchcock's Lifeboat).

It varies by location where I am, but Value Village locations have the price of Blu-rays at either $5.99 or in the case of my nearest location, $7.99. That location prices the DVDs at $5.99. So I mostly observed window shopping when I was there last. And the Blu-rays I have seen are the mass produced studio ones that I would not be incentivized to pick up at even $4. Some are probably OOP now, such as titles released by Alliance/eOne, but do not have a lot of demand. I think pro thrifters are probably trained by now to pick out the studio titles that are both OOP and highly demanded, such as 28 Days Later.

And there are way, way more DVDs than Blu-rays. There were even more VHS tapes than Blu-rays. And the one 4K I've seen was hidden among the DVDs.

[disco1979]

Originally Posted by Hbx360

It varies by location where I am, but Value Village locations have the price of Blu-rays at either $5.99 or in the case of my nearest location, $7.99. That location prices the DVDs at $5.99. So I mostly observed window shopping when I was there last. And the Blu-rays I have seen are the mass produced studio ones that I would not be incentivized to pick up at even $4. Some are probably OOP now, such as titles released by Alliance/eOne, but do not have a lot of demand. I think pro thrifters are probably trained by now to pick out the studio titles that are both OOP and highly demanded, such as 28 Days Later.

And there are way, way more DVDs than Blu-rays. There were even more VHS tapes than Blu-rays. And the one 4K I've seen was hidden among the DVDs.

Very true. I am most likely getting to the store after pro thrifters have already vetted everything. I've been in a few shops where the pro thrifters seem to know when stuff will hit the floor and they're waiting for the staff to stock the shelves. I find it uncomfortable. I really just want to buy movies for myself, not re-sell. But it's the reality of thrifting.

[HD Canuck]

Scored these for $5.99 apiece at VV recently...