I remember the exact moment I realized that physical thrifting was no longer enough. It was late 2022, right around the time GoodwillFinds officially launched. I had spent three hours driving to four different Goodwill locations in the rain,only to come home with a single, stained tie-dye t-shirt and a headache. Frustrated, I opened my laptop and typed in the new URL I had heard rumors about. There, staring back at me, was a vintage 1980s Seiko chronograph watch listed for $25. No bidding wars, no sniping, just a "Add to Cart" button. I bought it, held my breath for the shipping notification,and when it arrived two weeks later, I flipped it for $150.
That transaction felt like cheating. For years, I had accepted that the "good stuff" was locked behind the auction walls of ShopGoodwill or hidden in the backrooms of local stores. GoodwillFinds promised to democratize the process by putting the best inventory online at fixed prices. However, the platform is not without its serious flaws. In 2026, it remains a polarizing marketplace—a chaotic mix of incredible treasures and frustrating logistics that can either build your reselling business or drain your bank account if you aren't careful.
Is GoodwillFinds Legit? (The Trust Factor)
The most common question I see in reseller forums is: is goodwillfinds legit? The interface can feel a bit clunky, and the lack of polished product photography sometimes gives off a "scam site" vibe compared to the sleekness of Poshmark or The RealReal. But yes, it is legitimate. It is the official retail arm of a consortium of Goodwill industries. Unlike ShopGoodwill.com, which acts like eBay (auctions), goodwillfinds.com acts like Amazon (retail).
The Structure: You aren't buying from one giant warehouse. You are buying from individual stores that upload to the site. When you buy a sweater and a camera, they might be shipping from Goodwill of Southern California and Goodwill of Wisconsin respectively. This explains the disjointed experience many users face.
Opinion Statement: I honestly believe that GoodwillFinds was launched five years too late. If they had consolidated their inventory in 2015, they could have crushed ThredUp. Now, they are playing catch-up, and the user experience still feels like a beta test even in 2026.
GoodwillFinds.com vs. ShopGoodwill: The Battle of Formats
To understand goodwillfinds com, you have to compare it to its older brother. Most people confuse the two. I made this mistake early on. I treated GoodwillFinds like an auction site, waiting until Friday to check listings. Big mistake. On GoodwillFinds, speed is everything.
The Key Differences:
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ShopGoodwill: You bid. You wait 7 days. You pray the price doesn't skyrocket in the last 10 seconds.
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GoodwillFinds: You see the price. You buy it.
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The Inventory: ShopGoodwill gets the "Holy Grails" (Rolex watches, signed guitars). GoodwillFinds gets the "Bread and Butter" (Mall brands, mid-tier electronics, vintage decor).
Here’s where it gets interesting... Because goodwillfinds uses fixed pricing, human error is your best friend. On an auction site, the market corrects a low starting price. If a rare book starts at $5, bidders will push it to $100. On GoodwillFinds, if a pricer marks a rare book at $5, it stays at $5 until someone buys it. That someone needs to be you.
Comparison Table: The E-Commerce Split
The Hunt for the GoodwillFinds Promo Code
If there is one thing that ruins the goodwill store online shopping experience, it is the checkout total. You find a shirt for $10. Shipping is $14. Tax is $2. Suddenly, your $10 find is $26. This is why finding a goodwillfinds promo code is not optional; it is survival.
How to find them:
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The Welcome Offer: They almost always have a "15% off or 20% off" for new email signups. I cycle through email addresses to keep this fresh.
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Abandoned Cart: Add items to your cart. Go to checkout. Enter your email. Stop. Close the tab. Wait 24 hours.Often (not always), an automated email will arrive with a "Come back and save 10%" code.
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Banner Ads: Pay attention to the top banner on the homepage. They run seasonal sales like "WINTER20" or "FALLFRESH."
Honest Failure: In 2024, I found a bundle of video games for $50. I searched Google for "goodwillfinds coupons" and tried 15 different codes from coupon aggregator sites. None worked. By the time I gave up and decided to pay full price,someone else had bought the bundle.Lesson: Do not rely on third-party coupon sites. Only trust the codes that come directly from the Goodwill newsletter or the site banner.
What Happened to GoodwillFinds? (Addressing the Rumors)
If you search what happened to goodwillfinds or why did goodwillfinds shut down, you are likely reacting to the site's notorious instability or the disappearance of certain regions. Let's clear the air: GoodwillFinds did not shut down.However, it went through massive "growing pains" between 2023 and 2025.
The "Shutdown" Confusion:
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Regional Pullouts: Some Goodwill regions joined the platform, realized the logistics were too hard, and quietly pulled their inventory back to their own eBay stores. If your local store disappeared from the site, it looks like a "shutdown" to you.
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Site Crashes: During major updates, the site has gone dark for days at a time.
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Rebranding: They have tweaked the UI so many times that returning users often think they are on the wrong URL.
The Reality in 2026: The platform is stable, but the roster of participating Goodwills fluctuates. You need to constantly check the "Seller" tab to see which regions are currently active.
How Long Does GoodwillFinds Take to Ship? (The Pain Point)
This is the dealbreaker for many.How long does goodwillfinds take to ship? The answer is: It depends on who you bought it from. Remember, GoodwillFinds is just the storefront. The actual shipping is done by a person in the back of a warehouse in Denver, or Seattle, or Nashville.
My Personal Averages:
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Fastest: Goodwill of Southern California (3 days).
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Slowest: Goodwill of South Florida (19 days).
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Average: 7 to 10 business days.
Anecdote: I bought a winter coat in early November. I wanted it for a trip in December. It didn't arrive until January 5th.The tracking number was created instantly, but the package sat in "Pre-Shipment" for two weeks. When I emailed support,they told me, "The warehouse is experiencing high volume." Lesson: Never buy something on GoodwillFinds that you need for a specific event next week. Treat it like ordering from an international site. It arrives when it arrives.
Sourcing with Closo Demand Signals
Because shipping is expensive, you cannot afford to buy duds. You need to know that the item you are buying has real market demand. I use Closo Demand Signals to validate every single purchase over $20.
The Workflow:
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The Find: I spot a "Vintage 90s Sony Walkman" listed for $15.
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The Check: I check Closo. It shows that "Cassette Players" are trending up, specifically "Yellow Sports Models."
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The Comparison: The specific model on GoodwillFinds is a black plastic one. Demand is lower for that color.
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The Decision: After shipping ($12), my cost is $27. Resale value is $30. I pass.
I use Closo Demand Signals to save me from making "break-even" buys that tie up my capital.
GoodwillFind vs. The Thrift Shop Near Me
Is it better to shop on goodwillfind or just drive to a thrift shop near me? There is a trade-off between Time and Money.
The Online Advantage:
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Searchability: I can search for "Patagonia Fleece Size L" in seconds. In a physical store, I have to flip through 500 hangers.
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Access: I can shop inventory from 20 different states without leaving my couch.
The Physical Advantage:
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Shipping: Zero.
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Condition Check: I can check for stains, smells, and holes. GoodwillFinds photos are notoriously bad at showing flaws.
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Hidden Gems: Physical stores make mistakes. Online stores have usually researched the price (at least a little bit).
Opinion Statement: If I am looking for clothing, I still prefer the thrift shop near me now. The risk of a garment not fitting or smelling like smoke is too high online. But for hard goods—cameras, toys, collectibles—GoodwillFinds wins because I can verify the model number in the photos.
Why Did GoodwillFinds Com Become So Expensive?
In the early days, deals were everywhere. Now, you see used Nike shoes listed for $40.Why did goodwillfinds comprices creep up?
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Data: They started using AI pricing tools. They scan the item, check eBay sold listings, and price it at 80% of market value.
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Labor: Listing online costs money. They have to pay a photographer, a lister, and a shipper. That cost is baked into the price.
How to beat the price creep:
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Look for "Lots": They hate listing small items individually. Look for "Jewelry Jar" or "Bag of Toys." They often throw valuable items into these bulk lots just to get rid of them.
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Misidentified Items: The AI isn't perfect. If they spell the brand wrong, the pricing algorithm defaults to a low price. Search for typos.
Hidden Gems: What Actually Sells?
I have found that specific categories are consistently underpriced on GoodwillFinds because they are hard to photograph or identify.
The "Undervalued" List:
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Silverware: They often list "Silver Plated" lots that actually contain Sterling Silver pieces because the lister didn't check the hallmarks.
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Technical Gear: They know "North Face," but they often miss niche brands like Kuhl, Prana, or Arc'teryx.
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Vintage Linens: Heavy wool blankets (like Pendleton or Hudson Bay) are sometimes listed as just "Red Striped Blanket" for $15.
Specific Product Name: I always search for Filson. It’s a heritage brand. Because it looks like rugged, dirty workwear,listers often mark it cheap. I bought a Filson Tin Cloth vest for $30 on GoodwillFinds that sold for $180.
Maximizing ROI with Closo 100% Free Crosslister
You navigated the site. You paid the shipping. The item arrived. Now you need to recoup that investment. You cannot just list it on one site. I use the Closo 100% Free Crosslister to blast that item to every marketplace.
The Strategy:
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Source: Buy the Filson vest on GoodwillFinds.
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List: Create a primary listing on eBay.
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Cross-Post: Use Closo to push it to Poshmark (for the fashion crowd) and Mercari (for the deal hunters).
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Speed: The goal is to sell it before the credit card bill for the purchase comes due.
I use Closo to automate my cross-listing – saves me about 3 hours weekly – ensuring my inventory moves as fast as possible.
The Return Policy Nightmare
We need to talk about returns. Or the lack thereof.GoodwillFinds is almost universally Final Sale. This is where thrift stores open now (physical ones) have the advantage; most allow returns for store credit within 7 days.
Honest Failure: I bought a "Vintage Polaroid Camera - Untested." It was $20. Shipping was $15. Total risk: $35. It arrived with battery acid corrosion so bad the door wouldn't open. I emailed support. They pointed to the "Untested" line in the description. I was out $35.Lesson: "Untested" on GoodwillFinds means "Broken." Assume it is broken. If you can't fix it or sell it for parts, don't buy it.
Payment Methods and Protection
Because returns are so hard, how you pay matters. I never use a debit card directly on the site. I always use PayPal. Why?Because PayPal offers "Item Not As Described" protection that overrides store policy. If I buy a "Red Sweater" and they send me a "Blue Sweater," and Goodwill refuses the return, I can open a dispute via PayPal. It is my safety net.
Parenthetical Aside: (I had to use the PayPal dispute option once when a package was marked "Delivered" but never arrived. Goodwill support stopped responding to me after 48 hours. PayPal refunded me in full within a week. Always protect yourself.)
Shipping Strategies to Lower Costs
We established that shipping is expensive. Is there a way to lower it? Yes, but it requires discipline.Bundling. Most goodwillfinds sellers allow you to bundle items from the same location to save on shipping.
The Trick:
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Find an item you want (e.g., a shirt from Goodwill of Colorado).
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Click on the seller's name ("Goodwill of Colorado").
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Search only their inventory.
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Add a second or third item to your cart.
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Watch the shipping cost per item drop.
Warning: If you add a shirt from Colorado and a shirt from New York, you pay two separate shipping fees. There is no "Prime" shipping here. You have to act like a logistics manager.
Navigating the "GoodwillFinds" Search Bar
The search bar on goodwillfinds.com is... sensitive. If you search for "Levis Jeans," you get 5,000 results. If you search for "Levis 501," you get 200. If you search for "Levi's," you might get different results than "Levis."
My Search Routine:
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Broad Terms: I search for broad categories like "Mohair" or "Silk" or "Cashmere" and then filter by price (Low to High).
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Misspellings: I search for "Patagonia" and then I search for "Patigonia." You would be shocked how many items are hidden behind typos.
Common Questions I See
People always ask me... Why is my order taking so long to ship?
Common question I see... The reality is that GoodwillFinds is not a tech company; it is a collection of charities. The person packing your box might be a volunteer or a job-training participant. They are often understaffed. Plus, the inventory is listed before it is boxed. When you buy it, they have to go find it on a rack in a warehouse with 50,000 items.Sometimes, they can't find it immediately.
Is there a GoodwillFinds app?
People always ask me... As of 2026, the mobile experience is still primarily browser-based. While there have been beta apps, the website is the most reliable way to shop. I recommend using a desktop computer if possible, as the mobile site can glitch when filtering large results.
Can I pick up items in store to save shipping?
Common question I see... Generally, no. Unlike ShopGoodwill.com which often allows local pickup, GoodwillFinds is designed as a pure e-commerce play. The items are often stored in fulfillment centers that are not open to the public. Do not assume you can drive to the address on the return label.
Conclusion
Is GoodwillFinds worth the headache? In 2026, my answer is a cautious yes. It is no longer the secret goldmine it was in 2022, but it is a vital tool for sourcing specific inventory without leaving your house. The key is to manage your expectations regarding shipping times and to be ruthless about calculating your total cost (Price + Tax + Shipping) before you click buy. If you treat it like a digital version of the "bins"—chaotic, messy, but full of potential—you will do well.
My honest assessment is that you should spend 15 minutes a week browsing the "New Arrivals" section of your favorite category. Filter by "Seller" to find the region closest to you (to minimize shipping distance and time). Start small with a low-risk purchase to test the waters.
If you are ready to turn those online finds into a streamlined business, use the Closo Seller Hub to organize your workflow.
For more on where to find inventory when GoodwillFinds runs dry, read our Pages Similar to eBay Guide
And if you want to know what items will be trending on the platform next season, check out Trending Products Forecast 2026
