Goodwill NYNJ Store & Donation Center — Attraction in East Brunswick Township

Comparing this to other goodwills I have been at in New Jersey, this is the worst one for multiple reasons.

1. It smells terrible inside. As soon as you walk in the store the smell hits you and you just wanna walk back outside for some fresh air. I am being 100% serious, i almost every time leave this store with a headache because of it. Every other goodwill I have been too has smelt great. Please just get a constant automatic air freshener or something please! To add to this, it is pretty dirty as well. I was there a couple days ago and there was spilt coffee in the electronic aisle just sitting there. No employee cared to clean it. The floors look like they haven’t been washed or cleaned since the store opened.

2. It is very overpriced - It’s a bummer that goodwill and other thrift stores are starting to higher their prices to get rid of resellers. I thought goodwill was a place to get cheap items and to save money! They have stuff priced in their store for 3x higher than it goes on eBay! What kind of strategy is that!? Once they notice that even non-resellers won’t buy their items they will hang on for dear life.

3. Very unorganized and cramped - They have so much stuff in this goodwill in such a small place it is very hard to keep your sanity while here. The aisles are very small to the point where if even only 1 person is in the aisle and then someone comes with a shopping cart trying to get past, you have to either get out the aisle or move against the shelf and let them past. They also have big transportable shelves with stuff they take out the back standing where people walk which takes up a lot of room. Everything is just all over the place and mainly, there is just a lot of overpriced junk. They probably throw away 80% of the stuff they get. From my experience, all the electronics I have ever bought from here had something broken or did not work at all, then I have to return it and get store credit!

Almost forgot to mention, they only have one register open all the time and the lines get ridiculous! There are clearly 3 registers at the front! Use them!

Hopefully this goodwill can take this review into consideration and improve on certain things, hopefully by getting an air freshener first. There is a lot of potential for it if they do...

I have been donating to this particular Goodwill since 2015 after my mother passed. I could bring anything there: clothing, housewares, decorative wares, etc. Over the years I have consistently supplied this location with items from my family, immediate and extended. So many people can’t afford retail, but still would like nice things, and shop there.

I have NEVER brought junk, in fact, I often have brought many items never used and frequently items that still have sales tags on them.

And I have NEVER gotten a receipt for tax purposes, my choice. Just to give the items and clear un-used things from my home (and others’ homes) was enough knowing someone who was perhaps having hard times could benefit.

I WILL NEVER DONATE NOR SUGGEST GOODWILL AGAIN TO ANYONE, regardless of need.

Why?

Today April 11, 2022, I pulled up to donate some decorative items spanning all of the holidays plus some housewares, such as cutting boards, steel utensils, etc. I was asked what I was donating before I could step out of my vehicle, and was told, “we are only taking Easter items right now”.

Seems to me that since it is donations that keep Goodwill afloat and MAKING MONEY, that being CHOOSY about what they will take is RIDICULOUS.

It was suggested to call churches to donate. Really? If my church accepted goodwill style donations, I would. MOST religious entities suggest Goodwill for these donations.

GOODWILL has now caused BADWILL and I will be sure NEVER to deal...

This goodwill is even worse now ever since they remodeled it! Don't even get me started about donating something here. They are super picky and the rules make no sense as they denied everything I bought them meanwhile if you go inside, they sell those exact things!!

For example, I bought glass mugs and baking ware in good condition that I no longer needed, the guy rummages through the box with no care almost breaking the mugs and says we do not take mugs unless its a set of matching ones in the box, meanwhile if you go inside they are selling separate mugs.. He also did not take my baking ware, he simply said they don't take that meanwhile they also sell trays, waffle makers, you name it inside! It makes no sense!

As far as what they got for sale, its all overpriced junk that you can buy on eBay cheaper or buy at Walmart brand new for the same price so if you are a reseller, just save yourself the time.. you will not find anything good to make profit on, trust me, the lady working there even told me they do not sell jewelry anymore because they sell it online now so simply put, they take all the good stuff now..

Simply put, this goodwill is the worst one i have ever been to. I have literally seen used deodorant, adult diapers, shampoo, you name it, all on the shelf before for sale and they don't wanna take my stuff.. This place is ridiculous and they are simply driving themselves out...