Goodwill Store & Donation Center — Local services in Berkeley Township

Found this thrift store about three months ago and, in that time, have visited it numerous times, spending about three hundred dollars altogether. Understand, Goodwill is a For-Profit business that gives a very small amount of it’s large profits to a special interest charity and I know it’s absolutely not like Salvation Army or other NOT-for profit charities that use all their earnings to do good and help and support a good cause. And I know the owners of Goodwill have made their personal fortunes (they’re multi-millionaires because of owning and huge profits from Goodwill!!) But... that’s OK . I support charities like Salvation Army and the Humane Society- So... I thought I’d found a ‘gem...’ just for ‘goodies’ at great prices... because Goodwill makes its profits through selling things that people donate for free. OK...BUT... at my last visit, I purchased, with my $35 of merchandise, a child’s pair of new-with-label jeans. The store was about to close, so I hurried to the register to finalize my purchases... Well, when I got them home, the zipper was broken. i called the next day, expecting no issue with exchange of a defective, damaged item, despite the store's general no return/exchange policy. After all— I didn’t ‘buy’ an item that could. Of be used because if a defect... and I thought it must have been an overlooked thing, by the store. So... imagine my disgusted surprise at the store manager, Yolanda’s reaction... she not only refused to honorably handle the exchange of the defective item, she even said, ‘how do I know you didn’t break it and want to bring it back?’ To which I said, ‘well, if we are going to challenge each other’s honesty and integrity, how do I know YOU. Aren’t intentionally cheating customers by selling defective, damaged items, hoping they won’t notice until they’re stuck with them?’ I said, I would hope neither of us is ‘that’ person. But she wouldn’t budge, but to say, ‘the sign says no returns/exchanges.’ I asked IF the sign also warns customers that it is possible that items may be defective, damaged or broken so—check them carefully...I said that to make a point (which Yolanda didn’t ‘get.’) so I asked for—and got—Goodwill’s corporate phone contact and I called, speaking at length with ‘Carmel,’ who assured me she would relay my complaint to Eileen Walsh, Southern Regional Manager, who’d call me back. That was two days ago and she hasn’t called yet. I just left another message. I’ll post results—when and IF they happen. I’ve always believed EVERY business can claim —and enjoy— a wonderful customer service policy while things are going well, with no problem... but the true measure of a high standard of customer service is only proven when things go wrong and there IS a problem... and the business handles it with integrity, honesty and fairness. So far, Goodwill has failed miserably as a reputable business with integrity of service... whether it is the culture of the corporation OR the way in which Goodwill’s ‘people’ represent Goodwill— the end result is that Goodwill has a dubious practice that is NOT a credit to the community... OR it’s claim to serve a higher mission ... and THAT is a terrible statement about how Goodwill REALLY ‘cares...’ Thank you for reading and I hope my regrettable experience with Goodwill helps you choose how and where you will support with your money...

I’ve shopped here for years today my grandson and I o like we do every week and see a book bag for him grabbed it and continue to look around for more things was approached and asked if I was buying the book bag I politely said yes the worker then stayed after grabbing the bag looking through it saying it must be put in a carriage I was stunned for one the carriages are gross and I have my two year old with me she handed me the bag back demanded it it in carriage and bluntly said it’s the policy everything has to in a carriage or you a stealing it many other customers had come up to me and was like omg can’t believe this I am a store manager also been going here for years and never been treated like this by anyone even other workers. Said so sorry manager is on vacation she will be back next week one it’s a 6.00 book bag second I can’t even believe to be treated this way even I will speak to corporate and also to the store manager and take my bussiness elsewhere in a average I spend about 40 to 5 a week there not cause I need the stuff but for the workers to be able to work and then have this lady and another who ran into back days these things please pull the footage...

I have been to many many Goodwill and this is the absolute worst. I have frequented this store over the last year but have recently stopped going due to the filthiness of the building in general. The bathroom is disgusting with old filth smell, not one day use. The clothes are all downhill 1990 low end. It’s not so bad that they are a lower quality of clothes. It’s the condition that they put them out in. They absolutely will put out anything and that goes for housewares also. The housewares looks like garage sale leftovers. I haven’t been there for a month. I swore that place off, but decided to give it one last chance. Now I wouldn’t step foot in there again. Nothing changed. It got worse. I picked up a blouse yesterday and had it coffee stains right across the front. I walked right out the door. Houseware department is a disgrace with items just piled and piled on top of each other. They should lower the prices and maybe get rid of that stuff. The only thing good are the employees. They’re always busy polite and they really work hard but they need to weed that place out and...