The GRID: Powered by Goodwill — Local services in Charlotte

I was really blown away to see some negative reviews on here. Just about every person I have talked to at the store has been great, and they will go out of their way to help you. Any day I come in I'll see an associate speaking with individuals about their computer issues at home and giving free advice. I am very knowledgeable about computers but I've been able to learn more through my trips to the Grid, and through the help of their outstanding employees.

The store does get some awesome things in from time to time, but it is all based on donations so each trip can be a bit of a wild card. I have found countless treasures, and yes, rarely but sadly, some things might not work 100%. So I take it back to return and the folks are more than happy to issue you a store card with your balance on it.

If I only bought their refurbished systems I doubt I would ever have a return, but I like to bargain hunt. I have bought 3 of their cleaned and refurbished systems and I couldn't be happier. I ended up with safe and reliable machine for my older father, a nice iMac for the kids to use in my classroom, and a new laptop which can upgrade to Windows 10 soon.

In addition to all of this when I found out that the computers were being pulled out of our classrooms at the school I taught at, I needed a solution. So, of course, I headed to my friends at The Grid. I went through and over the course of a few weeks built myself a respectable collection of laptops with low priced Solid State Drives, RAM, chargers, and some other pieces being sold mostly for parts. With 8 laptops to share among the kids it was great and we were able to complete our intended goals.

In regards to the knowledge of the folks at the Grid, they are honest and direct on their own areas of expertise. Most are generalists and can aid in many areas, some have been writing code for years and others are more focused on the hardware end of technology.

There may be a few new employees from time to time who have some room for growth, but that is why they are being trained. The experienced employees coach and guide them so that the store will be full of friendly, as well as knowledgeable salespeople.

And lastly I'll speak to prices at the Grid. Prices for accessories and games are set with a very fair centralized system, so for most items you are going to pay a little less than you would than if they were being sold off online. You can easily come in with your college student or 5 year old and find something for them both for twenty bucks. Maybe you will pick up an older Kindle from the front case while you are in there (about 20 bucks too).

The final thing for you to think about before you travel to the grid is this: there are easily hundreds to thousands of families out in Charlotte who now have a computer at home to use with their kids. Their child doesn't have to be the only kid in class who can't do research online and type their paper for class. It's wonderful to see the excitement in kids eyes are their father walks into the store and he asks about buying a new computer, he can lay down a few hundred (not thousand) dollars in exchange for a tool which will serve their family for several...

Do they have a decent selection? Yes. But, continue reading.

The thing that bothers me the most about Goodwill Industries, in general, is the fact they charge market or over market value for items that were donated. Meaning, they didn’t pay a dime for them. Yes, I understand the overhead and the other hassle that comes with that, but that happens at majority of stores, not just the Goodwill. When a Mom and Pop store has things for market value, it’s not that bad, being that they had to actually pay someone for it. I hate that this Goodwill went from being a Goodwill, to a retail electronics boutique. I loved the old store better and the employees were a lot better, not to mention, very knowledgeable. Now, you hire people that lack basic customer service skills, let alone people that have an actual clue.

I went from going to the Goodwill Computer Works store 2-3 times a week (I spent $3,000-$6,000/year for years), to now, I go to the Grid, maybe once a quarter, if that. Now that 2nd & Charles has popped up and they even take trades, there is almost no reason to go to the Grid at all. Most of the time, the Grid just prices the games according to online price guides, but they never adjust pricing for demand and condition. Just because it’s $10 on eBay, doesn’t mean their copy without the manual is worth that same $10. Plus, excuse me if I think it’s wrong if they charge market value, with no money in it, they should discount it at that point. I still recall the original store throwing items away, boxes, manuals, etc. because they didn’t have the game. The customers were the ones that convinced them to start saving all of that until that game came along. Which, in the process, helps them see higher gains. The Goodwill is suppose to be a place where people go to obtain items they have trouble affording new or elsewhere. I can find major retailers with cheaper items all the time now. The Goodwill is nothing but a bunch of crooks that disguise themselves as do-gooders. People need to think twice before they donate to these people. Most think they are helping people out, but it only helps the Goodwill get richer. I mean, compare the Goodwill’s CEO salary versus the Salvation Army’s CEO.

If you want to go to a nice looking store that has random overpriced computers and electronics, then by all means, this is the store for you. But, don’t expect this to be a Goodwill with Value Village pricing, because it’s...

I just want to take a minute and fill all of you in on something that happened to me. I was at the The Grid yesterday in Charlotte NC. Its a Good Will Electrics store. I walked in a few days before and no one said a word to me yesterday however when I went in I wasn't waring a mask I also wasn't the last time either. But after I was there for about 25 minutes one of the Associates walked up to me and asked were my mask was. I told him I didn't have one he asked if I need one and I said no thanks. Before I could answer to the fact the I have breathing problems and can't ware one I was told that I had to ware a mask or leave! So I said I would get my purchase and leave then. He then prosecuted to tell me he couldn't ring me out if I wasn't waring a mask! So I took one to buy what I had and leave. He walked to the back and the other associate started to ring me out in the middle of the transaction the card reader just shut off! Then about 10 seconds later the other associate walk back out of the back room. At that point I decided to forget the hole thing and leave. After I thought about it I decided to call the Manager and talk to him about how I was treated. He was more belligerent than the associate was and told me that the policy was no one can be in the store without a mask so not to come back if I couldn't ware one! And hing up on me! So I will not be shopping there EVER again mask or no mask! And I feel we all should stop shopping at good will if there going to act like that and treat customers in such a way. That is completely and totally not how that should have been handled. The Mandate is not a law! It's a request! And some of us have medical issues and it is outlined in the mandate for those issues to be exempt. As well as anyone with an FFL or a CCW it is a felony to walk into a business of any sort armed or unarmed with a mask on! I was also told I didn't know what I was talking about on that either. And Again it is a Mandate NOT A LAW the law says I can't do that! So which do I follow? I haven't seen anywhere that it's says the Mandate supersedes any laws...