Federal Way Goodwill — Local services in Federal Way

I've been coming here for years, and I can see that the staff does their best with the many challenges presented to them. It's not a perfect place, but it's not awful like some people are making it out to be (especially those people who are giving bad ratings because the rules apply to them). It's a good place to treasure hunt and meet some of your clothing needs affordably, but as with many stores, what it offers comes with some terms and conditions. If I want a place to use the restroom at will and carry a huge bag, Target and their higher prices are just around the corner. If I want pants for $5 and a fun treasure hunt, I can empty my bladder before I leave my apartment, carry a normal sized purse, and come here. Every place has its pros and cons.

The donation area is not ideally positioned for being off such a busy street, but the attendants work quickly and are friendly. The complaints people have made about the donation line being backed up into the street is the fault of people not following basic rules about not blocking traffic. The donations area does have to close for a bit from time to time to make room and proccess things, which can be inconvenient, but as one of the only major thrift stores in the area, and having a fairly small building, I feel like that's pretty fair. If someone is going to grant me the convienience of taking things off my hands that are taking up extra space in my home and not charging me for dealing with my stuff, I'm more than happy to do the little bit of work to either come back later or find another place to donate.

Yes, it's inconvenient to have no more public bathrooms or dressing rooms, but with the problems that were previously being caused in them by customers and people coming off the street when both were open, I can see exactly why they would close them. I find it laughable that people want to complain that they should be the exception to the rule when it comes to using the bathroom with their kid or being allowed huge bags because they have a kid. The rules apply to everyone. It says "no public restrooms" and "no large bags/backpacks" on the front door like many places do...so why would you go in and expect differently, and then give a bad rating because the policies were exactly what it said they were on the front door? If you want something different, go somewhere different.

They don't make you check all of your possessions the way one review suggested, just large bags and backpacks, which is standard in a lot of places that battle with high theft. The employees don't have control over the fact that this area of town has a lot of people who come in and cause issues, and they're just trying to problem solve in the ways they can and the ways that are...

This place is horrible and need to under go customer service training. I went there yesterday to buy a keyboard and mouse. Once I got to the back of the store I was rudely to stop stop shoppin and get out of the store because they were closed. Mind u there' was still other non-colored plp shopping and paying for items. I told the clerk that not how u to to customer after she told me for the their time I need to get out of the store and nothing I pick will be rung up.and proceeded to the counter where there were three other people paying for merchandise and also people still shopping. she began the Gail tell me that I need to leave the store at nothing that I have is going to be rung up because the store is closed I asked her how is the store close if the doors are not locked the sign still says open are still people in the back shopping and your still ringing people up. Before I could get you the cash register 2 male run up from the back. And a very intimidating manner like I was trying to steal something are trying to hurt somebody and all these are not security guards are supervisors these are people that were step in the back I have no cash register training. So I asked them why did they come up there but was given no explanation during that time I told them I just want to pay for my stuff nagin part stores closed I asked I was just or closed if your sign still open. Once I'm in the store shopping you cannot kick me out. I'd like to lay my money on the counter she wouldn't take it I asked another woman to bring me up she wouldn't do it either. The old lady then you got angry and became Robin aggressive I started usin intimidation and threatening tactics.by continually telling me that she was going to call the police I think I asked her she being threatened or intimidated and she replied no I asked her are you fear of your life are self-harm she again reply no so I asked her why she was calling the police. She said because they like get to rid of people ”like me”. After being intimidated by workers and threats of having the police called on me doing that into workers from the back decided to follow me outside and record you getting into the car and my license plate I told them to stop because that's against the law record while they're at work and that's what Goodwill has cameras for so now they have my license plate information and I don't know...

In general I love shopping at the Goodwill and when I go I make a practice of going on a Sunday or Monday to make best use of the color tag sales. I only buy the tag colors on sale so it takes time, patience and a lot of weeding through but I'm successful enough that I've usually got a list of things to look for from other family members and friends. I've been doing it for years at various store but this past Monday was the first time I've ever had any problem. I was busy going through the racks when a woman walked up to me and said she needed to take my cart up to the front. I told her no thank you, I'm still shopping. She said there was a store policy and that she needed to take my cart to the front and get me a new one. Again I told her no thank you, I'm not done shopping yet. She insisted that my cart go up front and stay there until I was checked out. I explained I wasn't ready to check out. I asked her what store policy was I violating. She couldn't tell me. We repeated this several times. As I mentioned before, it takes time and patience to weed through the well supplied stores to find the color tag on sale for the week and I was not about to relinquish what I'd managed to find so far and since I was still intending on continuing through the racks, I wasn't prepared to commit to buy some items in case I found something that better suited the need. When I'm on a mission I prefer to get in, by myself, so I don't have to talk and get it done and thus has become a happy place where I can focus on one thing, not talk and not get interrupted. Of course the woman (who never did identify herself) didn't know any of that or know me (I never recall seeing her at the Federal Way, WA store either) , but the whole thing was horribly embarrassing and totally threw me off. As such, it will be a long time before I set foot in that store again. Never had an experience like that at the Puyallup River Road store or any other kind of store ever. Might I suggest that store policies be clearly defined and posted so customers are aware of them before they start shopping? Having an unidentified stranger pop up beside you demanding to take your cart is unsettling and the aggressiveness of it sure feels like harassment...