Goodwill Industries
Reviews and Complaints

My last visit back in august. last time because, the counter person told me 6 year old Niece that she was not allowed to take her bike to shop and demanded that she leave it by the counter. so we being good people and trusted her left the bike only to return that she had stole it from my niece and sold it. when i called corporate and told them that she stole it and sold it for a dollar the response was "Everything in the store is a dollar" but that had nothing to do with the fact that they stole from a child and will not rectify it. They refuse to comment on it, and because the police refuse to let me file a report, no one will help me... I will get a lawyer.

I saw an item at my local goodwill store. It was a white desk with a brown top. I could not find a price on this desk anywhere so I asked an employee how much the desk was. He could not find the price either. He went to get another employee to ask about the price. Again the second goodwill employee could not find the tag. They had the cashier make an announcement in the store asking if anyone had a tag for a white and brown desk, no one came forward with a tag. They then said they would write me a tag for the desk. I went to the front, paid for the desk and asked if they could hold it for me until the next day because the store was closing and the desk would not fit in my car. They had me fill out the paper for them to hold it for 24 hours. I went back the next day to pick up my item, it was too heavy for me to pick up by myself so I asked for assistance, again I filled out the paperwork that was required. When an employee showed up to help me with the item they told me that that was not the desk that I had purchased and this desk was two pieces. They asked how much I paid for the desk, I told them, then they said that they could not let me have the desk. I did not know that the desk was two pieces until that time. The desk appeared to only be a desk with a brown top, it did not appear to be a desk with a brown top AND a hutch. The hutch was on the floor behind the desk facing the opposite direction so it appeared to be a separate piece of furniture in the other aisle. There was a tag on the hutch with a price but there was no tag on the desk at all, nothing saying it was part of a two piece set. If there was a tag saying it was part of another piece or if the two pieces were together so that it would have been obvious that they go together I would not have purchased the desk. After the employees spoke to the manager, said they called some other manager, and an hour later they still refused to let me have the item that I purchased, because they said that is not the desk I purchased. When the fact is that was the desk I purchased and their employees made a mistake. They made me do a return instead of letting me have the item I purchased. The choices they gave me were to purchase the other piece to go with the desk, which I did not want or need and would have cost me 3 times as much as I originally paid, or to have my money refunded to me. I will never shop nor donate to a goodwill store again because of this experience. Due to multiple goodwill employee mistakes I was not allowed to have the item I paid for. If I would have had them move the desk outside and called for someone to meet me with a bigger vehicle on the night that I purchased the desk, I would have the item that I paid for, but since I went back for it the next day I was not allowed to have the item that I paid for. To me this is horrible customer service, I bought an item and then was told no you didn't pay for that one you paid for this other one. I am pretty sure I know what item I purchased, since I am the one that paid for it. I was also told they were looking at the video from the night before to see which employees I spoke to. I told them that I do not believe that because if they were actually looking at the video they would see that the desk they refused to let me leave with was in fact the desk that I purchased for the price that I paid. I was not in the wrong in this situation but was penalized because of the mistakes of the goodwill staff. And on another note all of the items are donated, it is not like they needed to cover the cost of getting the item in. I feel that they should have let me have the item that I paid for. It would have been better if their staff would have said that they did not know what the price was and that I should return on the next day to ask about it instead of selling me the piece.

I went to your store on Annandale Rd in Falls Church VA this morning to donate books and clothing. Every item of clothing & shoes was unused and still had sales tags attached. I thought I was doing a good thing and did not expect to be treated soooo rudely. The attendant -- name of Hussein Sow -- never approached me, just stood there and stared. When I signaled him to come over he just shook his head "no". Finally I got out of my car and as I started toward him, he said to bring my donations with me. When I asked him to come over to my car he again simply said "no". No explanation! I took the donation bags from my car and put with other donations on the ground. Then I asked him for a receipt which he turned around and went elsewhere to get. I returned to the drivers seat of my car and left the passenger door open so he could easily give the receipt to me. Instead he walked around the car and gave to me thru my window. I thanked him and then asked if he would close my passenger door when he passed by it. For the third time he said "NO". And this time VERY angrily and rudely. He simply turned and walked away. I went inside the store and spoke with the female manager. She told me that the Goodwill rules say that employees can't put in or take out anything from a car. OK, I can understand that you have certain policies that should be followed. Apparently this policy is recent. BUT, this policy should be stated by the employee to the customer instead of just standing there, refusing to help the customer! I totally regret having left all these new, unused articles of clothing and shoes -- which should bring more money than any used or worn clothes. This will not happen again. I will drive further and donate to the Salvation Army, which I know, full well, has a better reputation than Goodwill Industries. They are more appreciative and helpful than what I dealt with today -- the Donation Attendant and the Store Manager! Here's an idea! Maybe you can have a policy for all employees to teach them that they are in a service industry and they need to learn how to deal properly with the public? If they don't like it, they can move on. Otherwise, your customers, like myself, will move on! I would appreciate a return email that you have read and acknowledge my complaint. Thank you. Maria Boyle. [protected]@aol.com

I hate your rules. When an employee's wife asks things that are classified, tell them. Because if you don't tell the wife and something like that happens you will get sued. I can make sure of that. Goodwill Santee. Now change the rule that when a family members come in, or I will sue you guys. This isn't a threat, its a promise. Other people like your customers HATE your rules. When someone like me is married to someone and worried about someone that works there, doesn't matter if its so called classified that person isn't going to hurt them, if you guys think they will, then you need help. Because married couples wont cause problems and wont hurt that employee. I can show you hurt if you want me too.. I cant tell names because its classified as you guys would say. So change the rules or I will sue you guys. And then those employees will be out of jobs and it will be your fault not mine. -A

I have been going to the store for years and don't get me wrong there are some very nice people that work there but, the managers are very rude especially the tall heavy women in her late twenties. She is very rude, and always has a poor attitude. I never once was rude to her I would smile and she would give me a dirty look. I ask her a question about a price of something and she responded rudely and always gives me a poor attitude. There is another old manager there with grey hair in his 50's that is rude also. I was there right before closing and there was a person in front of me with a hundred things in her carriage and instead of offering to check me out at the other register...he just stands there acting like hes doing something.I asked to see something in the case and get a poor attitude also from the same guy. Someone please hire more people with better attitudes and stop hiring head cases! I can keep complaining about the place but I would be here all night! Bad enough they raised the prices of everything and you have to put up with negativity! I treat them with respect treat me with it! No wonder why people litter all over the parking lot and leave cans and trash on the shelf! Goodwill does nothing to keep the place clean either except organizing the shelves.To the manager at Goodwill with the poor attitude, leave your personal problems at home! Never had an issue at any other Goodwill store except this place! I have spent thousands of dollars over the years and this is no way to be treated!

I went o goodwill with my daughter 08/19/2015 and the employee in the store advise we could not take her bike to the back so we put the bike inside the store in the front. The employee knew the bike did not belong to the store she saw us put it there she herself told us we could not take the bike to the back and she sold the bike to another customer for one dollar and had the nerve to say I'm sorry about it. I contacted good will and I was told there was nothing they could do about it and that they were not responsible for the employee's actions. There is a camera inside the store I mean come in really. Needless to say I'm am going to file legal charges, I have already filed the police report. I'm going to make sure I do no back down. I work very hard for my money. I can't believe she would sell the bike knowing it did not belong to the store.

Im so disgusted by this store manager, Her name ELSA TICAS shes a thief, she steals everyday and nobody tries anything to stop her. Shes steals and hides merchandise for then her family t come and take it, she changes prices for her to buy . She steals, shes unprofessional and a thief . I don't understand how she got the manager position . Someone has to stop her, I have called corporate but they don't care . People stop shopping there Managers are, thief .

I've frequented and loved our one local Millington Goodwill for years for one reason more than any other... as a low-income mom, it's one of the few places I can take my young daughter to where she can really have some fun knowing she can pick out almost any toy she wants (sometimes that's that one truly unique thing unattainable anywhere else, at least for a reasonable amount of money) and actually be able to afford it with her allowance money. She loves the place more than I do - it's always been such a special thing to look forward to. Today, that changed. We were in the store almost 3 hours ago, and I'm still trying to make my daughter feel better. She found that one special thing today, after looking forward to our weekly visit for a few days. No sign informed us that the rules had changed since the week before, when it wouldn't have made a difference, but when we reached the checkout counter, the cashier informed us she couldn't sell the item to my daughter as it had no price sticker on it. My daughter was heartbroken. I asked if the manager was still there, and the lady informed me that it was a new rule, and that even if the manager spoke with us, he/she wouldn't be able to do anything about it either, and then gave me a speech about how people remove stickers before reaching the checkout in hopes of getting a lower price. So... my daughter has the prize she picked out and was willing to pay anything she had for it taken away with no hope of ever finding another one like it, I got treated like one of "those" people (no matter that I've never removed a price sticker in a store in my life for any reason, let alone to flim-flam the business), and the pricers in the back, also managed by this manager, have more say than that manager? Wow, makes the manager look great, not to mention an organization that "strives to enhance the dignity and quality of life of individuals and families". Guys, you run the Bargain Barn business, too. NOTHING in there is individually priced, but sold at fixed rates depending on size, material, etc. My daughter left in tears, thinking she'd done something wrong, and now I've spent most of the afternoon as a result to explain corporate rules to an unprepared small child, a total crimp in my parenting that I thought could wait until I was at least myself prepared. So much good will towards humanity there. You just lost my business AND my donations.

I went to Goodwill Hampton VA been many times, I go to the Outlet side and this was the first time I have run into this. I filled my basket to check out and had the manager take an item from the basket and say he cant sell it to me its a mistake then walk away with it. It was nothing more then a network card for a laptop not worth a whole lot but I spent an hour digging this out from the piles of garbage to have them take it back because they deemed it worth more then .59 cents? I thought this was the whole point of the outlet side. I tried to complain but he said he was the manager and he didn't really seem to care that not only is it bad business practices but also I believe illegal to offer something for sale then refuse to see it to you. Gee I wonder what else they take from people. I tried to call the 1-800 number o their website but it doesn't even go to Goodwill. Not a happy shopper.

I went to goodwill looking for some shirts to start a new job. There sign said all shirts $3.00. I found 2 shirts went to the register to checkout and the manager told me one of the shirts was not on sale its was going to cost me $22! Because it was name brand. I proceeded to tell her there no exclusion to your sign that says ALL SHIRTS $3.00. She told don't me it doesn't matter everyone knows this brand name is excluded. Well for one how is everyone suppose to know if there's no sign and 2 it's a goodwill store! Why on earth are they charging retail prices when the clothes are donated! She refused to sell me the shirt for the $3.00. I asked for her managers number and asked her to hold the shirt for me. I called and left her a message. The other manager called me back and after about 10 minutes of trying to explain to me why this brand name was not on sale even though there was no sign saying exclusion apply she decided to tell me I could go back and get the shirt this one time for the $3.00. I went back to the store asked the manager that was there early that I put the shirt on hold with to please get me shirt that I spoke with the other manager and she was going to call you to let me have it at $3.00. She told ne she put the shirt back I went to look for it of course it was gone. I can not imagine how this place stays ope with charging outrageous prices for clothes and having such poor customer service.

I agree with the complaints posted. I was employed by Goodwill in SC for several years. It was a hostile work environment, filled with bullies. Everyone appears to be out to get someone else. The corporate office was aware of the situation, but did nothing to resolve it. Goodwill breeds an atmosphere of distrust and fear, as they constantly insinuate that you will lose your job. In this economy, everyone wants to keep their job, even a crappy job like that. The managers are told to distrust the staff, but the managers can't even trust their own DMs or the corporate office. They hire you to manage a store, but they won't allow you to manage it. They micro-manage from a distance and they watch you constantly on camera. They expect you to work every day, on salary, with no assistance and it is inferred that failure to do so may result in the loss of your job.
Goodwill only hires disabled people in order to receive government funds. They are paid based on a "formula" they use, often below minimum wage. These people are nothing more than dollars because Goodwill receives government funds for each disabled person they hire.
Goodwill says they are helping people, but they are only helping themselves. Those at the upper management levels get paid insane wages, drive company vehicles, and spend their time finding ways to harass those below them.
There is an incredible waste of resources within, as well. Tons of usable donated items are thrown away daily in order to make room for more free "donations". There is internal theft, but they don't prosecute. It's as if the staff can steal daily with no repercussions, but the managers are held responsible for the actions of the employees. They spend millions on security equipment to watch their managers, but often give employees a 1% annual raise (i.e. $ .07 a year). Really?!
They also have a voucher program, designed to provide clothing to those in need--another way they "help" the community. What a joke! Each voucher is considered a sale and Goodwill is paid for every piece of donated goods. They choose who receives the vouchers, as well. It isn't necessarily based on "need".
Their job link centers are there to justify giving their friends high paying positions. Their basic function is to provide a presence and allow the public to use the computers. Resume assistance is sometimes provided by participants sent by programs which place older individuals back into the workforce and pay Goodwill for the experience. Everyone must sign in upon arrival. This gives them "proof" of how many people they've "helped" in any given time period. The only people who seem to receive any "help" are friends and family members that are placed in high paying positions at the local military bases, which Goodwill also staffs.
Yes, they have their hands in a lot of pockets. Yes, they treat their employees shabbily. Yes, they are wasteful. No, your donation and/or your purchase is not helping anyone except Goodwill, a multi-million dollar corporation.
I could go on, but won't. Leaving there was such a relief!

My kids dad was banned by a sick employee who took something he said the wrong way. Without even talking to him about her concerns she simply had the police send him out. My son was with him and said he was just trying to buy a bow and arrow. She called him threatening.police questioned him but didnt care what he said. I want recourse since he had not even been informed the police were being called.