On the hunt at Goodwill . . . . - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

23 Sep 1997

Yeah Im the "computer guy" at the salvation army store I frequent. I think
i've yet to pay full price for anything yet. I like to "haggle"

----------
...
  From: Scott Ware &lt;s-ware(a)nwu.edu&gt;
 To: Discussion re-collecting of classic computers
&lt;classiccmp(a)u.washington.edu&gt;
...
  Subject: RE: On the hunt at Goodwill . . . .
 Date: Tuesday, September 23, 1997 12:10 PM

 On Mon, 22 Sep 1997, James Willing wrote:

 > Now on the other hand, the Salvation Army store could not sell gear to Bill
...
  > Gates based on the way they price stuff.  An
Apple IIgs for $495?!?  Really
...
   now... 

 Here (in Chicago), the Salvation Army store that carries computer
 equipment tends to price everything computer-related at $45, regardless of
...
  what it is.  There was (until it recently closed) a
Salvation Army "as-is"
...
  store in the building with one of their warehouses
that had some great
 deals, primarily on items that they couldn't easily classify.  It may be
 worth looking for these in other cities, since the one here had items such
...
  as oscilloscopes and Nixie tube DMMs that never made
it into the normal
 stores. 

 Sometimes, thrift store pricing and procedures are hard to understand. I
 once saw a thrift store employee deliberately damaging items with a hammer
...
  before marking them down.  I guess the theory is that
you don't deserve
 all of the keys if you're paying $2 for a computer instead of $20. 

 Is anyone else here recognized as "the computer guy" at thrift stores? 
At
...
  one store (admittedly only a block from my apartment,
so I visit it
 regularly), they save documentation for me and often mark down computer
 equipment the day after I've passed it up.  Prices have risen slightly
 since they've realized that there is demand, but they seem to be stocking
 more old computer equipment now, and if something is too expensive, it's
 easy to wait a day or two! 

 --
 Scott Ware                      s-ware(a)nwu.edu