Resellers at Thrift Stores: A Rant
I frequent ReSOURCE and Restore for used goods. I am a huge fan of getting used books from them. I cannot even begin to express the joy I feel in finding a hidden gem of a book at one of these stores. It’s always a great feeling of elation being on the hunt and finding a book out in the wild.
Recently, however, my elation has turned to frustration as I’ve noticed a marked increase in people who are clearly resellers. They are there to buy donated books for a dollar and then resell them at a higher markup.
Seriously?! If your shitty business model relies on buying cheap books from non-profit or donation-based stores, you are a terrible human being. I am sick of having to wait on you sift through and scan books with your phone while you determine their resell value. You don’t even care about the books; they are just products to you. That hardcover copy of Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee would have looked good on my bookshelf but I am sure the $8 that you netted from its sale will go to good use on endless breadsticks at Olive Garden or whatever it is you do in your free time.
I hope your business fails and I hope that all of your tires go flat on your journey home on every thrift store adventure you have in the future.
(Edit to say that the last line is very hyperbolic borne out of frustration. Their online business can fail but I don’t actually want anyone to have a flat tire. Maybe a funny lump in their pillow that they can never get out?)