Charity Benefits by Changing Perception of Thrift-Store Goods
November 3, 2008 | Read Time: 1 minute
While retail sales figures have plummeted in recent months, one national chain of charity thrift stores is seeing a rise in sales, reports a column in The New York Times Magazine.
In the first eight months of 2008, sales at Goodwill Industries International’s Goodwill stores in the United States and Canada (of which there are more than 2,200) increased by 7 percent over the same period last year, the magazine says.
The economy could play a role, the magazine says, but credit also goes to the charity’s efforts to change the perception of the organization as an outlet for shabby cast-offs. Local affiliates have been advertising the stores as a way to find chic and fashionable clothes and attracting customers who are interested both in helping others — and finding a new look.
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