The Goodwill Outlet—affectionately known as “the bins”—is where serious resellers separate themselves from casual thrifters. It’s chaotic, competitive, and occasionally gross. It’s also one of the best places to source inventory at rock-bottom prices.
This isn’t your clean, organized Goodwill store. This is the warehouse where items are sold by the pound, competition is fierce, and the deals are real if you know what you’re doing.
What Is a Goodwill Outlet?
Goodwill Outlet stores are the final destination for items that didn’t sell at regular Goodwill retail stores. Instead of individual pricing, items are dumped into large bins (blue rolling carts) and sold by weight.
The pricing structure:
- Clothing: $1.49-$2.49 per pound (varies by location)
- Hard goods: $0.49-$0.99 per pound or flat rates
- Books: $0.25-$0.99 each
- Shoes: $1.49-$2.49 each or per pound
- Specialty items: Sometimes individually priced
That means a vintage Pendleton wool blanket weighing 4 pounds costs you $4-6 instead of the $40+ it would cost at a regular Goodwill or thrift store.
Finding Your Local Goodwill Outlet
Goodwill Outlets aren’t everywhere. They’re typically in larger metropolitan areas and go by different names:
- Goodwill Outlet
- Goodwill Outlet Store
- Goodwill Bins
- Goodwill As-Is Store
- Goodwill Blue Hanger
Search “Goodwill Outlet [your city]” or check Goodwill’s store locator. Not every region has them, and hours vary significantly.
The Bin Rotation System
Most outlets operate on a rotation schedule. Here’s how it typically works:
- Fresh bins roll out at scheduled times (every 15-30 minutes or on a set schedule)
- Shoppers rush the bins the moment they appear
- You have limited time to dig through before items are picked over
- Old bins rotate out to the back or to recycling
- Cycle repeats throughout the day
The schedule varies by location. Some rotate bins hourly, others every 20 minutes. Ask staff or observe the pattern your first visit.
The Initial Rush: What to Expect
When fresh bins come out, things get intense. Experienced bin shoppers position themselves near where new inventory appears and move fast when it drops.
What you’ll see:
- People leaning deep into bins
- Quick hands grabbing anything that looks valuable
- Shoppers creating piles on the floor around them
- Rapid scanning with phones for price checks
- Territorial behavior around “their” bin
First-timer tip: Don’t jump into the rush your first visit. Observe from a distance, learn the flow, and start digging in bins that have been out for a while. You’ll still find good stuff, with less chaos.
Safety and Hygiene: Take It Seriously
The bins contain everything. And I mean everything. Items aren’t sorted, cleaned, or inspected before hitting the floor.
Essential Gear
Gloves are mandatory. Not optional. You will encounter:
- Broken glass
- Sharp objects
- Mystery liquids
- Heavily soiled items
- Needles (unfortunately, yes)
- Dead insects and occasional rodents
Cut-resistant gloves are ideal. At minimum, wear thick work gloves or multiple layers of nitrile gloves.
Other gear to bring:
- Hand sanitizer
- Wet wipes
- Long sleeves (even in summer)
- Closed-toe shoes
- Bags or boxes for your finds
- Phone charger (you’ll be scanning a lot)
Bin-Diving Posture
You’ll be leaning into bins repeatedly. This destroys your back if you do it wrong.
- Bend at the knees, not the waist
- Keep your back straight
- Take breaks every 30 minutes
- Stretch before and after
- Stay hydrated
Veteran bin shoppers have stories about back injuries. Don’t become one of them.
Best Days and Times to Go
Not all bin hours are equal. Here’s the general pattern:
Best Times
- Rotation times: When fresh bins come out
- Early morning: First bins of the day, less picked over
- Weekdays: Less competition from weekend warriors
- After donation truck arrivals: Fresh inventory hits the floor
Times to Avoid
- Weekends (especially Saturday): Maximum competition
- First hour after opening: Chaos, experienced shoppers dominate
- Near closing: Bins have been picked clean all day
Location-Specific Tips
Every outlet has its own patterns. Your local store might get the best donations on Tuesday, or have lighter competition on Wednesday mornings. Observe and adjust.
What Actually Sells from the Bins
Everything at the bins is cheap, but not everything is worth the effort to resell. Focus on items with a strong ratio of value-to-weight.
High-Value, Low-Weight Winners
Vintage and designer clothing:
- Vintage band tees ($30-300 resale, weighs ounces)
- Designer labels (Patagonia, North Face, vintage sportswear)
- Vintage Levi’s and denim
- Unique vintage pieces (80s, 90s fashion)
- Luxury brands (rare, but incredible when found)
Books with value:
- Textbooks with current editions
- Rare/collectible titles
- Art and design books
- Vintage cookbooks
- Technical/professional books
Small electronics (test before buying if possible):
- Video game controllers
- Vintage gaming items
- Camera accessories
- Quality cables and adapters
Quality housewares:
- Pyrex (the valuable patterns)
- Cast iron (Lodge, vintage brands)
- Le Creuset and quality cookware
- Fiestaware and collectible ceramics
Craft and hobby supplies:
- Yarn (high-end brands)
- Fabric (quality materials, large pieces)
- Vintage sewing patterns
- Art supplies
Items to Skip
Heavy, low-value items:
- Cheap furniture
- Generic dishes and glassware
- Non-brand clothing
- Heavy outdated electronics
- Books without resale value
Damaged goods:
- Stained clothing (unless easily treatable)
- Cracked electronics
- Incomplete sets
- Items missing crucial parts
Not worth your time:
- Fast fashion (H&M, Shein, Forever21)
- Generic household items
- Worn-out shoes without brand value
- Common books (mass market paperbacks)
Bin Store Etiquette and Unwritten Rules
The bins have their own culture. Violating these norms creates conflict and can get you noticed negatively by staff.
Do:
- Wait for bins to be fully placed before approaching
- Keep your pile organized and within reach
- Say “excuse me” when reaching across someone
- Put back items you decide against
- Be patient with newbies
- Thank the staff (they’ll remember you)
Don’t:
- Reach across someone who’s actively searching
- Stand at a bin and block others while scrolling your phone
- Pile items and leave them unattended for long periods
- Argue over who “saw it first”
- Follow the donation truck into the back
- Get aggressive or physical ever
Handle Competition Gracefully
You’ll encounter rude people. You’ll watch someone grab something valuable right before you. It happens. Stay calm, stay classy, and remember there are always more bins coming.
The regulars notice how you handle yourself. Being known as “that chill person who finds good stuff” is better than being “that aggressive person everyone avoids.”
Testing and Inspecting at the Bins
You can’t plug things in or try things on at most outlets. So you need to develop inspection skills.
Clothing Inspection Checklist
- Hold up to light to spot thin spots and holes
- Check armpits, collar, cuffs for wear
- Look for stains (hold against white bins to see)
- Smell it (smoke and mildew kill sales)
- Check all zippers and buttons
- Verify size tags are present and legible
- Look for brand tags intact
Electronics Inspection
- Check for obvious damage (cracks, dents)
- Shake gently to hear loose parts
- Look at ports and connectors
- Check battery compartments for corrosion
- Verify all pieces are present (controllers, cables)
- If testing is possible, do it
Books Inspection
- Check for water damage (wavy pages)
- Look for writing, highlighting, notes
- Verify all pages are present
- Check binding condition
- ISBN scan to verify value before buying
Housewares Inspection
- Check for chips, cracks, repairs
- Look for brand markings on bottom
- Verify completeness of sets
- Test lids, handles, moving parts
Pricing and Checkout
Understanding the pricing system prevents surprises at checkout.
Typical Pricing Structure
Most common model (by weight):
- Clothing: $1.49-$2.49/lb
- Shoes: $0.99-$2.49/pair
- Hard goods: $0.49-$1.49/lb
- Books: $0.25-$1.00 each
- Media (CDs/DVDs): $0.25-$0.50 each
Some locations use flat pricing:
- All books: $1 each
- All shoes: $3.99/pair
- Electronics: Individually priced
Weighing Strategy
Items are weighed at checkout. To maximize value:
- Focus on lightweight, high-value items
- Avoid heavy items with low resale
- Consider value-per-pound when deciding
- Watch for items priced individually vs. by weight
Calculate Before Checkout
Rough estimate your haul’s weight before getting to checkout. A pile that looks like “$20 worth of stuff” might weigh 30 pounds and cost $60 at $2/lb. Know your limits.
Building Your Bin Store System
Success at the bins comes from consistency and efficiency.
Pre-Trip Prep
- Check outlet hours and rotation schedule
- Charge your phone fully
- Bring supplies (gloves, bags, sanitizer)
- Know your current inventory needs
- Set a spending limit
During Your Trip
- Time your arrival for fresh bins
- Work systematically through bins
- Scan high-value items to verify prices
- Keep your finds organized
- Take breaks to prevent fatigue
- Stay aware of time and budget
Post-Trip Processing
- Wash all clothing immediately
- Clean and sanitize hard goods
- Test electronics
- Photograph and list promptly
- Track cost per item for profit calculations
Real Numbers: Bin Store ROI
Let’s look at a realistic bin store haul:
Trip investment:
- Time: 3 hours
- Purchases: 25 pounds of clothing, 5 books, misc. goods
- Cost at $2/lb clothing, $0.50/book: ~$54
What you found:
- 2 vintage band tees ($60-80 value each)
- 1 Patagonia fleece ($45-65 value)
- 3 Nike/Adidas items ($25-40 value each)
- 8 basic brand items ($8-15 value each)
- 2 valuable books ($20-30 value each)
- 10 items not worth reselling: $0
Realistic recovery:
- Band tees sell for: $55 + $65 = $120
- Patagonia sells for: $50
- Nike/Adidas: $30 + $35 + $28 = $93
- Basic brands: $60 combined
- Books: $35 combined
- Total sales: $358
Expenses:
- Purchase cost: $54
- Platform fees (13%): $47
- Shipping (avg $8 x 15 items): $120
- Supplies: $10
- Total expenses: $231
Net profit: $127 Hourly rate (3 hours + 4 hours processing): ~$18/hour
This is a good trip. Bad trips happen too. Some days you find nothing worthwhile. The averages matter more than individual trips.
Advanced Bin Strategies
Once you’re comfortable with the basics, level up:
Track Your Best Zones
Every outlet has patterns. Maybe the north side bins get better donations. Maybe certain times have specific inventory. Take notes and optimize.
Build Relationships
Staff at outlets can be incredibly helpful:
- They might alert you to rare donations
- They know when specialty items come through
- They can explain local policies and schedules
- Being friendly costs nothing and pays dividends
Specialize
Instead of looking at everything, become an expert in specific categories. The person who knows every valuable Pyrex pattern will spot them faster than a generalist.
Time Your Trips Strategically
- Back-to-school season: Books, dorm stuff
- Post-holiday: Gift returns and unwanted items
- Spring cleaning season: Home goods surge
- Estate season: Vintage and quality items
Know When to Walk Away
Some days, the bins have nothing. That’s okay. Don’t force purchases just because you’re there. An empty-handed trip that saved you money is better than a full cart of items that won’t sell.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Buying Too Much
The prices are so low, you’re tempted to grab everything. Resist. That 20-pound pile of “maybe” items costs $40 and fills your inventory with stuff that won’t sell.
Ignoring Condition
At regular thrift stores, items are curated. At the bins, they’re not. That “great find” might have a hole you missed. Always inspect thoroughly.
Skipping the Scale Math
Items seem cheap individually, but weight adds up fast. A heavy ceramic vase might be beautiful, but at $0.99/lb, that 8-pound piece costs $8 and ships for $15. Do the math first.
Going Every Day
Burnout is real. The bins are physically demanding and mentally taxing. A few focused trips per week beats daily exhaustion.
Forgetting the Real Competition
Your competition isn’t just other bin shoppers. It’s every other reseller, every retail store, every online option. The item has to sell at a profit to matter.
Is the Goodwill Outlet Right for You?
It’s a great fit if:
- You’re not squeamish about dirty environments
- You can handle physical work (bending, lifting, sorting)
- You have flexible time (weekday mornings are best)
- You’re competitive but can handle losing sometimes
- You enjoy the treasure-hunting aspect
- You have systems for processing bulk inventory
It might not be right if:
- You prefer clean, organized sourcing
- You have limited time for sourcing
- You can’t handle the physical demands
- You don’t have a good selling system already
- You’re easily discouraged by bad trips
The bins aren’t for everyone, and that’s okay. But for those who adapt to the environment, it’s one of the best deals in the reselling world.
Ready to try it? Start with one exploratory trip with no pressure to buy. Learn the layout, observe the culture, and see if it fits your style. If it does, the profits will follow.