Why do people donate broken things?

[torinsmom]

This is the third time I have bought something at Goodwill packed in its' original packaging and got it home to discover it was broken! The first thing was a digital scale, the second a Leapster and the one tonight was a Disney Around the Tree Train Set. I just can't understand why someone would donate something that they know doesn't work to Goodwill I guess I should have known better after two problems, but I couldn't resist the train set for 8.99. This thing had everything all packaged in its styrofoam with the instructions and everything. The wheels barely move(not at all on the track) and the lights and sound don't work at all! I guess its a good thing it has all the Disney characters; I can still use it to sit on a shelf for decoration. And I guess I can consider it a donation to a good cause.

Marsha

 

[bicker]

1) Because they can.
2) Because they get a tax exemption based on the value that assumes it is not broken.
3) Because there are no ramifications for doing so.

Another possibility; it broken after it was donated.

 

[aprilgail2]

You would be shocked at things people donate. I volunteer for a toy drive that is around where I live and we have donation boxes out in many many stores, restaurants etc. Well when we do pick ups we have to have seperate bags to put the trash in- the boxes and radio ads clearly state, new and unused TOYS- they say nothing about used clothes, used toys and the worst-used stuffed animals! I don't know what people think we can do with their garbage but they go right in the trash. No place around here will accept that stuff other than the clothing which we will toss into a clothing bin along the way. Hospitals will not take anything used nor will child care agencies which is what we deal with. I realize people are clearing out their toys for the new ones to come in but I wish they would put them on freecycle so maybe someone that actually wants them will take them. The other things we find in them is very odd too- a set of dish towels. Can you imagine some childs face when we hand them a nice set of dish towels LOL- we only take care of children, not adults. Or the best one last year, someone donated 6 pellet guns- ummm...sorry but no way would we give those out to children!

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

Maybe the people who donate the broke stuff assume that the charity will check out the items before they sell them, note that they are is some way flawed and price them accordingly?

 

[Angelhalo]

I've never bought anything broken from Goodwill/salvation army etc cause I am too leary to buy mechanical stuff from them, but I totally understand where you're coming from. It's the same with clothes. I am often baffled by the number of things on the racks that have big holes in them or are stained all over. If you REALLY want to help someone with those items and can't bring yourself to trash them, than give them to a homeless shelter where someone can use them soley for warmth. Don't donate them to a store that sells used clothing. I try to inspect everything thoroughly before I buy it but it drives me nuts the few times I have bought a piece of clothing that I loved only to get home and find out it had a big hole in it or some red kool-aid stain or something.

Last time I was at salvation army I saw one of those blow up yard Christmas thingies that was Rudolph and I put it in my cart and carried it around the whole time I was inthere, then right before I checked out I decided to look in the box. Well the blasted thing was marked $12 and it didn't have anything but the parachute Rudolph! No mechanics at all!!! No cord, no motor box, no nothing!

 

[happygirl]

I thought they checked everything before they sold it. If you got it from Goodwill take it back

 

[luvmy3]

Goodwill purchases salvaged merchandise from Target. Some of the items are just things that have been clearanced out and no longer in Target's system and other items that are damaged and either returned by customers or things found on the sales floor.

 

[torinsmom]

I thought they checked everything before they sold it. If you got it from Goodwill take it back

They have signs all over that say No refunds, no returns, no exchanges.....

Marsha

 

[happygirl]

They have signs all over that say No refunds, no returns, no exchanges.....

Marsha

That werid ours you can take things back if you have a receipt, You can't get money back but you can get a exchange

 

[Phedre]

I've never bought anything broken from Goodwill/salvation army etc cause I am too leary to buy mechanical stuff from them, but I totally understand where you're coming from. It's the same with clothes. I am often baffled by the number of things on the racks that have big holes in them or are stained all over. If you REALLY want to help someone with those items and can't bring yourself to trash them, than give them to a homeless shelter where someone can use them soley for warmth. Don't donate them to a store that sells used clothing. I try to inspect everything thoroughly before I buy it but it drives me nuts the few times I have bought a piece of clothing that I loved only to get home and find out it had a big hole in it or some red kool-aid stain or something.

I have to be honest - I donate to Goodwill / Salvation Army all the time because they call and say they are coming by on X date, will I have anything to donate? and I always try to say yes to be helpful. However, I have no freaking clue where the stuff goes once I leave it outside for them. I figured they were using the items for people who needed warmth so lots of other people might be confused about that as well. That being said, I've never donated something in any condition that I wouldn't wear it or if it was stained or anything. I usually give everything I've picked out to donate a second wash before it goes out the door (even though was clean and in the closet) and use that time to inspect it over again. I can see how the broken stuff would be extra frustrating. But perhaps people didn't know the stuff was going to be resold (like myself!) so they were just donating anything they thought would be helpful to someone in need.

 

[torinsmom]

I don't know how a broken train set could help anyone in need Of course, no one NEEDS a train set, I guess, LOL. I am just chalking it up to a donation to Good Will.

Marsha

 

[luvmy3]

I thought they checked everything before they sold it. If you got it from Goodwill take it back

I don't think this is at all possible. Have you ever seen the back of a Goodwill store? Ours has so much stuff in piles and huge bins I don't think they could ever check everything. I think the back is larger than the store itself.
I'm not sure what our Goodwill's return policy is but I think for those who shop there its like a buyer beware sort of thing. There is always the chance what you buy may be damaged in some way, especially if it is something used. I would hope that Goodwill would let someone return an item even if it was at least for store credit.

 

[luvmy3]

I don't know how a broken train set could help anyone in need Of course, no one NEEDS a train set, I guess, LOL. I am just chalking it up to a donation to Good Will.

Marsha

A broken train set would not benefit a needy person, the money taken in by selling it would. Goodwill stores are not just a place for needy people to shop. The one in my area has more well off people looking for bargains or things to sell on ebay, than they do actual needy people buying things. Goodwill offers employment to needy people and the money they make goes to them.

 

[bicker]

By the way, there are a lot of folks out there who look to buy broken stuff, to cannibalize them for parts to fix other broken stuff. Just throwing that out there -- it's surely not a good reason to donate broken things.

 

[mrspaha]

It seems to me that years ago, Goodwill used to have a workshop type place where underprivileged workers would get paid to repair items that were donated, and then Goodwill would sell them in their resale shop. I don't know if they still do this...

Also, I used to volunteer at a homeless shelter ( it was various churches in our area that would once a week offer a place for the homeless to come and sleep -- give them dinner, then breakfast, then they would leave). But anyhow, some of the church members would bring their old clothes for the homeless to help themselves to. So, the guests would pick out something they wanted, change in the bathroom, and throw out their old clothes. Most of them lived out of a big backpack, and never washed their clothes. They really didn't care if they were slightly ripped or stained, as long as they were warm and functional.

 

[bicker]

It seems to me that years ago, Goodwill used to have a workshop type place where underprivileged workers would get paid to repair items that were donated, and then Goodwill would sell them in their resale shop. I don't know if they still do this...

Me neither. All I can tell you is that I used to fix transistor radios in such a program, back in the late 1970s.

 

[torinsmom]

By the way, there are a lot of folks out there who look to buy broken stuff, to cannibalize them for parts to fix other broken stuff. Just throwing that out there -- it's surely not a good reason to donate broken things.

I have dropped broken things at the "swap shop" at our local recycling center. People can take something if the want or need it. I always write the problem with the item on the box or item, so people will know before they take it home. Things like a broken tv someone my know how to fix, you know? I wish this person had noted it didn't work; someone may be able to fix it, but I sure can't!

Marsha

 

[agnes!]

Maybe you can put it on Craigslist or Freecycle(noting the problems), just to get it out of the house.

agnes!

 

[chager]

I have seen testing strip outlets at a few stores around here. That way you can verify it works. Also it could be the item was received as a gift and never used so the the donator was unaware it didn't work. Or it could have been donated from a clearance area from a local store. I know I have donated items that we never opened before due to whatever reason.
Look on the box and see if there is a warranty on it. An item we received one year as a gift was missing parts. I called the number on the box and was sent the missing part. (Of course I also found out it was an item no longer being produced! Everything in the box was packaged though.)
Of course it could also just be a jerk that new the item was broken and wanted to unload it.

 

[torinsmom]

I have seen testing strip outlets at a few stores around here. That way you can verify it works. Also it could be the item was received as a gift and never used so the the donator was unaware it didn't work. Or it could have been donated from a clearance area from a local store. I know I have donated items that we never opened before due to whatever reason.
Look on the box and see if there is a warranty on it. An item we received one year as a gift was missing parts. I called the number on the box and was sent the missing part. (Of course I also found out it was an item no longer being produced! Everything in the box was packaged though.)
Of course it could also just be a jerk that new the item was broken and wanted to unload it.

Well, it runs on batteries, so I couldn't plug it in. I thought of buying batteries and trying them, but I don't even think that would have worked. The wheels turn slowly, but when you put it on the track, it won't move. There was also a part missing and one piece of track that was broken, so I am pretty sure it had been used. Maybe they had packed it up and didn't remember it didn't work.

Marsha