Online vs Thrift Store Finds

Same here! Every time I go thrifting I end up grabbing any MLP item I find that I don't have already, regardless of what it is or its condition (usually, I did pass up a G4 electronic diary thing at Value Village last week because it was so faded from the sun and I was already getting a $15 G3 castle) , meanwhile if I'm searching for things online, I want them to be in good condition, my standards go way up.

I would assume most people are like this, for a few reasons.

Firstly, thrift stores tend price their items cheaper than, say, sellers on eBay do. Sellers on eBay generally sell things off so that they can make money, so naturally they want to get a decent amount of money in return. And with G1s they tend to be more pricey regardless of condition on eBay because "ooooh they're old so obviously they're worth a lot!" (even though many aren't and are now overpriced online). Meanwhile with thrift stores people freely drop off things they don't want, and thrift stores will put a relatively cheap price on them. I find Value Village to be a pricier than Goodwill, but even then it's still cheaper than what people sell ponies for online. Goodwill lets you stuff a bunch of toys in a bag for just $5 while Value Village has smaller pre-made bags for $3 or so. Both of which result in the potential to get G1s for just a couple dollars!

The second reason I feel like our standards go up when pony hunting online is the larger variety. There's a ton of stuff out there, so obviously you'd be wanting to get things that are in nicer condition. Meanwhile, in thrift stores, there's usually not a ton of pony things. I get desperate to walk away with at least one pony item when I go to thrift stores so I go through all the sections that are likely to have pony items (toys of course, books, movies, sometimes where they have ceramic figures on the off-chance I'll get lucky and find one of those G1 ones), and just grab any pony item I don't have that I happen to find, since there's generally not a ton there at once.
 
Our Goodwill sucks when it comes to toys. It's always broken loose items. And only a handful of that. I have never found a toy there for my kids let alone a pony. Don't have a Value Village here. But we have Savers. Savers is hit and miss on things. They usually price things for what they're going for on eBay, or price thing as if they're new, so I can never flip anything for profit. But occasionally I stumble upon a good bargain. Luckily they haven't caught on that G1 Ponies are collectible. When I do find them, they're in a grab bag for $3. I'm really psyched that I found a vintage Fisher-Price Little People house for $5 last week. It's been on my want list. I have the barn. Next will be the castle. Another hobby of mine. LOL
 
I am one of those that will not buy a thrift store pony if it is in bad shape and I already have it unless its a favorite. I will buy it if I don't have it. I just don't have space for multiples that has gotten me in trouble with my G3 collection. I bought whatever I saw. Oh boy I have a lot of work to do to go through that and get rid of my extras which I just plan to donate. All of them are commons.

Our Goodwill sucks when it comes to toys. It's always broken loose items. And only a handful of that. I have never found a toy there for my kids let alone a pony. Don't have a Value Village here. But we have Savers. Savers is hit and miss on things. They usually price things for what they're going for on eBay, or price thing as if they're new, so I can never flip anything for profit. But occasionally I stumble upon a good bargain. Luckily they haven't caught on that G1 Ponies are collectible. When I do find them, they're in a grab bag for $3. I'm really psyched that I found a vintage Fisher-Price Little People house for $5 last week. It's been on my want list. I have the barn. Next will be the castle. Another hobby of mine. LOL

Goodwill typically sells the good stuff in their auctions. We don't have Savers anymore. They were fantastic. I love vintage FPLP! I would like to have the town and the yellow house, the hospital, the school, the airport and car garage. I will probably not get them for lack of space. That is a combination of what me and R2 had growing up. We do have the people and the cars and some furniture though.
 
Our Goodwill sucks when it comes to toys. It's always broken loose items. And only a handful of that. I have never found a toy there for my kids let alone a pony. Don't have a Value Village here. But we have Savers. Savers is hit and miss on things. They usually price things for what they're going for on eBay, or price thing as if they're new, so I can never flip anything for profit. But occasionally I stumble upon a good bargain. Luckily they haven't caught on that G1 Ponies are collectible. When I do find them, they're in a grab bag for $3. I'm really psyched that I found a vintage Fisher-Price Little People house for $5 last week. It's been on my want list. I have the barn. Next will be the castle. Another hobby of mine. LOL

Savers and Value Village are on in the same! They seem to go by Savers in most places, but here in the pacific northwest area they go by Value Village.

I generally seem to have better pony luck at Value Village (it is a larger than the Goodwills around me, so I suppose that makes sense), but I have also found great finds at the Goodwill before too. Mostly back when they had pre-packaged bags as opposed to their current "make your own bags" system, but a few months ago was when I found my near-perfect condition Spring Song there and that was way after they switched to the making a bag system. And now she's my favorite pony, I didn't really know about her before I found her there!
 
Yeah, me too. I think it's mostly because I feel like I'm 'rescuing' that pony from her sad fate, vs. looking at pictures of ponies online that may be bought by anyone, and is not in danger. Also, a pony in my hands is worth a thousand pony pictures online.
 
I usually throw alot of local ponies in my cart but , lately I have been more selective I guess I should go back to my throw every G1 in my basket. Though they do add up after awhile. :/ I like ponies online but Im unsure until I see them what they really look like. I do like the convenience of buying online its very easy.
 
I haven't been to Goodwill in many months, but if I go, of course ponies are at the top of the list of things to buy. (Next clothes, of course.) I'm not picky and it's usually g3s (not g2s like I originally wrote!) anyway, so I get it. However, somehow I can talk myself out of brand new g4 sets at Walmart.(Admittedly, the bb set they have for $20 has been enticing me, so I might get it next time if I'm there by myself and not shopping with my dad.)
 
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I haven't been to Goodwill in many months, but if I go, of course ponies are at the top of the list of things to buy. (Next clothes, of course.) I'm not picky and it's usually g2s anyway, so I get it. However, somehow I can talk myself out of brand new g4 sets at Walmart.(Admittedly, the bb set they have for $20 has been enticing me, so I might get it next time if I'm there by myself and not shopping with my dad.)

Oh wow, I wish I could find G2s in the wild like that. I've only been fortunate enough to come across some a couple times. Usually while thrifting I find G3s and G4s.
 
Oh wow, I wish I could find G2s in the wild like that. I've only been fortunate enough to come across some a couple times. Usually while thrifting I find G3s and G4s.

D'oh! It was like 3 am when I wrote that, I meant g3s!! I don't think I've found any g2s.
 
I have found maybe a few G2s but they weren't what I was looking for. I did buy 1 and I still have her.
 
Never found a single pony in a thrift store sadly. But I do live in the middle of no where.
 
Unfortunately for me, the only ponies I have ever found in a thrift store have been McDonald's ponies and fakies. I have had better luck on Craigslist honestly. My husband contacted a guy who had something else he needed who had a lot of G1 ponies and they were all in pretty good condition. Nothing hard to find or rare, though. There were probably 12 of them and he sold them to us for $15.
 
Never found a single pony in a thrift store sadly. But I do live in the middle of no where.

I'm with you. Never really found one. I know they're out there and someday will be my day.
 
Actually found a G1 baby at thrift yesterday! Covered in marker, but I didn't already have her! Considering I haven't had any luck in the wild in at least a year (which is a long time considering I hit 4 thrift stores a week as part of my exercise routine) I was pretty stoked at finding her, and for a dollar, too!

On topic though, I prefer in person, it's such a thrill! But online is so much more convenient, so I have more ponies from online purchases than in-the-wild finds, because you can find what you want, when you want it, which unfortunately isn't at all possible with thrifting.
 
Actually found a G1 baby at thrift yesterday! Covered in marker, but I didn't already have her! Considering I haven't had any luck in the wild in at least a year (which is a long time considering I hit 4 thrift stores a week as part of my exercise routine) I was pretty stoked at finding her, and for a dollar, too!

Who was it? I'm dying of curiosity!
 
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