Thrift Thieves

I notice that ponies go quick around here too. I think in my area there just aren't that many coming in and parents buy them for children. I visit the thrift store quite often and when I pass over fakies, they are gone when I come in a couple days later. I haven't run into people marking them up on Kijiji here, but I know that type of thing does happen. Over the years I found one bag at a flea market that had come from Value Village, but that seemed to be a one time thing.

I ran into a different problem today which can occur at thrift stores though. I was at Value Village yesterday and there were no ponies. When I went today the shevles had been restocked and there were pony bags. I got 3 bags with 2 adult G1s and smaller ponies (a sea pony, G3, and baby fakies). But there were 2 bags on the shelves that had been tore open. One had one G1 adult in it and the other had 2 baby fakies, so it appeared someone made their own bag of ponies from the ones the store had created. I wasn't too impressed with that. I saw someone else rearranging bags in Value Village one other time too. :madpony:It wasn't in the toy section but a miscellaneous section with a lot of craft materials. It isn't right.

On the upside when ponies are found at thrift stores and yard sales you can certainly get some great prices! There's something really exciting about finding ponies when you're not sure if there will be any to find.
 
StrawberryScoops said:
I notice that ponies go quick around here too. I think in my area there just aren't that many coming in and parents buy them for children. I visit the thrift store quite often and when I pass over fakies, they are gone when I come in a couple days later. I haven't run into people marking them up on Kijiji here, but I know that type of thing does happen. Over the years I found one bag at a flea market that had come from Value Village, but that seemed to be a one time thing.

I ran into a different problem today which can occur at thrift stores though. I was at Value Village yesterday and there were no ponies. When I went today the shevles had been restocked and there were pony bags. I got 3 bags with 2 adult G1s and smaller ponies (a sea pony, G3, and baby fakies). But there were 2 bags on the shelves that had been tore open. One had one G1 adult in it and the other had 2 baby fakies, so it appeared someone made their own bag of ponies from the ones the store had created. I wasn't too impressed with that. I saw someone else rearranging bags in Value Village one other time too. :madpony:It wasn't in the toy section but a miscellaneous section with a lot of craft materials. It isn't right.

On the upside when ponies are found at thrift stores and yard sales you can certainly get some great prices! There's something really exciting about finding ponies when you're not sure if there will be any to find.
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I would find that too at the Value Village here too. I'm in retail and I see all kinds of "shopping" happening. So cool that you actually find any G1 ponies anymore. I find nothing every time I go :( I miss those days of surprise and glee when you find ponies and a good deal! Also really super cool someone else from Canada collects from East side! :cool: So neat, the internet is so amazing sometimes!
 
I find g3s about every time I go to a thrift store, and the occasional g1. I've had some pretty good scores too. :3 guess I'm pretty lucky, from what I see from some of the comments.
 
StrawberryScoops said:
I notice that ponies go quick around here too. I think in my area there just aren't that many coming in and parents buy them for children. I visit the thrift store quite often and when I pass over fakies, they are gone when I come in a couple days later. I haven't run into people marking them up on Kijiji here, but I know that type of thing does happen. Over the years I found one bag at a flea market that had come from Value Village, but that seemed to be a one time thing.

I ran into a different problem today which can occur at thrift stores though. I was at Value Village yesterday and there were no ponies. When I went today the shevles had been restocked and there were pony bags. I got 3 bags with 2 adult G1s and smaller ponies (a sea pony, G3, and baby fakies). But there were 2 bags on the shelves that had been tore open. One had one G1 adult in it and the other had 2 baby fakies, so it appeared someone made their own bag of ponies from the ones the store had created. I wasn't too impressed with that. I saw someone else rearranging bags in Value Village one other time too. :madpony:It wasn't in the toy section but a miscellaneous section with a lot of craft materials. It isn't right.

On the upside when ponies are found at thrift stores and yard sales you can certainly get some great prices! There's something really exciting about finding ponies when you're not sure if there will be any to find.
Click to expand...

Rearranging the bags! I don't believe it. I guess some people just feel entitled? I asked once if I could just buy the ponies in one bag and not buy everything else to the store manager (it was a big bag) and she said no, so I was a good sport and bought the whole thing. I gave the rest of the toys away to kids in my building.

I guess some collectors or thrifters are pretty serious. I've always been the good sportsman type, fair is fair, you win some, you lose some, I guess the collecting game can get just as cheeky as any other hobby!

Rawr! :LOL:
 
Eighties_Otaku said:
I would find that too at the Value Village here too. I'm in retail and I see all kinds of "shopping" happening. So cool that you actually find any G1 ponies anymore. I find nothing every time I go :( I miss those days of surprise and glee when you find ponies and a good deal! Also really super cool someone else from Canada collects from East side! :cool: So neat, the internet is so amazing sometimes!
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I thought I read something the other day on here where someone mentioned that MLPs are in right now, so collectors and thrifters (people buying at thrift stores and re-selling like the woman who sold a pony to me) are cleaning house at thrift stores and reuse centers.

I'm totally bummed that out of all the ponies I've found, I only found one g1, but then I guess I was lucky to find ponies at all, looking at all these replies. :surprisepony:
 
There are so many ponies at Goodwill, but they bunch them up into huge bags of other crappy toys and slap a "7.99" price on it. :( I really wanted that G3, 2 Rarity's and Lily Blossom! But I didn't want other things...

Other than that, don't know of any people reselling stuff for higher value. I've found ponies at a locally owned thrift store. You gotta go there like everyday and see if they have ponies cause they sell them pretty quickly. It's because they sell My Little Ponies for .50 a piece! I bought a really nice Applejack there for .75 cents.
 
I totally pack my own bags. No Offence, but if Value Village can't hire employees smart enough to bag ponies in the same bag, you are darn tootin I am going to re bag them.
I can't afford $4.99-$6.99 a bag for ONE single pony. I don't ask anymore, I just do it. I don't make a mess, I just pick what I want out (and even better when there is already a hold in the bag, which is usually the case) I, for one, have noticed their extreme price hikes. Heck, once they had a pair of wal mart BUM brand pants (brand new with tag) priced for MORE than what the tag said they sold for!!! That, is greed!

Once upon a time, there were bag your own value villages here. As in you pay $2.99 for a bag and BAG YOUR OWN, so you can pick and choose what toys you want in it instead of being dictated by someone who has *no idea* what they are doing.

Mind you, I pass on G3's and G2's. I only find a G1 once in awhile and I find more G1's than I do G4's
 
Twinkler00 said:
I totally pack my own bags. No Offence, but if Value Village can't hire employees smart enough to bag ponies in the same bag, you are darn tootin I am going to re bag them.
I can't afford $4.99-$6.99 a bag for ONE single pony. I don't ask anymore, I just do it. I don't make a mess, I just pick what I want out (and even better when there is already a hold in the bag, which is usually the case) I, for one, have noticed their extreme price hikes. Heck, once they had a pair of wal mart BUM brand pants (brand new with tag) priced for MORE than what the tag said they sold for!!! That, is greed!

Once upon a time, there were bag your own value villages here. As in you pay $2.99 for a bag and BAG YOUR OWN, so you can pick and choose what toys you want in it instead of being dictated by someone who has *no idea* what they are doing.

Mind you, I pass on G3's and G2's. I only find a G1 once in awhile and I find more G1's than I do G4's
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It's against their policy to re-bag things, if you get caught you could be fined $1,000 or end up in 90 days jail, or both, they are very serious about this stuff at my thrift stores, I didn't think it was stealing either, but if you think about it, it is in a way if you are changing bags around that few dollars you "saved" is stolen money basically. Stop doing it trust me! The reason they don't bag ll the ponies together is for profit, they know what sells and what doesnt so if they put ponies with crappy mcdonalds toys then it all sells together in one bag, in fact they are very smart employees as much as I hate it too.
 
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I miss the "bag your own". I used to go to one in Mississauga! Spent so much money there. It angers me they stick one OK item and fill the rest of the bag with garbage, as by the time I shop ALL the bags have holes and are leaking all over the floor. I do know they do it intentionally! One pony per bag, rest trash for $7.99 each or more. Worst is when stores will divide up one item (like ONE game) between a few bags so you have to buy three to get one thing. I don't like it, so now I barely ever shop there or look. The clothing prices are horrendous too! Being a slim girl again I get clothes for between 30-50% LESS brand new off mall clearance racks, VV prices are comparable or higher then regular prices at the teen stores. It's a shame as I love the idea of recycling, upcycling etc, but I'm not going to do it when new is saving me a good chunk of change and a bunch of extra trash I don't want. :madpony:
 
I don't think I have the guts to stuff ponies in another bag. I don't know what I am supposed to do with other toys, throw them away? Yeah, buncha ponies full of trains, spongebobs, blocks... random crap! :(

I would love one day to go to a Goodwill and find one bag of ponies. I got lucky and found a Peach Surprise, Daisy Jo, and Wysteria in a bag for 1.99 (with just only ONE troll! :D )

Otherwise, my locally owned thrift store bags ponies! <3
Scored a buncha McDonald's and G3s for 2.99!
 
Brony Galore said:
It's against their policy to re-bag things, if you get caught you could be fined $1,000 or end up in 90 days jail, or both, they are very serious about this stuff at my thrift stores, I didn't think it was stealing either, but if you think about it, it is in a way if you are changing bags around that few dollars you "saved" is stolen money basically. Stop doing it trust me! The reason they don't bag ll the ponies together is for profit, they know what sells and what doesnt so if they put ponies with crappy mcdonalds toys then it all sells together in one bag, in fact they are very smart employees as much as I hate it too.
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I couldn't care less what the policy is. I do what I need to do and it is done with caution. Those greedy buggers alreadyake enough profit! I'm not a reseller, so I'm not trying to make profit on what I get. If I have it, I usually leave. Hahaha. Arresting me, yeah.....okay!
When they arrest all the little brats who open bags and toys to play with them, they can arrest me too.
 
There is only one VV I visit. The store is always clean, clothes are priced less then what they sell for new and it's always super busy (busiest VV I have ever seen- so they're doing something right) with new stuff out each day we are in the area.

Best of all, they package like toys TOGETHER!
ValueVillage.jpg
 
Here's a new tip I learned while visiting my mom in a little town in MI this past week: try Vintage/antique shops.

I hate to say it, but they ARE that old now. One shop's owners told us that her daughter is 35 (I'm 36 and assured her of that and also that the ponies would have a great home with me) and will be getting rid of her ponies in two weeks, giving them to her mom's store to get them sold. I gave them my mom's phone number and my mom is going to go there and take pics of the ones she has going up for sale. She said that they are in good condition. I'm looking forward to a possible really nice hoard in the next few weeks or so. (It'd be sweet if there is a Mimic in that collection....)
 
Anything nice I re-donate. Trash that came included goes where it belongs- straight into the rubbish bin. But, I stopped checking the stores that sell you garbage with one good item long ago.
 
I have to admit that I do this... but not for a quick buck

I do it because I can't bear to see ponies, especially G1 go home with some sticky fingered child to be ruined, so I bring them home, clean them up, restore what I can and put them on eBay or the forums so they can find a pony loving home where they'll be cared for and not mangled x

I have nothing against children but in my experience children nowadays have very little respect for their toys compared to when I was younger, and really cared for everything I owned
 
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