Value Village was founded in 1954 in San Francisco, California, by William Ellison. The company operates a chain of second hand/thrift stores that donate part of the profits collected to various charities.
Known as Value Village in the Pacific Northwest and Savers in other parts of the country and in Canada, the company has approximately 315 locations and had annual revenue in 2012 of $1 billion.
Value Village asks for donations from the public, as well as receiving items from non-profit charities for resale. The company is not a charity, however, it is a for-profit business that donates a small portion of their profits to charity. Some states believe that the company is misleading people into thinking that most of the money they receive goes to charities.
Both Washington and Minnesota states have filed lawsuits against the company stating that their aggressive ad campaigns have misled the public into thinking their donated items would end up with charities receiving money, when, in some cases, charities received nothing in return, while others received only 5% from the sale of donated items.
In October 2020, some state regulators were cracking down on misleading thrift store operations.
In March 2022, a person posted on Tik Tok that prices were out of control when they discovered used Mason canning jars for $10 and $15 each.
Savers and Value Village is owned by Berkshire Partners and TGP Capital. Headquarters for the company remain in Bellevue, Washington.
Value Village was founded in 1954 in San Francisco, California, by William Ellison. The company operates a chain of second hand/thrift stores that donate part of the profits collected to various charities.
Known as Value Village in the Pacific Northwest and Savers in other parts of the country and in Canada, the company has approximately 315 locations and had annual revenue in 2012 of $1 billion.
History
Value Village asks for donations from the public, as well as receiving items from non-profit charities for resale. The company is not a charity, however, it is a for-profit business that donates a small portion of their profits to charity. Some states believe that the company is misleading people into thinking that most of the money they receive goes to charities.
Both Washington and Minnesota states have filed lawsuits against the company stating that their aggressive ad campaigns have misled the public into thinking their donated items would end up with charities receiving money, when, in some cases, charities received nothing in return, while others received only 5% from the sale of donated items.
In October 2020, some state regulators were cracking down on misleading thrift store operations.
In March 2022, a person posted on Tik Tok that prices were out of control when they discovered used Mason canning jars for $10 and $15 each.
Savers and Value Village is owned by Berkshire Partners and TGP Capital. Headquarters for the company remain in Bellevue, Washington.
Value Village is so greedy and charging very unfair prices for things that are freely donated to them. V. V. prices on USED items are nearly as high as buying them new. They charge $16 for a very well used skillet that doesn’t even come with a lid, and the same price for used mason jars, as new; same goes with most things at V.V.! People shop at second-hand stores because they can’t afford high retail prices. Now V. V. is charging way too much for used, freely donated items, in addition to no long having change rooms and making very limited rules for returns. They must be raking in profits, and now I see they have a “real estate” website. Wonder how much they’re ripping people off if they are now into real estate. It is no longer enjoyable or worthwhile to shop at V.V. as they charge the same price, or more, that what items cost new! I bought some IKEA lanterns at V.V., and later discovered I had paid $.50 more at V.V. than they charged new at IKEA! Thankfully with my Sr’s discount I paid a tiny bit less than if I had purchased them new! V.V. is only “big business” now, and that means “rip off the public for whatever you can get.” It is not a charitable work, or thrift store by any means!
I have been shopping at the 924 Queen st. store since it opened 20 some years ago i have never seen such craziness going on in this store there is this one customer who has been banned many times but is still aloud in the store he has thrown a customer to the floor pushed customers punched and variable abuse customers what does it take to have this person removed from the store i feel the store is not safe to shop in .Thanks hope something is done about this .
Hi there my name is Kristina randahl you can each me at 250 981 XXXX I am writing this because I am appalled I spend atleast 1000 in the store in my home town. 12000 that would be a year and I will never enter your store again unless something gets done about my experience. I browse around for about an hour looking for a deal today getting tk the till they said that the prices where to low on some items took them and tripled there tag value. I have never ever been so upset and angry. So because your staff can’t price things correct I have to pay triple what it was on the shelf this is ridiculous. The prices are already sky high as is so someone finds something nice you have your team take it re price it and bring it back and expect people to still ship there I would appreate a call to discuss this further it happened 20 mins ago on March 10 thank u very much
The store manager named Jamie here in Lacey,WA or Olympia,WA TOLD ME SINCE MY MASK FELL DOWN I NEEDED TO LEAVE THE STORE SHE CALLED ME A DUMB B*TCH AFTERWARDS. TOLD ME I WASnt WELCOME IVE BEEN CAUGHT SHOPLIFTING THERE BEFORE. IVE NEVER BEEN ARRESTED IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. SHE SHOVED HER FINGER IN MY FACE AND I HAD THE WORST EXPERIENCE IN MY LIFE there. Before that I couldn’t hear her because I had my head phones in she ripped my head phones out of my ears. I want this woman fired!! Along with the door greeter and cart cleaner. She is the same one that does those two jobs for the past 4 months and the only one who does it
I was asked to leave the store for no reason and when I was asked all the lady could say was that it was a private company so she didn’t have to tell me and then once again I asked what the reason was she says because I asked you to leave is that correct no I feel like she was being judgemental and racist and profiling me I haven’t even been in town I just got back today and all my luggage was stolen and I have nothing I’m on a budget and do not have the money to buy brand new so is it even ok for her to do that this happened at the everett value village don’t go there if ur not old or white because I feel like they are profiling judgemental and racist
I was visiting your Tukwila location whenI was incorrectly accused of shoplifting by one of the employees and was able to produce a sales receipt for the item in question and even when the receipt was produced proving that I had purchased the item from a different store I was told that it didn’t matter and was physically assaulted in an attempt to prevent me from leaving the store and when that didn’t work I had my personal property in turn stolen from me by the employee and was told that if I wanted my property I would need to take it up with the police. If the employee responsible was in charge of loss prevention it seems counterintuitive to me to steal personal property from a customer in order to prevent loss from the store. Just like two wrongs don’t make a right, stealing my property that I entered the store with in order to prevent me from what was believed to be shoplifting from their establishment is not logical or moral. I will be contacting my attorney as well as filing a report with Tukwila Police department. in addition to my shopping experience being ruined my personal property being wrongfully stolen, my physical safety came into question. An employee of your company should never act in such a way as to cause a customer to feel like their safety is compromised, and should not believe they are entitled to act as a body capable of serving Justice or having the right to determine the consequences for a crime they believe has been committed. America is supposed to follow a justice system with checks and balances not have Justice served by a vigilante that works for a thrift store. Everything that happened during my shopping experience was both morally incorrect and logically wrong. I expect my property to be returned to me in full and to be compensated for the experience that I had both causing me to question my safety and my dignity. I gave the store manager the opportunity to rectify the situation the following day and was unfortunately met with a cold minimal interaction that refused to offer an apology my property or even information as to whether or not your location has a store identification number I was told that my property was thrown in the garbage and that I would need to take it up with the Tukwila Police department I was not even met with an apology or sympathy. I don’t understand how a company who’s merchandise is solely received on a donation basis could operate under such terms. I have filmed the entire incident both in the store where the incident occurred as well as my interaction with the manager the following day. I am prepared to take this to whatever level of the justice system and needs to go through as well as having the videos go viral in order to have the rest of the public become aware of the type of company and business conducted through value village.
I’m making a complain on one of your stores. The address 6656 Church street.The mangers you having at your store are very very rude. The names of the mangers are Keyshawn and LaToya and Rob. Keyshawn sits in the office. I ask her a question she didn’t and being rude.I seen Latoya walking around on her phone and course being rude to the customer and to the employers. This is you you run your store with rude mangers. I been shopping at the store so years. I even tried to talk to Rob about the mangers. He just look at me like I’m stupid. Customers was complaining how the mangers aren’t doing they job. The prices on the clothes are very high. What are you going to do about the mangers. You will be losting customers and employees on poor and bad manger. It looks like they over working the employers and customers are not going to shop until Latoya and Keyshawn are Fire.
I am donating for FUND0154, Cambodia Mission trip. I understand there are specific requirements, please enlighten us. The flyer just states “we accept”…..but in speaking with a participant – items are to be separated, ie: clothing (soft items) & household goods. Are they to be delivered in plastic bags, or can they be in boxes???
I would like to avoid extra work & time to re-sort.
Thank you
Tina