For those of you who think thrift stores are dirty places, I offer this bite, excuse me, bit of news from the Associated Press, Wal-Mart customer finds teeth in wallet. I'm certain attorneys will work with this gentleman for an undisclosed amount of money to hush this up right fast. Just a sampling to reveal the new products retail market just might not be as clean as one might expect like the situation I faced in What's the bait and where's the switch?
This information came vis a vis blogger extraordinaire and National Thrift Store Petition backer, The Q Speaks. When Amanda Quraishi speaks, one might want to listen as she has recently been listed as a 2009 Honoree for National Women’s History Month. If I ever write an alphabet book for girls, Q is for Quraishi.
Shortly after I wrote this, a thrifty reader found another item of dirty interest from Wal-Mart and sent it my way. I am not specifically picking on Wal-Mart, they just happen to be in the news this week. Looks like there will be another undisclosed settlement.
But there is a lesson here. Maybe, just maybe new product retailers are not as up front with us as we'd like to think.
On the flip side, there is a certain gentlemen following every news agency that ran the opinion piece I wrote for The Christian Science Monitor declaring that thrift stores spray pesticide and fungicide on all their clothing. This gentleman cites no source but I'm sadly certain his rumor is discussed. My friends at Goodwill and ARC are developing their response to this bit that sniffs of myth.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
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8 comments:
That is disgusting! I bet he won't be shopping there anymore.
"New" can be very ewwwwww! How many times have we been trying something on in a dressing room and it is smeared with foundation or lipstick? I routinely find brand new articles of clothing on the thrift, tags still attached, sans Mary Kay. Any one who thinks new items purchased from retailers large and small are "clean" is gravely mistaken. I spent many a year working in retail and can guarantee that cleanliness and newness are not concerns when an item is placed on a rack or shelf.
In response to Thriftfully Modern Mommie, I too did a stint in retail and back her comments completely. The saddest part is, compared to thrift, we're paying at least a 90% mark up on items we EXPECT to be NEW.
I've certainly found a pair of teeth or two in the past but you kind of expect that at an estate sale. But at Walmart? Not quite as forgiving.
When I read about the teeth in the wallet at Wal-Mart I was FLABBERGASTED. I mean...wow. Just WOW.
We have one of the cleanest societies on earth--and we all have access to products and methods for cleaning things we buy anyway.
There's nothing gross about buying second hand. But there's everything gross about being a thoughtless consumer.
ADQ
I just found your blog and I am so happy! I was raised on thrifting, going to yardsales and going to antique auctions before antiques were "cool". I am now 30+ with a 5 year old daughter who loves and adores thrifting! Perhaps call her greedy, because she loves it because she knows she can have more by going thrift! Very happy to have found this blog!
http://www.lamanaphotography.com/walmart.htm
another great story...also happens to be about wal-mart
Yeah I think some people are anti-anything used, but if it seems like the people took care of the stuff its fine. I always think it's more interesting when an object has a history.
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