Update on thrifting

I visited my first Value Village today.  There was a red and black fit and flare dress I was really tempted on getting because it fit perfectly, was made out of a good weighted cotton, seemed brand new, and was only $15.  However, there were several different dresses from that same brand (eShakti?) which seemed sort of suspicious.  Does VV get their clothes from manufacturers as well as donations?  That's a little weird.

Ultimately, I decided not to get the dress.  Although I loved the cut, something about the red and black made me wonder if I would regret looking a little gothic (or at least, too hard-lined, which isn't my personality) in the future.  Also, the prevalence of the dresses of the same brand made me wonder if I was being tricked somehow.

Toughest decision of the day.

In regards to my question in this previous post:  I like how Goodwill is all priced the same, while Value Village tries to assess the cost more to maximize profit (and even at a mere $15, I wasn't sure if it was worth it.)  Goodwill's items are clearly donation only, whereas VV seemed mixed with some bargains they managed to find for their stock to mark-up a little as well.

However, I did like how VV sorted clothing by size.  It made it easier to go through.  There were also a lot less noticeable defects.