My issue is that I know some moron will walk in and buy it and get screwed. My outrage isn't based on me wanting the game. It's based on the fact that you are called "Goodwill" yet you show no "good will". They literally pay nothing for the goods. Those are the situations where I don't feel bad about products being stolen at Goodwill. But that's a whole different conversation.
I'm sure they don't care if someone pays more than the going value for something. The place serves as low costs to those that can't afford more and also as income to continue running the non-profit institution (which does more than run those stores). Also, it's not the job of the clerk to do anything about prices - I'm sure they run into a lot of people trying to lowball or change stickers on them to save money - so I wouldn't be able to get upset at that. They have enough to deal with; they can't change something that's not part of their job responsibility.
I work at a library and people try to talk me down on the replacement cost of a book, claiming that something is cheaper on Amazon or whatever. While true, there are other factors, such as the vendors we purchase from, the original price we paid for the book, the print edition, and, the one thing that many people forget about, the staffing and time it takes to purchase and process a replacement item. All the while, the book is unavailable to other patrons.
I know it's not the same, especially since their goods are donated, but those dollars are sometimes about more than just the actual item itself.
Yes, there are many factors that contribute to it. I've always hated this conversation. Mostly biased because why does MY HOBBY have to be the one that they cherry pick prices, why not cassette collectors, vinyls, or other nic-nacs. Regardless of reason or whatever, I'm certain all Goodwill locations are profitable, especially the locations that don't cherry pick prices. So trying to gouge and screw over customers is a shitty practice regardless. You can't be the good guy when you are charging over retail, but also not testing the products nor offering a return policy of any kind. Even at $3.99, I get screwed on occasion.
Now as for the statement about blaming the clerk. I have never once gotten on a clerk's case about the prices. I'll complain to friends, family, and strangers on the internet... but I know damned well they have no "control" over it. But wait, they do, clerks absolutely can charge a different price, and guess what, they won't ever get in trouble unless their boss is a dictator. Because there is no way to track the inventory and sales to tell what an item WAS priced, what it sold for, and who sold it. But that aside, I've only ever had the arguments with the actual employee who does the pricing or the manager who employs the person who does the pricing. Conversations like that put a significant damper on my day. I always end the conversation with the statement that I can go to the video game store at the next exit, buy this exact same game, for $10 less, and if it doesn't work, they will exchange it for another one or store credit. And they always say the same thing "Then go do that and leave us alone, someone will come in and pay the price, and that's all that I care about".
There are 2 Goodwills in my city that price and act like this. I have not made a purchase at these stores since I graduated college. I've visited them maybe once a year, and I'm never surprised to see a copy of Melee priced $70.
