Goodwill Industries is jumping into the resale market with the debut of its new re-commerce platform, GoodwillFinds.

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The thrift-store enterprise is listing about 100,000 donated items on the platform, which launched Oct. 4.

GoodwillFinds stocks a curated selection of items from Goodwill’s thrift stores, including fashion, home decor and specialty items, focusing largely on brand names such as Cole Haan, Kate Spade and Nike, as well as items from upmarket labels such as Prada.

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A pair of Ray-Ban aviator sunglasses, for example, is listed at US$69.99 plus shipping. A Prada belt, which the company says has been authenticated using AI technology, is listed at US$109.99.

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Items that have been marked as authenticated have been donated alongside a certificate of authenticity, says CEO Matthew Kaness in a statement to The Vintage Seeker. “Our AI module will price it appropriately — otherwise it is priced without authentication.

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“While there are other ways to authenticate, this is more a matter of reflection in the price. We're not going in the closet and working with brands, what we’re doing is digitizing the inventory coming into Goodwills today, and over time adding authentication services.”

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Targeting existing and new audiences

The marketplace is aimed toward longtime thrifters and what the company calls “conscious consumers” who are keen on discovering new ways to support the organization’s mission while shopping more sustainably.

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Aside from ShopGoodwill.com, an auction site that launched in 1999, GoodwillFinds is the first foray into retail ecommerce for the retailer, and one that the company says will divert “billions” of pounds of goods from landfills.

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In its 2021 impact report, Goodwill recovered more than 3.8 billion pounds (1.7 billion kilograms) of used goods from going to landfill. The Ontario-Great Lakes region of Goodwill Industries diverted 14 million pounds (6.3 million kilograms) of goods.

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Ships to Canada

While the U.S.–based GoodwillFinds marketplace will ship to Canada, sale proceeds are currently going toward the organization’s community-based programming south of the border. The regions where the items were donated will receive the net proceeds from the sale.

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Goodwill helps job seekers find work through skills development, resume writing, interview preparation and job placement. Nearly two million people across North America use Goodwill’s services every year.

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GoodwillFinds has welcomed a new CEO, retail expert Matthew A. Kaness, to lead the venture.

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In a release, Kaness says the platform “makes it easier for the conscious consumer to shop sustainably online while heightening the thrifting experience they’ve come to love at Goodwill.”

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Let us know what you think in the comments!

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