Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a collection of questions we are most often asked. Hopefully, this will help you to better understand the mission and work of Rappahannock Goodwill Industries.
Questions about shopping:
- What are the noodles? Noodles are thin plastic tags you will find attached to the clothing in our stores. These colored tags help us to rotate our clothing regularly so you can always find new merchandise when you shop at our stores.
- Is the color for the Color of the Week discount based on the size tag or the noodle color? Our Color of the Week discount is based on the color of the noodle attached to the clothing and the price sticker.
- Can you lower the price? Most items in our stores are sold as-is and for the price you find on the merchandise. We do lower our prices by 50% for the Color of the Week.
- Why do you charge for stuff you get for free? Each item sold in our stores helps to fund job help programs. The sale of the donated goods allows us to assist so many people in our area. While the products are donated, we do incur substantial costs with processing and selling the merchandise.
- Can I return items I bought at a Goodwill store? All items are sold as-is with no returns. We encourage our shoppers to review their items carefully prior to purchase. Please see the return policy which is noted on your receipt.
- What happens to merchandise that does not sell in the store? We attempt to sell some of the items at our Goodwill Outlet. If merchandise does not sell at the Outlet, we will sell the items in bulk to wholesalers. Revenue generated from our stores, outlet, and from sales to bulk purchasers, all go toward helping local people find jobs.
- I’ve heard someone say your prices seem high especially since you get the stuff for free. While we get merchandise freely donated, there are costs involved in operating and staffing our donation centers and stores. The items sold are deeply discounted from what they would cost if new. All proceeds support our mission of helping people find jobs.
- Are Goodwill stores there to help low-income families and people with financial difficulties? While a benefit of our stores is that many people can afford to purchase clothing and household items at deep discounts, our mission is to help people find employment.
- When I’m shopping at Goodwill and see an item I might want to purchase, will you hold it for me? We will hold a paid item for no longer than 24 hours.
- Do Goodwill employees get the first option of purchasing items donated? Our employees cannot shop at the store in which they work.
- I have a question about store policies and operations I have experienced. Who can help me? You can ask to speak with a store manager. If the manager is not available, you can email [email protected].
Questions about donating:
- Where can I donate my stuff? You can donate to any of our stores and also our Attended Donation Centers (trailer sites) throughout the area. All of our donation sites are available online at www.FredGoodwill.org.
- What happens to my donated items? First of all, thank you for donating! Each item you donate is examined so we can determine how it should be priced and if we can sell if in our stores. Our goal is to find a use for nearly all items that are donated so we can significantly reduce what ends up in our local landfills.
- Will my donation stay in our area? All sellable items are offered for sale in our local stores. Items that are not sold within a reasonable period of time might be sold to bulk purchasers. The revenue generated from these sales is used to help local people find employment.
- What types of donations are accepted? We accept nearly anything including clothing, shoes, books, jewelry, furniture, cars, boats, and more! See the complete list here: www.fredgoodwill.org/donate.
- Do you repair items I donate? We are not able to repair items.
- Why does Goodwill refuse to accept certain items? Some items might not be appropriate for our stores, are dangerous/flammable, have been recalled for safety reasons, or by law we cannot accept (such as stained furniture, mattresses, etc.).
- Do you accept cars? Yes! We also accept boats and RVs.
- Will you pick up my donations? We offer an in-home donation service. Please click this link to schedule a day and time: www.fredgoodwill.org/in-home-pickup.
- Why should I donate to my local Goodwill rather than another thrift store? We encourage people to make wise choices when deciding where to donate. Not all thrift stores or donation sites in the area are non-profit organizations that will benefit people in our local area. When you donate to Rappahannock Goodwill, your donation will go directly toward helping people in our community with employment assistance so they can find jobs.
- What are the restrictions for using a Goodwill coupon? Each genuine coupon from Rappahannock Goodwill will state any restrictions. Generally, coupons are good for donated items only. Typically they cannot be used for new merchandise, items with purple noodles or price stickers, the Goodwill Outlet, and for our online store.
- Does Goodwill give away donated clothes? We offer vouchers to local social service organizations that distribute them to those in need.
- Why won’t you take everything I want to donate? There are items we are prohibited by law from accepting. Please see the complete list at https://fredgoodwill.org/donate.
- I made a donation but lost the tax receipt. Can I obtain a copy? Unfortunately, we are unable to provide a donation receipt if yours becomes lost. Please carefully keep a record of your donation.
- I accidentally donated an item, how can I get it back? Once an item is donated there is no way to retrieve the item again. In many cases, items donated are on the sales floor within 15 minutes.
- Can I drop off donations after-hours? We can only accept donations during regular hours.
- What type of vehicles does Goodwill accept? We accept ALL vehicles whether they are in good shape or in poor condition.
- I made a donation last week and the man that gave me the receipt would not put the value of my items on the receipt. I thought Goodwill was responsible for that? We are not able to assess the value of donated items. We do have a donation guide available on our website so you can determine the value of your donation. The guide is at https://fredgoodwill.org/donate/valuation-guide/
General questions about Goodwill:
- Who does Goodwill help? Each year we help thousands of people right here in our area. Our mission is to create jobs locally, prepare people to succeed at work, and help them overcome barriers to employment.
- How does Goodwill help people in our community? Our mission is to help people along their pathway to employment. We help people with disabilities and other barriers to employment find work, and we hire individuals in our stores, custodial services, and other employment opportunities.
- Is Goodwill a business or a charity? Rappahannock Goodwill is a 501(c)(3) non-profit.
- Is Goodwill hiring, and, if so, what positions are available? Find job listings at www.fredgoodwill.org/need-a-job.
- Can you help me find a job? Thanks to donors and shoppers, we have employment specialists who provide free assistance to people looking for employment. Learn more about our services at www.fredgoodwill.org/need-a-job.
- Are all Goodwills the same? There are over 150 different Goodwill agencies and each is independently operated. Rappahannock Goodwill Industries operates 13 stores in our region, one outlet, an online store, and numerous donation centers.
- How many people do you help a year? Each year we help thousands of people in our local region!
- If Goodwill is a nonprofit, why do you charge me tax? We collect Virginia sales tax as required by law.
If you have a question that is not on this list, please contact [email protected].