Goodwill Industries, a long-time leader in the retail industry thrift sector, is now leading the way for online thrift shoppers with shopgoodwill.com.

The web site, started in August 1999 by Goodwill Industries of Orange County (Santa Ana, CA), offers online auction shopping modeled after many of the larger, well-known online commercial auction sites. Ninety-five Goodwills around the country sell a variety of collectibles, art, antiques, and odds and ends on the site. Registration is free, and shopping is open to the public.

While shopgoodwill.com does not yet match the audience reach or sales of online auction giants such as eBay, it is the clear leader in the online charity auction business, with more than 347,000 hits a day coming from all corners of the globe. A quick “surfing safari” on the web turns up very few online charity auctions that are continuously up and running. shopgoodwill.com is online all the time, not just at certain times during the year.

The variety of items offered on shopgoodwill.com matches the breadth of larger commercial auction sites, with an average of 6,000 items listed on any given day. Shopping categories include Antiques, Art, Books and Records, Cameras and Electronic Equipment, Clothing, Collectibles, Home Décor, Jewelry and Gemstones, Musical Instruments, Pottery, Seasonal and Holiday, Sports, Toys and Dolls.

Collectibles are a perennial favorite for shoppers, who are offered an array of items from bobble-head banks, to vintage Hall teapots, to rare gold coins. The “Art” category also holds intrigue for shoppers, with selections ranging from early 20 century commercial pieces to modern, signed limited edition prints.

Goodwill's reputation is one of shopgoodwill.com's strongest selling points for online shoppers. Stories of scams associated with online auction sites regularly make headlines in the mainstream media, but as with its retail stores, Goodwill Industries' online auction site pledges integrity to shoppers. Customers are encouraged to ask questions about any item, and provided upfront contact information, should any issues arise.

The web site is developing a steady and growing shopper base. Joan Dornbach, Vice President for Marketing and Public Relations at Goodwill Industries of Orange County, says, “At the end of October 2003, there were 81,969 registered buyers.” Dornbach adds that total sales on the site since January 1, 2000, are more than $11.2 million. The revenue, as with Goodwill retail stores, funds mission-related Goodwill programs and services.

Source: Working! Fall 2003

To find out more about the training opportunities and job placement services provided by your local Goodwill, visit the Goodwill Locator.

At Goodwill's original online auction you can find great deals on name brand goods and one-of-a-kind collectibles.