Shopgoodwill.com

[Alpinemaps]

I've been trolling around Shopgoodwill for the better part of 2014.  I've picked up some amazing deals, and had one or two rotten deals.  I'm actually considering writing a series of blogs about shopping on shopgoodwill, what to look for, and what to be careful of.

 

It can be fun, exciting, and frustrating, all at the same time.  There are things to be careful of.  There are strategies for bidding.  It's always interesting to see what shows up on SGW, because there are some real sleepers, and there are some groaners.  There are times I scratch my head, wondering why someone is paying over retail (before shipping) for an active set.  I guess they're "donating."

 

You're got to have a very keen eye, though.  If you scour the bulk lots, and you carefully look at them, sometimes you find a nugget.  Over the last few months, I picked up a bulk lot that I spotted 4842 Hogwart's Castle.  Paid about what you would pay for a used set.  But then I was able to pull out most of 10217 Diagon Alley (short by about 100 pieces out of 2000), 4841 Hogwart's Express, and Quiddich Match.  So those are all "bonus" to me.  (I bought the lot strictly for investment).

 

Found another lot that looked like it had part of Emerald Night in it.  It ended up having the passenger car and coal tender, but not the engine.  But I've already sold off the passenger car for what I paid for the lot.

 

On the flip side, I bought what I thought was an Indiana Jones lot, that had a few extra pieces.  Turns out there were only about 100 pieces there, and none of them had anything to do with Indiana Jones.  They accepted the return, since it wasn't even close to what they were advertising.

[kman223]

I've also had mixed luck on the Goodwill site.  I've gotten lucky with a few but was just royally screwed on a bulk lot I decide to gamble on from a local store.  I've found that you have to keep a close eye on what comes up, and then just pray it doesn't shoot way up.  Shipping can also be overpriced as well, depending on where you buy from.  However, I have found several vintage sets, practically complete that have turned me a decent profit.

[Sauromosis]

You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. We must be cautious.

[teamhappyfrog]

I was watching shopgoodwill for a while and the final prices usually ended up being slightly higher than ebay once you factor in shipping and handling.  I was looking for specific sets they had listed, to me the bulk lots were too much of a gamble.

[kman223]

I was watching shopgoodwill for a while and the final prices usually ended up being slightly higher than ebay once you factor in shipping and handling.  I was looking for specific sets they had listed, to me the bulk lots were too much of a gamble.

I had some good luck with the bulk lots in the past but got royaly hosed on the last one I bought.  Out of the 23lbs, 13 turned out to be mega blocs. 

[KarenKV]

I love Jurassic Park, so I wanted the retired Indominus Rex set on shopgoodwill.com. I found one for $40 + $10 shipping. I thought I could sort it, build it, and put it back together for a quick sale and a little profit. Ummmm..... NO! The box appeared to have water damage. I couldn't tell if the box and set smelled like pee, a crawl space, or death. I hand washed all the pieces and pitched the box. The worst was yet to come. It had parts that not only didn't come from the set, they weren't even Lego. It was missing over 100 pieces. It included at least 100 pieces from another set. I still haven't figured out which one. I did score one little bonus...Davy Jones' hat. Just think, someone bought the Black Pearl without the hat. That's a $30.00 replacement part.

[Alpinemaps]

I love Jurassic Park, so I wanted the retired Indominus Rex set on shopgoodwill.com. I found one for $40 + $10 shipping. I thought I could sort it, build it, and put it back together for a quick sale and a little profit. Ummmm..... NO! The box appeared to have water damage. I couldn't tell if the box and set smelled like pee, a crawl space, or death. I hand washed all the pieces and pitched the box. The worst was yet to come. It had parts that not only didn't come from the set, they weren't even Lego. It was missing over 100 pieces. It included at least 100 pieces from another set. I still haven't figured out which one. I did score one little bonus...Davy Jones' hat. Just think, someone bought the Black Pearl without the hat. That's a $30.00 replacement part.

Sell the hat, pitch the rest and learn the lesson about buying from SGW.

One of these days I'm going to start a blog here call "The Good(will), the Bad and the Ugly". Your story is definitely an "ugly" story.

[donbee]

I only buy sets if it's still sealed. Or shows great pictures.

I remember a great pic of a bulk lot someone posted here that had an Oreo cookie in it.

 

I have a shopgoodwill in town, so I can pick it up directly, but they're one that cherry picks the bulk. They take all of the minifigs out and sell them in one large bundle. They also will split a set into several boxes. I once saw they had three 17 lb boxes. In one box it was clear that it had parts for a hogswart castle, The sand green spires. People were bidding it up, but I noticed in the another box that it also had parts for the hog warts castle. I'm certain it was the same set. And of course the minifigs were in a fourth, separate, minifig only lot. So if you buy anything bulk that looks like it has a complete set... it ain't.

 

[thoroakenfelder]

I bought a detectives office that had no box but the right number of bags. Received the lot and every bag had been slit and taped. A full third of the set was missing. Pretty sure it was Donbee's Goodwill.