I wanted to get printer photo paper for my printer, a Canon. I went to Walmart, They had nothing. Went to Target, they had one pack of photo paper and it was crazy expensive, so I went to micro center. That one was just as expensive. So finally I went back to Amazon, which I was trying to avoid, and saw the price 25 to 40% lower than anywhere I had been. Literally everything that I was looking for, I could find within seconds. Not even Best buy has even close to the amount of inventory or variety, even when you’re shopping online…
Therefore, I think Amazon has a literal monopoly in the tech industry right now, you’re literally forced to buy from them, because unless you have the money and financial fortitude to protest with your wallet, you’re going to be buying from them. There’s no other choice. They have so aggressively and dominantly taken over the supply chain market that no other tech company can currently compete with them in any aspect at all. You will be paying 40 to 50% more on everything by cutting out Amazon, and no one has the money for that anymore unless you’re upper middle class or above
The second hand market is 80% suck since 2021 or so. Everyone wants retail for their shit. And goodwill has decided to be “the last reseller” and priced accordingly.
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People want to sell their beat up tools for $10 less than the full warranty with returns tool (router, brad nailer, palm sander, belt sander, recently, different sellers.) a plug in craftsman belt sander as old as my dad and you want what now?
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Shirts. Even the best thrift store will have a $7-8 minimum on a used shirt. Meanwhile, I can get 2 for $10-12 on Amazon, new, with returns.
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Photo paper is an uncommon thrift. Though I found two 5x7 packs for $1 each this year. They were in a box with wrapped postits and index cards so I think someone was confused.
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Remember, time is a commodity. Killing a day and coming out empty handed isn’t for everyone.
At least in my area, the online second hand market is pretty decent (in my case, classifieds at local newspaper). I even checked “photo paper” and found a dozen listings (I’m guessing they bought the wrong kind, got a really good deal on it, or decided they don’t actually print photos), but nothing as cheap as $1 (I see 2 packs of 50 sheets of 8.5x11 for $8 though, and that’s <1/4 the price vs retail).
Some things aren’t a good deal at thrift stores, but there still are some great deals. I’ve rarely found Goodwill to have good deals, but we have a few other thrift store brands in my area that actually have good deals. So like anything else, shop around.