Woman finds Goodwill selling an empty water bottle. Then, she saw the price: "We've lost the plot..."

Opportunities to resell limited edition items or designer apparel online for higher rates have turned thrifting into a lucrative practice. The popular thrift chain, Goodwill is known for its great offers and rare valuable finds. However, lately, the stores have come under fire for selling some unusual items at outrageous prices. Earlier this year, a thrift shopper and TikTok creator Jean, also known as @chilinelson_, documented a shocking find, a used bottle of packaged spring water. While selling the item itself was a bold move, the store even put on a price tag that exceeded the value of a brand-new bottle of water. 

Jean recorded herself from the aisles of a store where she came across what she seemingly believed to be an unmarketable item. At her local Goodwill store in Nashville, the creator pulled the item from the stocked shelves after saying, “Goodwill has gotten out of hand.”

Clearly in shock, Jean flipped her camera to show the viewers what she was referring to. It appeared to be a used bottle of "The Mountain Valley Springwater." While the aluminum water bottle appeared to be clean and elegant, it was still an empty bottle of packaged water on sale.

“OK, this is an empty bottle of water, like this is a bottle of water,” Jean said and then tapped it against the shelf to show it was empty. Given that consumers can buy the bottles with the water from stores, Jean implied that Goodwill shouldn't be selling them. What was more shocking was the outrageous pricing. Jean turned the bottle upside down to show the label that mentioned it was being sold for $3. To put things into perspective, the official website of The Mountain Valley Spring Water, sells a 12-pack of 750ml aluminum bottles for $24, making the average price of a bottle about $2. Thus, Goodwill was selling used and empty water bottles for a dollar above the market price. “We have regressed too much as a society. We have lost the plot,” Jean concluded. 

Viewers were equally shocked to see the item, but for some, it was a common occurrence. In the comments, people shared tons of similar stories where they came across items that should not be sold at Goodwill. "I once found a bottle of Tide laundry detergent that was like 75% empty. It was marked for $9," @egendke shared.

Meanwhile, one user added a possible explanation for the mistake. "The prices are made up by designated employees and prices are "audited" by supervisors. anywhere from 17 to 50 years old and they have a quota to hit of 120 units priced an hour. paid minimum wage," @dozyscyc3t2 suggested.

Previously, another TikToker, Brian Richard Smith (@brianrichardsmith) shared a similar video showing all the outrageously priced items at Goodwill. "I can’t afford Goodwill, but I do enjoy checking out all of the incredible merchandise," the creator wrote sarcastically. 

Some of the items Smith showed include a small bag of rocks that were on sale for $2 and a box of expired Kraft Mac and Cheese which he jokingly referred to as a collector's item on sale for a bargain.

For more updates and entertaining content, follow Jean (@chilinelson_) on TikTok.