Sort Donations Properly by Asking Three Questions
A donor has generously shared a gift with you. As the donor drives away, what is the first thing you do with the donation? Three Questions Sorting donations may not be the most exciting topic, but it impacts the whole thrift operation in a huge way. Donations are always the first, and most important, part […]
The Real Cost of Trash (Part 4 of 4)
What are the hidden costs of retaining non-sellable goods? Unlike a payroll expense, the dollars and cents of not disposing of non-sellable goods quickly is not as easy to see. But, I believe you’ll quickly see there is a very real and tangible cost as demonstrated by the three drivers identified below. The age old […]
Overcoming Trashy Roadblocks (Part 3 of 4)
Why are non-sellable items not identified and disposed of rapidly? These answers are many and varied. I’ve included three. (Feel free to include other roadblocks in the comments.) A quick answer is insufficient staffing to keep up with donation flows. While this answer may be correct, at least in part, it does not have to […]
Pre-sort = Your Just-In-Time System (Part 2 of 4)
Our previous post discussed the first step in a pre-sort process: removing the trash from the treasure. The reasons are numerous. Without a pre-sort system, many valuable items can be left in bags with trash for days, if not weeks. A pre-sort process minimizes damage since fragile items can be quickly shown needed care in […]
The Art of Disposal (Part 1 of 4)
In evaluating a thrift store processing operation, the expedient removal of non-sellable items is step number one after receiving a donation. There is nothing more detrimental than having a backroom operation that is not structured to identify and dispose of non-sellable items efficiently. To maximize the throughput model, three questions must be answered. Who determines whether an […]
The More You Process = The More You Sell
It’s simple. The more donated product you process, the more you sell, right? While that statement is true for the most part, one has to add several caveats. The quality of donations must be relatively high and the pricing must produce an average ring that can reach sales goals. The quantity of donations will provide the volume of goods needed to keep the […]