PSA: Stop checking the price tag at thrift stores before you look at the item closely

I grabbed a "vintage" lamp for $8 at a Salvation Army in Austin last Saturday, only to find the cord was completely chewed through and the socket was cracked when I got home. How do you guys spot damage on stuff that's buried under piles before you check out?

3 comments

3 Comments

norab2113d ago

$8 for a lamp with a chewed cord and cracked socket? That's wild.

sandraflores13d agoTop Commenter

wait, $8 for a lamp that's literally a fire hazard? that's not a deal, that's a liability.

the_mary13d ago

Oh man, for real! I had a similar thing happen at a garage sale last summer. Some lady was trying to sell me this old floor lamp with a cord that looked like a squirrel chewed through it, and the socket was completely cracked in half. She wanted $10 for it and kept saying "it's vintage, it's just got character." I'm like, ma'am, that's not character, that's a house fire waiting to happen. I couldn't believe she was trying to charge money for something that needed to be thrown in the trash. It's frustrating seeing people try to pass off dangerous junk as a bargain.