What Are The Best Times To Thrift At Goodwill Bins?

Last updated on July 30, 2023

Let’s face it – we all love the Goodwill Bins because you can find insanely good items for cheap. Whether you’re visiting Goodwill Outlet for the pure joy of treasure hunting, or you’re a full time re-seller, this blog will share how you can time your visits to increase your chance at striking it big.

First, let’s address the biggest challenge with finding the “best” times to thrift at Goodwill Outlet. Since every Goodwill Outlet store is owned and managed independently (for most states), every single store has their own rotation schedule. Even if you have two Goodwill Outlets within 5 miles from each other, the store managers will have different sales quotas and procedures that lead to knowing each store’s schedule individually.

The good news? We’re the only Goodwill Outlet expert-led community that has identified the Goodwill Outlet rotation schedules for nearly every Goodwill Bins store in the entire country.

While we have no affiliation with Goodwill International, our network of hundreds of Goodwill Bins regulars and store managers gives us detailed insight on how these rotation schedules work.

Now, let’s get into some general rules and best practices for you to get the most out of your thrifting experience.

9 Tips To Master Goodwill Outlet Rotations and Restocks

If you want to make the most out of your thrifting trips, maximize your profits (for re-sellers) or find the untouched treasures the Goodwill Bins has to offer – follow these 9 tips to have the highest chance at success during your next trip to the bins.

How do we know?

Besides the fact that we’re a community of avid thrifters and re-sellers – we’ve also collectively either visited or spoken to Goodwill Outlet staff from 115 out of the 137 total Goodwill Outlets in North America.

In this blog, we’re sharing the juiciest facts and findings to help you thrift beyond your wildest dreams.

Every Goodwill Outlet Re-Stocks Every Single Day

Yes, every single Goodwill Outlet in America will rotate fresh new bins each day.

Depending on the store location, bin restocks will vary. Some stores will do one full rotation of the entire sales floor in the morning before the store opens. But a large majority (98% of all Goodwill Bins) will rotate multiple times throughout the day.

Every Goodwill Outlets Has At Least 1 New Rotation Each Morning

Have you every visited your local Goodwill Bins in the morning and witnessed a huge line at the entrance?

The reason for this is because 100% of Goodwill Outlets will have some capacity of new merchandise in the morning. This doesn’t mean that the entire store has been restocked with new products – but at least one row or section of the floor will be new.

With that said, mornings are typically the most competitive and crowded. Store regulars know that a guaranteed chance at fresh new products is in the morning. If you decide to enter the early morning fray, make sure to arrive at least 30 minutes before the store opens. However, if you’re less competitive, the best times to visit may just be a couple hours after the store opens when the second or third rotation begins.

Most Goodwill Outlets Have A Cut-Off Time For New Bin Rotations

Based on data we’ve collected from about 115 Goodwill Outlets in America, one thing is consistent. Every Goodwill Outlets store has a cut-off time for new bin rotations that commonly occurs 1-3 hours before the store closes.

For example, if your local Goodwill Bins closes at 7:00PM, you can expect the last rotation to be at roughly 5:00PM. This isn’t a hard and fast rule (and each store rotation schedule varies), but at least you know that strolling into these thrift bins 30 minutes before closing time means you’ve already missed out on the hottest items of the day.

Rotation Schedules and Restocks Are Consistent

Even though every store operates under a different schedule, the fact is every store has a schedule to follow. The two reasons a schedule will change day-to-day is due to either staffing issues (short on staff) or product availability (receiving more or less amounts of items donated to their location).

This may cause a delay on certain days of the week, or weeks out of the year, but you can expect consistent attempts at releasing new products at the same time daily for your local Goodwill Bins store.

If a store rotates three times a day, at 11AM, 1PM and 3PM, the chances are high that they will follow this as closely as possible each and every day. Now, there are some stores that are very secretive with the times, but that’s why we created the only Goodwill Rotation Guide, verified by store managers, in existence.

Weekends Aren't Always The Busiest

It’s the weekend – which means everyone who is off work and and not in school will rush to the bins on Saturday and Sunday, right?

Not always. In fact, based on our rotation and product guides, several stores we’ve spoken to report that Sundays are one of the least busy times, with the least number of shoppers at once.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s far more common to experience the largest crowds on the weekends. A majority of stores have shared that on certain weekdays, you have the best chance at battling crowds and low number of shoppers. But don’t rule it out until you go in-person for yourself. You might just get lucky and arrive right before a new rotation begins!

Think In Terms Of The Best Times To Visit, Not The Best Days To Visit

As we mentioned earlier, these Goodwill Outlets try their best at staying consistent with their rotation schedules each day. Sure, some days they miss the mark, but instead of only thinking there’s a special day out of the week to visit, think in terms of the best times to visit.

If you visit during a time where you get luckily arrive just as the bins are getting restocked, make a mental note. This is one, of a few, rotation that probably happens at the same general time each day.

Again, it’s not guaranteed as store run into staffing challenges or product availability, but you have a higher chance to scoring consistently if you know what times rotations occur versus which days are best to visit.

Looking For Specific Items? Pay Attention To Types Of Items Released In Order

Now we know that your Goodwill stores will aim to release bin rotations at consistent times, the same is true for the type of items that are released.

Let’s say that you prefer thrifting for shoes above all other products at your nearby bins. If the store rotates shoes in the morning and afternoon, you can expect this to happen (almost) daily. As long as the store you’re visiting isn’t running into product availability issues, it’s likely that they will do the same thing over and over again.

This is especially useful for Goodwill Outlets that sell a variety of items, such as clothing, shoes, electronics, and housewares. If the order in which they release items is always clothing bins first, electronic bins second and houseware bins third, expect this to be the same most days.

This way, you can time your visits to the exact type of products you’re looking for.

When In Doubt, Ask A Store Manager Nicely

It seems obvious to ask an employee about the store’s rotation schedule, but the answer is always unknown until you try.

In my experience, asking cashiers, store managers and other staff about the store’s rotation schedule has been mostly positive. If you’re looking for something specific, whether to re-sell or keep for yourself, ask a staff member when the best day and time to visit for the best chance at success.

Disclaimer: Goodwill staff members are usually extremely busy and often short-staffed. You may run into a situation where none of the staff members are willing to disclose any detailed information about their rotation schedule. But try asking questions that are easy to answer for them – and do it nicely!

What's The Best Way To Know When New Bin Rotations Occur At Your Goodwill Outlet?

If you want to remove the guesswork out of frequent trial-and-error visits to your local Goodwill Outlet, asking busy staff members about their rotation schedule, and having to do it all over again for a different store location – we created a solution.

Our Goodwill Rotation Schedules & Product Guides are available for purchase and is a one-time fee to unlock the secrets behind your favorite Goodwill Outlet.

These guides are only made possible from our personal network of hundreds of Goodwill Outlet staff members that help bring transparency to bin-lovers everywhere. If you’re not in it for the profits, or if you have time to learn the ways of your local Goodwill, don’t worry – the tips in this blog are more than enough to get your feet wet and ready to visit at the most opportunistic days and times.