Goodwill Bins Pricing by Category: What You're Actually Paying Per Item
The most common question new shoppers have at the Goodwill Bins isn’t “how does pricing work?”
It’s: “what am I actually paying for this specific thing?”
Per-pound pricing sounds simple until you’re standing at a bin holding a heavy winter coat and wondering if it’s worth $6 at checkout. Or grabbing a stack of paperbacks and realizing you have no idea how much a pound of books actually is.
This guide breaks down the math category by category - what common items weigh, what they cost at different price points, and whether they’re worth grabbing if you’re reselling.
If you’re not yet familiar with how the different pricing models work (per pound, per item, per inch), read Goodwill Bins Pricing Explained first. This article assumes you know the basics and want the category-specific breakdown.
A Quick Note on the Math
Most Bins locations charge anywhere from $0.69/lb to $2.89/lb for soft goods, depending on the region. The math looks simple - but it gets real fast when you’re buying by the cartload.
For reference across this guide:
| Price per pound | Cost of 1 lb | Cost of 5 lbs | Cost of 10 lbs |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0.99/lb | $0.99 | $4.95 | $9.90 |
| $1.49/lb | $1.49 | $7.45 | $14.90 |
| $1.99/lb | $1.99 | $9.95 | $19.90 |
| $2.49/lb | $2.49 | $12.45 | $24.90 |
The price per pound at your local outlet is usually posted on a sign at the entrance. Always check it before you start filling bags.
1. Clothing (Soft Goods)
Clothing is the main event at most Bins locations - the vast majority of the inventory, and almost always priced by the pound.
Typical weights:
- T-shirt: 0.4–0.6 lbs
- Jeans or pants: 1.1–1.6 lbs
- Hoodie or sweatshirt: 1.0–1.5 lbs
- Winter coat or parka: 2.5–4.5 lbs
- Dress: 0.4–0.8 lbs
- Kids’ clothing: 0.2–0.4 lbs per piece
What this means in practice at $1.49/lb:
- A T-shirt costs roughly $0.60–$0.90
- A pair of jeans runs $1.60–$2.40
- A heavy winter coat hits $3.70–$6.70
- A kids’ outfit costs around $0.30–$0.60
Worth reselling? Clothing has the best margins at the Bins when you know what to look for. A vintage band tee that costs $0.75 can sell for $40–$80 on eBay. A designer hoodie at $2 can flip for $60+. The key is knowing your brands and categories - which is why vintage clothing tends to be where serious resellers focus their time.
Watch out for: Heavy outerwear that looks good but eats into margin. A 4 lb coat at $2.49/lb costs you $10 before fees and shipping - the math only works if you can sell it for $40+.
2. Shoes
Shoes are almost always included in the soft goods per-pound pricing, though some locations price them per pair. Check your store’s board.
Typical weights:
- Sneakers (adult): 1.2–2.0 lbs per pair
- Boots (ankle): 1.5–2.5 lbs per pair
- Boots (knee-high): 2.5–4.0 lbs per pair
- Sandals or flips: 0.4–0.8 lbs per pair
- Kids’ shoes: 0.4–0.8 lbs per pair
What this means at $1.49/lb:
- A pair of adult sneakers costs $1.80–$3.00
- Ankle boots run $2.25–$3.75
- Knee-high boots can reach $3.75–$6.00
- Kids’ shoes come in around $0.60–$1.20
Worth reselling? Shoes are one of the highest-ROI categories at the Bins when you find the right brands. Hoka, New Balance, Birkenstock, and On Running regularly sell for $50–$120+ on eBay - and they cost you $2–$4 to source. The math is hard to beat. The main thing to check is sole wear, insole condition, and upper integrity before buying.
Watch out for: Heavy work boots or snow boots - they weigh a lot relative to their resale value.
3. Books
Books are the wildcard of Bins pricing. Depending on the location, they might be:
- Per pound (alongside soft goods)
- Per item (common: $1 each, 10 for $1, or tiered by hardcover/paperback)
- Per inch (measured spine thickness with a ruler)
Typical weights:
- Paperback novel: 0.4–0.6 lbs
- Hardcover non-fiction: 0.9–1.3 lbs
- Textbook: 2.0–4.5 lbs
- Children’s picture book: 0.3–0.5 lbs
What this means per inch (at $0.99/inch):
Most paperbacks are 0.5–1.5 inches thick: $0.50–$1.50 each
Most hardcovers run 1–2 inches: $0.99–$1.98 each
A thick textbook at 2.5 inches: $2.48
Worth reselling? Absolutely - but it requires a phone. Textbooks, niche non-fiction, out-of-print editions, and first editions can sell for $20–$200. The trick is running every potential score through the eBay Sold listings before it goes in your bag. For a full breakdown of book strategies, check out Books at the Goodwill Bins.
Watch out for: Popular fiction and mass-market paperbacks. They sell for $1–$3 on eBay and aren’t worth the effort. Focus on anything that looks academic, technical, or collectible.
4. Electronics
Electronics are almost never priced by the pound - most locations use flat item pricing or individually tag them.
Common pricing:
- Small electronics (remotes, cables, accessories): $1–$3 flat
- Mid-size devices (small speakers, radios, alarm clocks): $3–$8 flat
- Larger items (monitors, printers, keyboards): $5–$15 flat
- Gaming peripherals: $5–$10 flat
Some stores price all electronics by the pound, which can mean incredible deals - especially on heavier items that would otherwise be tagged high.
Worth reselling? The margins on electronics can be huge, but the risk is also higher - there’s no way to test most items at the Bins. Bring a battery tester for battery-powered items, and use Google Lens to identify unfamiliar devices before buying. Vintage audio equipment, retro gaming accessories, and name-brand peripherals are the sweet spots.
Watch out for: Anything that can’t be tested on-site. Water damage, missing parts, and cracked screens are all deal-breakers. If you can’t verify it works, price it conservatively in your head before buying.
5. Kitchen and Cookware
Kitchen items are typically priced by the pound alongside other hard goods, or occasionally per item.
Typical weights:
- Coffee mug: 0.7–1.0 lbs
- Cast iron skillet (10-inch): 5–7 lbs
- Stainless steel pot: 2–4 lbs
- Glass baking dish: 2–3 lbs
- Knife (single): 0.3–0.5 lbs
What this means at $1.49/lb:
- A coffee mug: $1.05–$1.50
- A cast iron skillet: $7.50–$10.50 (at that weight it needs to be a name brand like Lodge or Le Creuset to be worth it)
- A set of stainless pots: $3–$6 per item depending on size
Worth reselling? Selectively. Cast iron and high-end cookware (All-Clad, Le Creuset, Staub) can sell for $40–$200 on eBay even in used condition - but they’re heavy, which means high shipping costs. Focus on brand-name pieces and skip generic sets. Single items ship easier than sets.
Watch out for: Weight. A full set of heavy pots can cost $15–$20 at the Bins before you’ve even weighed it - and the shipping on heavy items eats your margin unless you sell locally.
6. Toys and Board Games
Pricing varies significantly by store. Many locations separate toys into their own section with per-item pricing; others bundle them with hard goods by the pound.
Common pricing:
- Small toys and action figures: $0.50–$2 per item or by weight
- Board games: $2–$5 flat (or by pound if complete)
- LEGO pieces (loose): by weight - usually with soft goods or at a specific rate
- Electronics toys: $3–$10 flat
Worth reselling? Yes, with caveats. LEGO by the pound is consistently profitable - it resells reliably by weight on eBay and Mercari. Vintage action figures (pre-2000) and complete board games with all pieces are strong flips. The challenge is completeness - always check that pieces are present before buying anything that needs a full set.
Watch out for: Board games missing pieces sell for almost nothing. Shake the box, open it if you can, and count the major components before it goes in your cart.
7. Linens and Home Goods
Linens (bedding, towels, curtains) are soft goods and priced by the pound - but they’re almost never worth reselling.
Typical weights:
- Twin sheet set: 2–3 lbs
- Duvet cover (queen): 2.5–4 lbs
- Bath towel: 1.0–1.5 lbs
Worth reselling? Almost never. New linens are cheap at retail, which collapses the resale market. Vintage or designer pieces (Ralph Lauren, Marimekko, Liberty of London) are exceptions - but they’re rare. Linens are a shoppers’ category, not a resellers’ one.
The Lowdown
Once you understand the weight-to-cost math, shopping and reselling at the Bins becomes much more intentional.
- Clothing and shoes are the core reseller categories - low cost, high potential if you know brands
- Books need a phone to be worth it - scan before you commit
- Electronics are high-risk, high-reward - test what you can, pass on the rest
- Kitchen and cookware only make sense for name-brand heavy items
- Toys are solid, especially LEGO and vintage pieces - always check completeness
- Linens are almost never a reseller play
The goal is to build an instinct for weight vs. value. After a few trips, you’ll be able to estimate checkout totals before you even reach the scale - and you’ll know exactly which bins are worth your time.
For tips on actually making money from what you find, check out Best Tips for New Resellers at Goodwill Outlets and How to Make Money at the Goodwill Bins.
