[ZombieArmy]

My dad calls me up asking about a Sigma 70-300 DL pentax mount at goodwill that maybe we could use. I ask him about it and he says it looks mint. Sends me side profile view, I ask him if the front element looks good and he says yeah it looks clean and everything and all the rings do as advertised without being able to properly check on a body. He gets the lens for 30 dollars which I thought was reasonable for a working copy.

I finally get a look at the lens, and honestly at 70mm it just looks like a recessed lens. Body was completely mint, the focusing and zoom ring seemed great. I plop it on my K-01 and autofocus works fine... except the fact that it never gets focus. Being confused on why I couldn't get focus even when moving the camera back and forth I finally look at the element at 300mm and realize that the element I see is most definitely not the front element.

The worst part is Goodwill will not do returns, and this was an item behind their register, you know the stuff that usually works. So now we have a 30 dollar paperweight and I'm mega bummed out. Wish I could have checked it at the store myself but I'm not sure I would have even caught it since none of the shots in the lens list has the front element showing.

[boriscleto]

I wonder if it was ever listed on shopgoodwill.com...

The latest thing on shopgoodwill seems to be listing each piece of a donated kit in a separate listing. This includes individual rolls of long expired film...

[VoiceOfReason]

I think with a case like that you should be able to return it. Speak to the manager, show the receipt, show what happened.

[ZombieArmy]

I think with a case like that you should be able to return it. Speak to the manager, show the receipt, show what happened.

We'll try but they're pretty strict on the "no return" policy here.

[boriscleto]

The 'return' policy is "You can donate it"...

[ZombieArmy]

The 'return' policy is "You can donate it"...

It will be my turn to donate a completely useless lens!

[E-man]

The Goodwill stores around here allow certain types of items like electronics and appliances to be returned for a store credit if you get them home and they don't work. I've done it several times and I'm pretty sure that lens would fall into a returnable category. But I'm sure they have different policies in different areas.

[pathdoc]

I am pretty sure selling defective goods like this and not accepting return is illegal anywhere. Consumer-rights law in your area may override any "policy" they have. Check up on that.

[Driline]

We at Goodwill Thankyou for your donation. Please enjoy your new paperweight

[photoptimist]

You could take it apart and use it to make a Frankenlens. For example, you could scavenge a lens from an old Polaroid camera and mount it inside the de-glassed shell of the Sigma.

[boriscleto]

A shopgoodwill special...

A K1000 with a Nikon lens jammed on...

[bertwert]

A shopgoodwill special...

"High End Ricoh SLR in Mint Condition"

[Cardinal15]

To be fair the workers at Goodwill stores are not camera or lens specialists. Neither are the members on shopgoodwill. Nobody forced you or your father to buy this lens. He described it as mint to you and you did n't notice anything amiss until after you mounted it on your k-01.Really? You want to blame Goodwill for your lack of knowledge? You want a refund because you did n't know what to expect? I've had many purchases on shopgoodwill and goodwill stores,and been impressed with them most of the time, but I do my research on what I'm buying. If you ask the people at shopgoodwill they will try to answer questions or add photos to the listing, there customer service option is excellent. My expectation buying from a thrift store is not the same as when I deal with B&H or Adorama. Somehow you lost 30 bucks and it's their fault because they sold you a lens that was n't a mint copy of a lens that sells for $170 at B&H? Be bummed but don't blame them for your mistake, move on.

[mgvh]

I look at stuff on the Goodwill site occasionally, and I just don't understand the prices people pay for some of that stuff. You might get a good deal if it's something obscure or was mislabelled, but you take a chance every time. I realize that the OP was talking about an in-story purchase, but I still figure it's buyer-beware. Goodwill doesn't know how to evaluate the equipment, and it is a charitable organization after all. You also have to figure that a lot of equipment gets donated precisely because it is not working or has fungus or is corroded or... I bought a camera bag described as "leather" from them once, but it turned out to be that pleather stuff and was scarred in places not shown in the pics. I figure I just made a donation to them.

[ZombieArmy]

To be fair the workers at Goodwill stores are not camera or lens specialists. Neither are the members on shopgoodwill. Nobody forced you or your father to buy this lens.

And no one is forcing goodwill to not at least exchange this item for something else at their store, something that they refused to do.They charge nearly ebay prices at goodwills all around here, it is treated like a business not a charity when it come to pricing. This isn't some small family owned thrift store.

He described it as mint to you and you did n't notice anything amiss until after you mounted it on your k-01.Really? You want to blame Goodwill for your lack of knowledge?.

Considering the prices they charge I'd want them to assume at least a little responsibility. It's not like I got it for 10 dollars.

You want a refund because you did n't know what to expect? I've had many purchases on shopgoodwill and goodwill stores,and been impressed with them most of the time, but I do my research on what I'm buying. If you ask the people at shopgoodwill they will try to answer questions or add photos to the listing, there customer service option is excellent. My expectation buying from a thrift store is not the same as when I deal with B&H or Adorama. Somehow you lost 30 bucks and it's their fault because they sold you a lens that was n't a mint copy of a lens that sells for $170 at B&H? Be bummed but don't blame them for your mistake, move on

They don't sell this lens at B&H, this is an old non-macro version. And I never said anything like "GOODWILL SCAMMED ME", but I do not like the chain, especially not down here in Florida where there's actually nothing I can do. Not even an exchange for another product there. It's not like they'd LOSE MONEY for exchangng items unless they're knowingly trying to make full bank on legitimately and fully broken items.


PS. This is not an invitation for a debate, just putting my rationale down.