The Common Ground
Goodwill Outlet centers (called "The Bins" by regulars) and Amazon liquidation bin stores share the same basic format: merchandise in large open bins, flat pricing, and a treasure hunt atmosphere. Both draw deal-hunters, resellers, and bargain shoppers. Both have pricing cycles, though structured differently. And both operate on the principle that shoppers dig through merchandise themselves rather than browsing curated shelves.
That's roughly where the similarity ends.
Inventory: New vs. Used
Amazon bin stores: Carry returned, overstock, and clearance merchandise from major retailers. Most items are relatively new — unused or lightly used, often in original packaging (even if damaged). The inventory is essentially the same merchandise you'd find at Target or Best Buy, just returned or overstocked rather than sold at full price.
Goodwill Outlet: Carries donated used merchandise — the overflow from Goodwill retail stores that didn't sell at full price. Inventory runs the full range from vintage treasures to genuinely worn-out items. This is secondhand merchandise with unknown history, not retail returns.
The implication: bin stores are more likely to yield working electronics, new-in-box items, and retail merchandise. Goodwill Outlet is more likely to yield vintage finds, unique items, and one-of-a-kind pieces — but with much greater uncertainty about condition and functionality.
Pricing Structure
Amazon bin stores: Flat per-item pricing that declines daily. You pay a fixed amount per item regardless of what it is — $10 on restock day means every item is $10, whether it's a $5 kitchen gadget or a $200 tablet.
Goodwill Outlet: Sold by the pound. You fill a cart with whatever you want, it gets weighed at checkout, and you pay per pound (typically $1.49–$1.99/lb depending on the location). This model rewards shoppers who can identify heavy items with high value-to-weight ratios and penalizes those buying light but valuable items.
For electronics resellers, bin stores are almost always better — a $10 restock-day tablet purchase is straightforward. At Goodwill Outlet, that same tablet might cost $3–$5 in weight pricing, but you'll have to navigate more uncertainty about condition and functionality.
Condition and Predictability
Amazon bin stores: More predictable inventory quality. Amazon returns come with packaging, model numbers, and a reasonable expectation that many items work (they were returned by a consumer, not discarded). Grade varies, but the category of merchandise is consistent.
Goodwill Outlet: Highly variable. You might find a working vintage KitchenAid mixer or a broken lamp from 1990. The thrill is real, but so is the risk. Goodwill Outlet shoppers develop a sixth sense for condition assessment that takes time to build.
Which Should You Choose?
Choose Amazon bin stores if: You're new to bin shopping, you're hunting for electronics or brand-name appliances, you want more predictable inventory quality, or you're reselling on eBay and need items with identifiable model numbers.
Choose Goodwill Outlet if: You love vintage and antique hunting, you're comfortable with higher condition uncertainty, you sell on Poshmark or Depop (where unique and vintage items perform well), or you're buying by weight and know how to maximize value-per-pound.
Experienced shoppers do both. Many serious Midwest resellers hit Amazon bin stores on restock day for high-margin electronics and name-brand appliances, then visit Goodwill Outlet on pound-day for clothing, books, and vintage finds. The strategies complement each other.
Goodwill Outlet Locations in the Midwest
Most major Midwest cities have at least one Goodwill Outlet center, often called the "Goodwill Bins" by locals. Check the Goodwill of [your region] website for outlet center locations — these are different from regular Goodwill stores. Not all Goodwill regions operate outlet centers.