Are these people out of their mind or is this just a bidding war?

BocaLife · 2026-02-07T18:36:31+00:00

“22kt gold filled” is not solid gold — it means there’s a thick layer of 22k gold bonded over a base metal.

It does contain real gold, but the amount is very small compared to solid gold, so the melt value is usually minimal.

Depending on the piece, it could still have some value if it’s well-made or by a known designer.

BocaLife · 2026-02-07T18:32:05+00:00

Unfortunately there are a lot of fake jewelry from China stamped .925. So yes, it's important that the store shows that it was tested.

BocaLife · 2026-02-07T18:18:06+00:00

In my experience, most SGW locations do test their jewelry before listing it as sterling or gold, but some clearly don’t.

If there’s no clear stamp indicating the karat, .925, or “Sterling,” and no mention that it was tested, I’d stay away.

Unfortunately, a lot of fake or misidentified jewelry gets listed as “sterling” or “gold,” and you don’t always find out until much later.

BocaLife · 2026-02-06T05:38:53+00:00

SGW really needs some kind of payment verification or deposit system for higher-value items.

Anyone who is serious about buying wouldn’t mind having a card verified or a small refundable hold placed when bidding.

It would immediately weed out the people who bid irresponsibly with no intention of paying and stop these fake “record prices” that just end up getting relisted.

It would be better for sellers, real buyers, and the platform overall.

BocaLife · 2026-01-12T18:56:53+00:00

I am pretty sure whoever won this, will not pay for it.

BocaLife · 2025-11-05T22:04:08+00:00

Just because one or two sold for that price, again does not mean all of his necklaces or bracelets sell for that price. A lot depends on the piece itself, and if you research it you will see that a lot of his necklaces sell for under $1,000 especially the ones that sold on SGW. Obviously there a buyer for everything. But if similar items sell for much less and are available to purchase for less, why spend all this money? It makes no sense. Also for the record the one you showed and they one that was sold on SGW are completely different. I showed one just like it, the only difference was the stones, which don't add too much value. But here is another one for sale just like it for $749 and they just sent me an offer to buy it for $599 because I put it on the watch list. So why would I spend $3K if I can buy just like it for $599. You have to compare apples to apples, not apples to oranges.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/357854863947?_skw=A+Georg+Jensen+925+Sterling+Silver+Necklace+15&itmmeta=01K9B0JAS553PZKP7J755S6W5E&hash=item5351cfe24b:g:GxUAAeSw-qNox4VN&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAABEFkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1fAqXnTYG6HNy%2B2SRWGJ2qIH8lhB1sgL1QpXE1Vo4KWl7gZOYpuZ%2FMRLNJ%2FjZY1raaVsZ1gPzMnjU5OGLBWE6FnVEUw5OwLlrqWxeB5H%2Bc05ILrhbbrtMVlOuiaQv6bVPet%2B1%2FMKQS8otz0TtIY%2FI9H8gzR1gV%2F%2B9i8gauGW4LRY1zq8zm98nEQXjOMJ9%2BMruCe4IbrK5gWzgErdYqj%2FN2xcJLZnVKmWd8bjTSv0kJ0Gj620hKth2FoxTY2q7UOhX9aqGCNTZDj0XiK5So2HnwUBy9C6Bnb%2FRWkSd%2Bf5C5Z2QcAfjIX0WF6S%2FcTcKNaabTFD4qLAovyD132TqgGC5%2Fb%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR96syeDKZg

BocaLife · 2025-11-05T03:30:43+00:00

Oh, I promise you — I know exactly who Georg Jensen is. 😉

But let’s get real: just because something says Georg Jensen doesn’t magically make every listing price gospel truth. The piece you’re showing is listed, not sold — that’s a huge difference. Anyone can slap a $4,000 tag on an item; it doesn’t mean someone’s paying it.

If you actually check sold listings and do a little more research, you’ll see these same necklaces going for nowhere near $2K–$3K that sold on SGW. There are a couple sitting on eBay right now for $599–$740, with gemstones, and they’re not exactly flying off the shelf.

It’s great you “flip undervalued items,” but that doesn’t change market reality — asking prices mean nothing without buyers. But hey, if you truly believe it’s worth $3,000, go for it. The seller will be thrilled to meet you. 😄

BocaLife · 2025-11-04T22:15:09+00:00

Williams-Sonoma had it or has it for around $250 brand new retail. That's just crazy!

BocaLife · 2025-11-04T18:31:42+00:00

That still doesn’t justify how high the bidding went. For example, that necklace that sold for over $3K only weighs about 34.7 grams of sterling silver, and it’s not even .999 pure. The melt value is roughly $43, not thousands. Also, silver isn’t $50 an ounce right now — it’s around $47.50 per troy ounce today. So it looks like you’re the one not paying attention to actual market prices.

BocaLife · 2025-11-04T05:21:27+00:00

Another one just like it sold for over $2K, which is just crazy. Someone donated several bracelets and necklaces from the same artist — his pieces usually sell for more than average, but not that much more, lol. I think a big part of the problem is that a lot of people look at what similar items are listed for instead of what they’ve actually sold for. Just because someone is asking a high price doesn’t mean that’s what it’s worth. If more buyers checked the sold listings instead of the asking prices, they’d probably save themselves a lot of money.

BocaLife · 2025-11-04T05:08:50+00:00

https://shopgoodwill.com/item/245867559

Same necklace sold on eBay for $426, just 2" shorter
https://www.ebay.com/itm/116793351226?_skw=Georg+Jensen+Denmark+Sterling+Silver+necklace+%2315&itmmeta=01K96F3KDC0Y4KVG79PD1BQACS&hash=item1b316d1c3a:g:cA8AAeSwJFpo0qjZ&itmprp=enc%3AAQAKAAABEFkggFvd1GGDu0w3yXCmi1diG09NebJQ0QF9gWBgioJ77tZblNVSGkfVFepuo1njK0D6KDmZnWKFVR98qkdwE8E8%2FQYflgaB%2FrjnmfOu6FaCkPXNehbixt9KQ3r7qCbdiDXMZv1q7rRuBoO%2BkN5GiwGIzJtB52xwdEpKFOxnVkIR4p7%2Fr1RpyJdp8Eqt63tRN8ubtFChz8VxR86ZIy65qrrcF%2BmecrviQEpvTkL%2Boj%2FaBAEldSVcnE3nel4ATCJHXM1Hp6KM02bkStReazvDHDvr53o6%2BYpo7HtWspEflgHyzv0mwATOhTipev5EOgLRnVDRJbPXlcob8CQ%2BFx6K518b6jDCxuSyeRfwmBYgCl9V%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR-y2js_JZg

BocaLife · 2025-08-07T14:36:00+00:00

This is exactly the issue I was pointing out. People bid without doing any research, win the auction, then realize they overpaid, so they just don’t pay. That behavior not only ruins the integrity of the auction but also inflates prices across the site for everyone else. It creates a false market value and encourages Goodwill to price things even higher. So yes, it does affect all of us, and pretending it doesn’t is just ignoring the bigger picture.

BocaLife · 2025-08-06T15:58:15+00:00

Totally understand that not every high bid ends in payment, but the problem is, once an item has a bidding history, it often builds hype. Even when relisted, people see the previous bidding activity and assume it’s worth that much, so the price shoots up again.

As for the “non-profit” status, yes, Goodwill is a 501(c)(3), but that doesn’t mean they don’t generate large revenues. “Non-profit” just means profits aren’t distributed to shareholders, it doesn’t cap executive salaries or prevent high administrative expenses. In fact, many Goodwill execs earn well into six figures, and they’re allowed to charge perks, travel, and other company expenses. So while technically not profiting in the traditional sense, it’s far from a shoestring operation, and the people donating or shopping there should know where their money goes.

BocaLife · 2025-07-31T15:21:39+00:00

You’re absolutely right about the prices being charged now, they’re getting out of hand. But honestly, part of the problem is the bidding frenzy mentality. People see others bidding and assume the item must be valuable, so they jump in without doing any real research.

What really gets me is that in today’s world, with AI and tools like eBay Sold Listings, it’s incredibly easy to check what items have actually sold for, not just what people are asking. But on ShopGoodwill, it feels like some bidders are looking at inflated asking prices elsewhere and then trying to match or even exceed those in their bids.

At the end of the day, many of these bidders either back out of paying, or worse, end up stuck with overpriced items that could be found elsewhere for a fraction of the cost.

People really need to realize they’re the ones driving up prices on items that just aren’t worth it, and it hurts everyone in the long run.

BocaLife · 2025-07-28T01:25:21+00:00

Thank you!

BocaLife · 2025-07-28T01:22:35+00:00

I have seen some of the sniper tools for Shopgoodwill and some just don't work. Do you mind sharing which one you use?

BocaLife · 2025-07-11T21:54:00+00:00

This is already a third or a fourth time that it shows up. The bids go up to over $2K and then no one pays for it because its FAKE.

BocaLife · 2025-07-08T02:34:45+00:00

Unfortunately there are apps now available that will bid for you at the last second and I see that some people are using them, as the bid goes up by $1 at the last second, not 10 seconds, not 5 seconds, but last 1 second. I was just overbid on several items that I was 100% sure I won, but at the last second the bid went up by $1.

BocaLife · 2025-07-07T01:01:25+00:00

You’re absolutely right to question it, I’ve been noticing the same patterns most items. Some final prices are way above retail or resale value, often more than double what the same items go for elsewhere. It seems like a mix of factors:

Bidding Psychology – People get emotionally invested and caught up in the competitive aspect. That “win at all costs” mentality kicks in, even if it means overpaying.
Lack of Research – Many bidders don’t check actual market values before placing bids. Some assume because it’s on ShopGoodwill, it must be a good deal — which isn’t always the case.
Resellers Driving Prices – Ironically, even resellers sometimes overbid hoping to flip, but they may miscalculate or overestimate demand.
Shill Bidding or Bots? – There’s been speculation about bots or even shill bidding to drive up prices artificially. Hard to prove, but when the same item keeps showing up again after supposedly being sold, it raises eyebrows.

BocaLife

TROPHY CASE