Are G3s becoming scarcer in thrift stores?

[dragonfly]

this blows my mind. I'm going to date myself here but G3s are still the "new" ponies to me! I'm still finding plenty in thrift stores. In better condition overall than in years past. For the longest time I'd only find well-loved, markered and haircut G3s.

[HelloGoodbye]

My Savers on average has G3s every other time I go or so.  Granted, it's a bit inconveniently located for me so I'm not over there terribly often.  On Wednesday I found a bag with a working Lily Lightly, Strawberry Reef, and Garden Wishes.  I've never found more than 3 or so at a time, though.  I think part of it is that when I go there it's usually around dinner time, so I think a lot of the good stuff is snagged earlier in the day, so when I do find ponies they're the ones who were passed over for whatever reason.  So my thrift store may have more ponies than I realize, I just seldom get there in time to have first go at anything.

[Strawberry Swirl]

It's certainly possible, the time has to come eventually where they stop being so easy to find. Hopefully then the value will spike a little so people like me can have an easier time getting rid of their extras. :)

[Minty_Magic]

Ponies in general have just gotten harder and harder for me to find secondhand. I used to have really wonderful luck at thrift stores but lately even G4s dont show terribly often in thrift shops around me. I don't even see fakies that often if I'm being honest! So I don't think I'm probably a fair judge, but I do think G3s have become less common secondhand.

[Shy Violet]

I check my closest thrift store once or twice a week and I still see G3's all the time. Ponies are popular though so they disappear fast. Maybe it's slowing down but I still feel like there's lots showing up. I think it goes in waves though depending on when people are going through their stuff and purging.

[Taffeta]

G3 were still quite numerous at the carboots last season in the UK. I haven't been able to go to any yet this year being in Japan (where there are zero ponies of any generation anywhere in any second hand shop or sale!) but it will be interesting to see if there are still so many of them at the big car boot sales when I get back home. The biggest carboot I go to now only begins in May anyway, and there are usually about 20 or so G3 at any one sale (though I have never seen G1 there).

[Gingerbread]

Five years ago around here you were sure to find G3s at a car boot sale, but last year I found maybe ten, and most of those I left behind. I didn't make it to the first bootsale of the year today (my son and I both came down with a virus) but I am looking forward to try and finding more, not that I think for a minute it will happen.

[SaraMari]

Oh I agree, in about 2011-2013 I was drowning in G3 at the thrift stores. Just bags and piles of them, my mom even bought me two shopping bags filled to the brim with them while I was in Japan once during that time frame.

now I still see them, but it's like two or three per thrift store. It would be easy enough to collect but it might take some months. I always go thrifting right as they open during the week days so I think I get a good chance to see what their stocks are like

[EnaRocketQueen]

I've only ever found one and she was in bad condition (haircut, pen marks etc). Still bought her though!

[mlp4me]

Within the last two days I left 5 common g3's behind at thrift stores... They're out there, just not on large groups like they were a few years back around here. Now, finding a G1 is getting to be a rare thing in these parts at the thrifts, so many second hand sellers that want to ebay or for at their stores...

[orangepeachmango]

Within the last two days I left 5 common g3's behind at thrift stores... They're out there, just not on large groups like they were a few years back around here. Now, finding a G1 is getting to be a rare thing in these parts at the thrifts, so many second hand sellers that want to ebay or for at their stores...

That's why I love going to vv, they won't put stuff on ebay : ) more chances for ponies for me!

[Haruna]

Yeah, I would say that G3s are becoming scarcer in thrift stores, but are still fairly common at flea markets and on Craigslist. In my area it seems like people know that MLPs have value so they often get rid of collections on Craigslist or secondhand sellers buy them at thrift stores and then they end up at the flea market. (I don't fault them unless they charge an arm and a leg when they resell, as I'm often a secondhand seller myself.) One weird experience I had was donating a bunch of low-value G3s and G4s to a thrift store (sorry, don't throw fakies at me! I needed the space and couldn't put in the time to sell them) in the hopes that some little girl would appreciate them; then not long after I saw them for sale on Craigslist. I forget what the seller was asking for them, although I was a little perturbed that in the photos they weren't showing some of the flaws in the lot.

Thrift stores around me have also largely stopped carrying toys :/ I don't have a Savers/Value Village, though that sounds awesome. There are a few that still do, but I think the other stores are trying to avoid giving children dangerous old toys or something. Not sure.

[orangepeachmango]

Saw three whole bags of g3s at vv today ; )