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Original poster

PTA questions re second hand uniform shops?

30 replies

areallthenamesusedup · 03/02/2020 21:16

Not sure where to post so hopefilly someone will put me on straight & narrow.....

I want help re organising second hand uniform shop.
Helpers do not want to handle cash.
No WIFI for contactless cards
Anyone got a good process for chasing up bank transfers/paypal transfers that do not get actioned by the parents
All ideas gratefully received?

OP posts:
LeGrandBleu · 03/02/2020 21:18

Can’t you set up a mobile number for the uniform shop and use it as a hotspot for wifi and cashless pay?

Iggly · 03/02/2020 21:19

Helpers are going to have to handle cash 🤷🏻‍♀️

Not everyone wants to use their card for such small amounts anyway.

HelloDulling · 03/02/2020 21:20

We do cash. DS’s school do the same. Why is it an issue?

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TeenPlusTwenties · 03/02/2020 21:21

Helpers need to take cash imo. Anything else will be a right pain.

BackforGood · 03/02/2020 21:22

Another wondering why they don't want to take cash ?

Can you explain that to us, and that might help us think of a way round ?

halcyondays · 03/02/2020 21:23

They need to take cash

Florencenotflo · 03/02/2020 21:24

If they are worried about accusations of money going missing etc then advertise it is exact money only or donations and have charity type collection boxes to collect the money. No one can open them and they only get opened/counted once the sale is over and there can be 'witnesses'.

squeekums · 03/02/2020 21:26

They wont take cash? How stupid

mummyduckduck · 03/02/2020 21:27

Ask for donations and ask 'buyers' to pop the cash straight into a sealed bucket.

Cash to be counted up by a designated person.

Paying online would be a nightmare.

Original poster
areallthenamesusedup · 03/02/2020 21:28

The official answer is....... it is a bit of a faff :)

But I can't think of a solution that is less faff.

There is no mobile signal which is hindering the contactless/wifi option.

OP posts:
KnightandDay · 03/02/2020 21:28

Agree with PPs, they need to take cash. You could say exact money only, if they're worried about counting change.

Pipandmum · 03/02/2020 21:29

I work in our school second hand uniform shop. 95% of our sales are cash (we also have a card machine). Why wont the helpers handle cash? Get some that will! There's no way you can chase individual people for small value sales thru PayPal or a bank transfer - that would be a full time job!.

Original poster
areallthenamesusedup · 03/02/2020 21:30

Like the sealed bucket idea actually and tell people to bring change.

OP posts:
Gazelda · 03/02/2020 21:31

Some of our sales are at summer/Xmas fair. Cash only.
Other sales are processed online - parents email uniform address to ask if we've got age 7 boys grey trousers. If we have, then they do a bank transfer and we put them in the school office for collection, or the parent give the payment in an envelope to office CashOnCollection.
Sometimes (generally parents evening) we put the stock out on rails unattended with an honesty box. Everything is cheap anyway, so if anyone is desperate enough not to leave payment then we put it down to 'their need must be greater than ours'.

11MrsLuther · 03/02/2020 21:35

Items are only going to be a pound or couple of pounds, I thi I it would be unreasonable not to take cash.

BingoLittlesUncle · 03/02/2020 21:38

Cash may be "a bit of a faff" but all the alternatives are "one hell of a faff!"

lalafafa · 03/02/2020 21:41

Have 2-3 people taking all cash payments, the rest can help keep things tidy.

Digestive28 · 03/02/2020 21:43

Ours is a £1 an item so means no complicated maths if that is the concern about cash?

Original poster
areallthenamesusedup · 03/02/2020 21:43

Thanks all.
Input much appreciated.
Cash it is!

OP posts:
lalafafa · 03/02/2020 21:47

Get loads of change from the bank, plus extra cash bags. If there’s a lull start bagging bags of pound coins and 50ps.

lljkk · 03/02/2020 21:51

I run a shop.

Gosh, no point if £1/item!! You'll get no profit at all for your time.
£1 for plain white shirts or plain black trousers, maybe. Virtually no one ever asks for plain trousers or shirts. Am quite intrigued by people who find that stuff ever sells.

School Logo stuff we sell for about 40% of the new price.
I just keep a kitty pot, and bank transfer over amounts sporadically when I get at least £80 in there. But I am the only 'helper' so this is not a big deal to organise.

Only one person ever wanted to pay by not-cash, I suggested paypal & she magically found some cash after all. Cash machine is 2 minute drive away, anyway.

BackforGood · 03/02/2020 22:11

Of course there is point lljkk
You've got items that are no use to someone either being thrown away or sent to a variety of charity shops that people might never see, that you then get ££££ for by standing in the playground after school for 20mins at the end of the school day a couple of times a term.

Free money and also helps out all the families that are able to buy items when they might be on a budget.

lljkk · 04/02/2020 07:43

I am just amazed you get any takers. Our primary school has > 300 pupils, is on a council estate in a "high ITV viewing" area. No one even wanted to buy school logo jumpers much less basic trousers & polo shirts. Zero interest in 2nd hand uniform sale.

The High school has a diverse catchment but mostly affluent, tbf. No one ever asks for trousers or white shirts. They occasionally ask for the skirts (cost £19 new, we sell for £2 each), but the school logo (including PE) stuff is almost all that sells. And blue PE socks, tbf.

It's a lot of effort to run sales if you can't get at least £30/time.

slipperywhensparticus · 04/02/2020 07:47

WTF is a high ITV viewing area?
Sounds a lot like a slur

GreyishDays · 04/02/2020 07:49

I think it’s generally recognised that more affluent families are happier buying second hand uniform than less affluent.