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Original poster

Charity shop refusing refund

238 replies

BlazeMonsterMachine · 01/05/2021 05:35

This is such a trivial thing I realise, but for some reason it's annoyed me....

I needed a new pair of jeans, so popped to the local charity shop. With covid restrictions, you can't try clothes on at the moment, so when paying I asked about what to if they don't fit.

They told me to keep the receipt and I can exchange them. I queried whether there could be a refund, but apparently not - exchange only.

Now we're talking less than £10 here, and I realise it's charity, but it just doesn't sit right....

Are they allowed to do this? It feels like I'm just throwing money away / making a donation rather than shopping. It just strikes me as bizarre that I have to guess as to whether something fits and tough luck if it doesn't (as there's no guarantee that they'll have anything I want to exchange for).

Just wondering if anyone knows if this is the correct procedure as annoyingly the jeans don't fit.

I'm not planning on kicking up a fuss when I go back, but if they don't have a pair of jeans I could swap for, it would be good to know if i could push for a refund.

OP posts:
Ddot · 04/05/2021 07:26

So if item dont fit and its morally wrong to ask for refund what do you do with it. I hope redonate

AbsolutelyPatsy · 04/05/2021 07:27

even the volunteers at the charity shop are allowed to return items, it is not morally bankrupt,
easy to say if you can afford to i guess. just a donation!

Ragwort · 04/05/2021 07:30

Charity shops in my area are expensive. You can't get an adult dress for less than £7 - surely that is pretty reasonable? I sold a beautiful Seasalt dress in my charity shop for £10 this weekend (& a Vintage Laura Ashley one for much more than that) - but that represents great value when you consider the original cost of those designs or what a 'new' dress would cost.

The days of getting something for a pound or two are long gone, although there are some 'bargain' charity shops around. As I said earlier, I struggle to sell brand new school uniform items even at £1 for a pair of new trousers - so where are these people who want to buy 'cheap' clothes? In my experience those shopping in charity shops are people who avoid fast cheap fashion, love recycling and look for the original, quirky items.

bemusedmoose · 04/05/2021 07:38

Pretty standard. My local charity shop usually gives credit note or a swap. Refund for large sums but most people just donate things back.

AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair · 04/05/2021 08:15

@Happycat1212

I had this with a sofa I bought from a charity shop, when it arrived it didn’t fit into my living room (wouldn’t go through the door) charity shop refused refund and said they would instead allow me to buy something else, what exactly was I going to buy from a charity shop for £70 when I was in desperate need for a sofa (Single mum and had just moved to a new place and had no sofa) I had to kick up a fuss to get my money back which I eventually did. Would never shop at a charity shop again after that. You have more rights in other shops
Why do you think you hav e more rights in other shops? Is there consumer legislation specific to charity shops?

Maybe a different shop would give you a refund for not having the wit to measure your door but that's on their good customer service, no shop has to refund you in that situation.

ShanghaiDiva · 04/05/2021 08:47

Exactly.
Just as no shop is legally obliged to refund clothes that do not fit.

TheFutureDoesntWork · 04/05/2021 09:11

Re the sofa, if you buy from DFS etc they have thousands of sofas and you can consider, measure etc at your leisure before committing to buy. With a charity shop you have to purchase as you see. Yes ofc it's best to have measurements and go looking with a specific purpose but it's not hard to contemplate a scenario where a cash struck single parent with nothing for her family to sit on feels she has to act quickly on seeing an item she needs. Of course that doesn't fit with the charity shop sales model.

Similarly with uniform and the like, charity shops are not usually a convenient solution for finding a specific item in a specific size that you absolutely need to have right now due to school or work telling you to buy one.

Really they're for middle class people looking to spend a little less money on items they don't need.

Ddot · 04/05/2021 10:25

your not in other peoples shoes (unless you got them from charity shop) sorry just had to. If you want something nice and cant afford new u get in sale or second hand. Not everyone can afford to get it wrong, as for the sofa, it's hard to measure because you have to PIVOT 🤣

Bluntness100 · 04/05/2021 10:32

I’m surprised at some of these scathing comments. There is a good chance the op is buying jeans in a charity shop because that’s all she can afford, and wants her money back because she can’t afford to donate it. Not everyone can afford to buy jeans new or donate a tenner to charity.

emilyfrost · 04/05/2021 11:13

@Bluntness100

I’m surprised at some of these scathing comments. There is a good chance the op is buying jeans in a charity shop because that’s all she can afford, and wants her money back because she can’t afford to donate it. Not everyone can afford to buy jeans new or donate a tenner to charity.
She knew they didn’t refund and chose to take the risk anyway, so it’s clearly not a financial issue.
TheFutureDoesntWork · 04/05/2021 11:13

I agree. Plus the whole "ohmigod it's a charity, how dare you ask for your money back from a well meaning bumbling shoestring operation" doesn't really fit so well with the "of course they have to maximise profits and if that feels like sharp practice screw you" argument.

ChairmansReserve · 04/05/2021 11:27

I quite often overhear people trying to haggle in charity shops or bully the (usually elderly, often vulnerable/with learning difficulties) volunteers. I have occasionally intervened to stop when they were really going for it. It's incredibly scummy behaviour. And often people clearly buying stuff to sell on (things still with tags on, loads of different sizes, jewellery etc.)

RaspberryCoulis · 04/05/2021 11:37

I don't have an issue with people buying to sell on. We price something up at the price we want to get for it, what happens next is none of our business. We might get a couple of quid more selling on Ebay but you have to factor in the time and effort involved in listing it, dealing with questions and posting - when volunteer time is really limited, then efforts are better directed elsewhere.

ChairmansReserve · 04/05/2021 11:55

@RaspberryCoulis I didn't say I had an issue with people buying to sell on.

I was just saying that in my personal experience, it is those people who most often bully/harangue/try to haggle with the volunteers, not people in desperate need of a pair of shoes to avoid going barefoot.

Bluntness100 · 04/05/2021 11:58

She knew they didn’t refund and chose to take the risk anyway, so it’s clearly not a financial issue

Taking the risk doesn’t mean it’s not a financial issue.

Anotherlovelybitofsquirrel · 04/05/2021 12:00

If you want that, buy from a shop that offers it. You act like you're doing them a favour Hmm

StressMagnet · 04/05/2021 12:00

@Ragwort

Charity shops in my area are expensive. You can't get an adult dress for less than £7 - surely that is pretty reasonable? I sold a beautiful Seasalt dress in my charity shop for £10 this weekend (& a Vintage Laura Ashley one for much more than that) - but that represents great value when you consider the original cost of those designs or what a 'new' dress would cost.

The days of getting something for a pound or two are long gone, although there are some 'bargain' charity shops around. As I said earlier, I struggle to sell brand new school uniform items even at £1 for a pair of new trousers - so where are these people who want to buy 'cheap' clothes? In my experience those shopping in charity shops are people who avoid fast cheap fashion, love recycling and look for the original, quirky items.

Not if it a dress from TU or primark. They go for about new in the sales in TU.

If it's a Boden, seasalt dress etc then yes it's fair or even a bargain. My point is that that is the standard starting price point for a dress. Any dress. I dont have any problems with that. I just wonder who pays £7 for a used Primsrk dress. I dont honestly care either way. I just wonder how they turn the stock over in that bracket.

Happycat1212 · 04/05/2021 12:18

*Why do you think you hav e more rights in other shops? Is there consumer legislation specific to charity shops?

Maybe a different shop would give you a refund for not having the wit to measure your door but that's on their good customer service, no shop has to refund you in that situation.*

Argos would have If you've changed your mind and need to return an item, we've extended our returns policy - any store collected purchases made from 18 October 2020 can be returned up to 30 days from the re-opening of non-essential retail in your area, in-line with our returns guarantee.
In-line with our returns policy, your item(s) needs to be:
Unopened
Unused
In its original packaging (with the tags)
In a resaleable condition
With its proof of purchase
You’ll also need to return any free items that came with the product.

So yeh in future I now shop at places where I have rights to a refund if the item isn’t suitable!

cookiecreampie · 04/05/2021 12:35

@Mandalay246

I wouldn't dream of expecting a charity shop to give a refund, and I never try anything on before I buy. If it doesn't fit then I donate it back to the shop. The clue is in the word 'charity'.
And maybe some people shop in charity shops because they have to and can't afford to not get a refund. That's not difficult to understand.
ChairmansReserve · 04/05/2021 12:50

@cookiecreampie And maybe some people shop in charity shops because they have to and can't afford to not get a refund. That's not difficult to understand.

OP: If this doesn't fit, will you give me a refund?
Shop: No, sorry.
OP: Oh, OK then. I'll go to a different charity shop that does.

Is THAT difficult to understand?

PerspicaciousGreen · 04/05/2021 12:54

@cookiecreampie @Bluntness100 @TheFutureDoesntWork What is an issue is purchasing an item, knowing the shop's refund policy in advance of purchase, and then thinking you should be given a refund anyway.

I'm the one who's posted several times explaining from an ex-volunteer's perspective why charity shops might choose not to offer refunds or might price items higher than you think they should. I don't think you're (generic you) a scumbag for returning something to a charity shop that offers refunds. If they offer refunds, they're happy to give them! I think you're really unfair for accepting terms of service and then arguing about them afterwards.

ShanghaiDiva · 04/05/2021 18:02

Exactly.
Buying something when you know a refund is not offered is not a financial issue, it’s a common sense issue.

slashlover · 04/05/2021 18:31

Not everyone can afford to buy jeans new or donate a tenner to charity.

THE JEANS WERE £3.50.

mathanxiety · 04/05/2021 18:36

When you can't try on jeans, hold them with both hands at the points where they would hit the widest point of your hips and stretch them across yourself at that point. If you can bring the side seams around to your sides they will most likely fit.

Ragwort · 04/05/2021 20:03

The OP still hasn't returned to say which charity she made the purchase from, someone mentioned BHF don't give refunds but I have just checked their website and it is very clear that they do (with some exceptions ie; swimwear).

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