Appalling behaviour by staff at a charity shop

[OooohAhhhh]

I was in a charity shop today browsing at items near the till and I heard the manager and staff member having a conversation about how desperate people must be to be browsing on the £1 and £2 clothes rails. They was referring to 2 women who had been there for quite a while going through it all and they were saying how desperate they are, in a malicious, slagging off manner.
I then went to the till and had to pay for my £1 cardigan, not because I'm "desperate" but because I love a good bargain, just like so many other people do, and is that not the point of a charity shop? It made me feel a bit awkward paying for it. Surely this can't be the common attitude of staff in charity shops?
Just wondering if I should send a formal complaint higher up maybe?

I'm always raking about charity shops in various towns. Was in one the other day and an elderly lady, I guess a volunteer was being berated by a "Miss Business" type at the top of her voice for failing to complete a form properly. Felt sorry for her, taking that level of abuse for zero monetary reward.

At our house we call this a 747, @Doyoumind — right over your head.

The charity shop “volunteers” were criticising the customer.
The customer was there for the benefit of the charity as well - every purchase benefits the charity.

@Scissor

"I am attaching a photo of an old bloke in an end of life jacket.
He's also fond of second hand sparkly hats."

😀

You made me smile with this.

In a BHF shop near me the manager is often working at the till and a while back as I was browsing I saw a lady take two smart dresses to him to pay. He immediately launched into the most patronising speech telling her she would be the envy of all her friends in these dresses. He all but patted her head. She took it well. I wouldn't have done so. There's no need for it. Like so many including yours truly she may have been able to buy new but loves a bargain.

To be fair, have you seen how some customers behave when it comes to reduced items?

Grabbing items out of the staffs hand, standing about 2mm off them, hovering right over them while they’re reducing the items. Barking orders at them to reduce certain items first because they want them, fighting with other customers over them, etc.

I’m fully aware of the COL crisis, I’m also fond of a bargain myself, but some customers could to with reminding themselves that staff are people as well and the least they can do is stand back and let them do their job in peace. Being polite goes a long way, being rude does not.

Of course this has nothing to do with this thread- the staff members shouldn’t have been discussing those customers in that way.

Once I bought an antique item for £500 from a charity shop ''Smile Scotland''
British Heart foundation had a very valuable item given them ay a £10 start..it made several thousands at auction.

Please complain. I can't believe someone would even do this.

Most of the toys I have bought my two grandchildren are from a good quality St Christopher’s shop, dedicated the children’s clothes and toys. I like the wooden toys, most of which look brand new. There is also an adult St Christopher’s opposite which also has some bargains. Prices are a bit high, but I think it is all in a good cause and you never know, I might be in need of the help from a St Christopher’s nurse one day, so I don’t begrudge them their profits. I’ve donated quite a bit too, all good stuff.

I agree that the rudeness you experienced is not acceptable though and a quiet word in the managers ear might not go amiss.

Doesn't give them the right to be judgemental, mocking arseholes though does it now? "Hahahahaha, look at the poor people, browsing the £1 rail!". Horrible people.

I always go through the £1 sale rail if there is one - why wouldn't you, while you are there? In my experience the clothes aren't any worse quality, they're just what happens not to have sold.

I could afford to buy new clothes (within reason, not designer gear obviously!) but I prefer to use charity shops as it's better for the environment and there's no point spending money needlessly, plus of course my money is going to a good cause rather than to some fatcat CEO. I often donate clothes back when I have a clear out and use gift-aid, so a win all round.

Yes and the model they’ve chosen do this through is selling ‘bargain’ secondhand items

The whole selling point of the shop for customers is to buy low cost secondhand clothes.

Actually lots of charity shop volunteers are universal credit claimants required to do xx hours a week by the job centre

I volunteered at a BHF before and some of the longer term volunteers were surprised when I mentioned in passing my job and what I enjoy about volunteering – they were like oh! You’re just here because you want to be?!

charity shops are there to raise money for their charity but they also fill an important gap for people who can’t afford to pay full price. If you can’t afford to pay full price then hearing workers being critical about only spending £1 or £2 isn’t very nice. I do think sometimes the charity shops do charge too much. Went in with my son and he chose a jumper. He has a learning disability and it’s a big thing for him to make an independent decision like that. They wanted £20 for it, I couldn’t say no at that point but it was a well worn slightly frayed le Shark jumper that retails at £25. All I said was ‘oh that’s a bit expensive’ and paid up as it was a positive learning experience for ds but it left me feeling a little uncomfortable

Everyone saying ‘the point of the charity shop is to raise money for the charity’

– yes sure but that’s like saying the point of British Gas is to make a profit

that’s where the money’s going but it’s not the service they’re offering to customers

a charity shop is literally set up to sell cheap clothes, it’s bizarre staff would complain about – attracting customers who want to buy cheap clothes

I recently went to my first charity shop to find an outfit for DD who was attending an 80’s themed party. I visited 3 and was quite surprised at the difference in the quality. Ended up at the hospice shop which was fabulous. Very well set out with all manner of items from household, jewellery and various brands of clothing. Found exactly what I was looking for and paid under £10 for jacket and costume jewellery. What surprised me though was the jacket was grubby around the neck. Took it home and washed it but why wouldn’t somebody do that before donating (perhaps this is the norm). I always ensure stuff I donate is clean - not necessarily ironed! They also had bikinis which I wouldn’t go near for obvious reasons! Not good for volunteers sorting through stuff!

Why do people keep saying they're volunteering? Who gives a fuck? They should still not be so rude.

My partner helps out in a charity shop with the disabled gentleman he's a support to and he told me yesterday that a male member of staff was serving people with no top on. It wasn't his place to say anything but he was disgusted he was allowed to serve people half naked.

You would be surprised and disgusted at what some people donate. I volunteered in one for a day, maybe 5% of the clothes we sorted through that day were decent. Most were clothes you'd bin (covered with pilling or ripped, dated), but the worst were some that were mouldy and damb, some urine soaked. It was absolutely disgusting. Very eye-opening tbh, I think some people genuinely thought someone might use the items, but most I think using it as a rubbish tip. It was quite a depressing experience.

Actually very few get paid, the model is 1 paid staff member per shop, usually a manager

Agree!

Just to add some are increasingly fussy - many years ago I enquired about donating DDs outgrown clothing and was asked about brands as they were only taking branded items e.g. OSH KOSH, M&S non value ranges etc. I was quite cross as many items still had tags or had been worn once and cleaned and there were many branded items in there - put it all in the Salvation Army bin as I felt it would at least be used!

You made a formal complaint because they told you they weren’t accepting books?!

I'm not going to complain as I should have said something there & then, so my opportunity has gone now. I know staff in supermarkets will have something to say to each other about reduced time, how people hover around the reduced isle whilst the member of staff is reducing food etc. But it just threw me that they said it knowing that I was there. Especially when I had spent a good 10/15 minutes browsing at those £1-2 rails. I just think it's really unprofessional, and like pp's have said, turning their noses up at people who want to take advantage of those cheaper rails.

Why would you bin stuff just because it's 'dated'?