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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how much if anything, you'd give to a charity shop where you paid £1 for £5k item?

60 replies

evelynj · 31/07/2014 19:53

This happened to someone I know. A regular charity shopper. They bought something just because they liked it for £1 & later found out it was valuable-£5k worth.

They have kept the item, and are a good person generally. I don't know (yet) how much if anything they've given back to the charity shop.

Wwyd?

OP posts:
MrRedAndBlue · 31/07/2014 21:31

nothing - it's a shop and a transaction took place between two parties who were happy with the goods on offer and the price offered. That's all there is to it.

EthicalPickle · 31/07/2014 22:05

I volunteer for a charity. We are meant to pay the same price for anything we buy but we get first dibs. Confused. I have never bought anything to sell on. That would seem very wrong to me as a volunteer.

I once bought a pretty plate for £1 that I found to be 'worth' £100. I gave the charity another £30 and if I sold it I would happily give them more.

nearly 100% of the money we raise goes to fund a local hospice. I couldn't possibly deprive them of any money. Confused. That would be awful.
It's different in the OPs case as the person who bought the item isn't a volunteer but I would have thought and hoped most people would make a sizeable donation. I think the amount I would donate would depend on how skint I was - I'm not skint so I think I would give £2k and I think I might still feel guilty about it. I think it's hard to 'know' what you would give unless you were actually in the situation IYSWIM

DizzyKipper · 31/07/2014 22:09

But you said they kept the item, so they haven't actually financially profited from it. They also might not have actually bought the item had it been suitably valued. Considering that I don't see why they should give the charity more money because the charity didn't realise the actual value. Fair enough if they had sold it and made a fair bit it would be nice for them to share some of the proceeds, but not when they haven't.

Dontlaugh · 31/07/2014 22:17

I would not tell original shop (more fool them
), but I would donate an amount to my chosen charity from the
£5k.
"Charity" is a bit of a misnomer - most operate off business models these days, and have spotters able to value potential Ming vases etc.

Flipflops7 · 31/07/2014 22:18

About £250.

parakeet · 31/07/2014 22:23

It would never occur to me I had the slightest obligation to give the shop anything.

ICanSeeTheSun · 31/07/2014 22:26

I would sell it and give all the money to my friends charity, they need the money more than I need the item bought.

LightastheBreeze · 31/07/2014 22:33

Nothing - Its up to the charity shop to know the value of things

blanklook · 31/07/2014 22:33

Assume it's a diamante brooch sold as costume jewellery but found to be genuine stones.
The buyer has not as yet sold it on, nor do we know if s/he is going to. s/he may be over the moon with it and want to wear it a lot.

There's a vast difference in valuations of jewellery, the value for replacement under insurance can be tens of times above what it may fetch at auction or a private sale on any given day. Ditto for a painting or any other art/sculpture etc.

If at some point in the future the buyer decides to sell and realises a vast profit, then they could choose to donate a percentage to that charity if they felt like it, if not, they are under no obligation.

gamerchick · 31/07/2014 22:36

You can buy something for a quid in a charity shop? Hmm

McBear · 31/07/2014 22:36

What on earth was it that had such a potential difference in value?

My response would depend on my financial situation. Currently, I'd count my blessings and donate my own clear out stuff to thank them.

McBear · 31/07/2014 22:36

What on earth was it that had such a potential difference in value?

My response would depend on my financial situation. Currently, I'd count my blessings and donate my own clear out stuff to thank them.

cozietoesie · 31/07/2014 22:39

If I sold it, I'd donate all the proceeds to charity although not necessarily the charity that was running the shop. I actually have such an item at the moment, so it's not idle speculation for me.

MargotLovedTom · 31/07/2014 22:42

blanklook did you mean to write 'diamond' rather than 'diamanté'?

I'd probably donate £100 to the charity if I sold the item on for £5k.

JimBobplusasprog · 31/07/2014 22:45

£4999. But that might look a bit anal so I'd give £5000.

BadLad · 31/07/2014 22:55

I wouldn't give them anything even if I sold it, but I would certainly patronise that same charity shop in future.

Original poster
evelynj · 31/07/2014 23:44

Lol gamerchick- that's how I feel. Some of the pricing is all over the place. I bought a new jaeger jumper for less than a used primark vest in the same shop!

Item was jewellery, from here:

www.chopard.com/collections/classic

I'm interested in the opinions so thanks-I had thought it would be overwhelmingly in the other direction-give it back, quick! I work for a charity on minimum wage but even so, I've come to the conclusion that the best thing to do in the situation, (given that they want to look at it & use it), is a token donation & then leave the item to the charity in their will. But then again, the person isn't in need of financial assistance-don't know if this would matter either way if it was an issue. I haven't a lot to use in my will at present so if it were me, may enjoy it but use as an insurance policy/overdraft in life, and support this charity a bit more in future.

Incidentally I bought a lovely monsoon dress in the salvation army for £6 recently & it's going for £80 on eBay used....

OP posts:
Original poster
evelynj · 31/07/2014 23:48

Oh, they don't hallmark their items as they're too cool or something ;) so that's probably why it slipped through the net as the signature wasn't noticed....

OP posts:
CallerIDBingo · 31/07/2014 23:58

I bought a pair of earrings for £1 from a church sale stall - pawned them for £45 when I realised they were gold.

Does that make me a bad person?

Original poster
evelynj · 01/08/2014 00:08

Tbh I always have a bit of guilt when I know I'm getting a bargain but do buy & donate-I rarely buy anything new & my weights been way up & down the last few years. That may be due to a combo of my religious upbringing & feeling that I could do more for the community

OP posts:
Lezprechaun · 01/08/2014 00:14

I i

Lezprechaun · 01/08/2014 00:14

Stupid

Lezprechaun · 01/08/2014 00:16

Stupid phone keeps posting before I'm done!

If I sold it, I would donate maybe £500 but if keeping it then nothing as I haven't gained anything from it and wouldn't have the money to give them. Plus would not have bought it in the first place if priced higher.

306235388 · 01/08/2014 00:21

I'd return it. Dh would be raging.

MrsTerryPratchett · 01/08/2014 00:25

Depends on the charity. I shop at one that is pure business model and I wouldn't give them anything. Sorry to say the lovely Christian charity gets my stuff but not my money in this case. They evangelise... The small, homeless charity, I would give them a fair chunk.

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