AIBU to haggle at the charity shop?

[MrsSippy]

I've been out today going round the local charity furniture stores looking for a sideboard. I found one that was about the right size and colour, but quite battered and half the handles were missing. No problem as I want to re-vamp it, but they want £200 for it. That's a bit steep innit?? Should I make an offer (p.s. I regularly buy from and donate to this local charity) it just feels wrong to haggle at the charity shop, but today I noticed their prices had gone a bit mad i.e. £15 for a chipped vase with a £16 price tag still on from the original shop.

Your opinions please...

That's ridiculously expensive - have you tried EBay - you can get sideboards for a tenner - put in 'nearest first' when you search

It feels wrong, because it is! It's not a market stall, and therefore not open for haggling. YANBU however to be annoyed at the extortionate prices a lot of charity shops charge, really pees me off too! Have you tried gumtree or car boots?

You could mention you like it but think that £200 is quite expensive, see what they say....

Having worked in a charity shop I get annoyed with people wanting to haggle. It's a charity FFS! I remember one woman wanting to pay 50p for an item that was priced at £1! Bloody cheek.

It does sound like their prices are a bit mad, I do know that charity shops get guidelines on how much to price things for. For example the shop I was at, has just been told to increase their prices, it's silly as it makes things expensive and over priced.

I'd haggle. If you don't want it for 200 offer what you would buy it for.

Yabu if you just want to spend less but if it's the difference between them selling it and not then by all means ask.

Side boards in the charity shop I work in are usually between £15 and £50 depending on the state of them!

£200 is ridiculous. You could get a new one for that

Well you can ask. They might say no and then you'll have to take it in good grace. It is a 'shop' but they might be open to offers.

Yes, it is a bit steep.

But for the love of god, it's a charity shop. You cannot haggle in a charity shop. You just can't.

Of course you can haggle. Better that someone haggles and buys the item than all prospective buyers walk away because it's too expensive.

It's expensive, in bad shape - just don't buy it.

Ebay is your friend - we paid £25 for ours, sanded it down, re varnished it and put LED lighting under the pelmets - actually looks really good!

I know, I know!! I would feel a right shit to haggle in the charity shop, but if there's many more like me, off to ebay/gumtree instead, surely they will miss out.

Try your local Facebook Buying and Selling Page. Or Freecycle for a free sideboard.

Of course you can haggle in a charity shop.

Ridiculous price. Our local one has a G Plan sideboard, which go for stupid amounts on eBay (£300+) for 50 quid, in perfect nick.

Kinda what I thought squoosh!

Isn't that haggling?

I wouldn't haggle in a charity shop but I wouldn't pay £200 for a second-hand, battered sideboard either.

Just look elsewhere.

Maybe you could leave your number with them and suggest that if it doesn't sell at that price, call. I'm always too chicken to haggle but I might have the nerve to say that.

I would haggle. Some charity shops take the total piss with the money they charge for stuff. I remember when they were places you could go to buy things cheaply if you were on a low income. Not any more.

Of course you can haggle. I would. £200 on a battered piece of old furniture? In an antiques store I wouldn't be so shocked at that price and pretty much anyone who shops in them regularly would be seasoned hagglers. They're still making a profit on something they got free in the first place. They can say no. How much would you pay just out of interest?

Have a look for a general auction at your nearest auction house. Sideboards tend to sell for less than £20 usually.

I haven't haggled but I have had them offer me a lower price and once they have me a bedside table for free :) Prices aren't set in stone.

You can ask, but accept being turned down gracefully and don't get insulting and snappy about it. If they aren't flexible, go elsewhere.
There's a lovely number of elderly ladies that work in one of our local charity shops, and they get flustered if customers haggle aggressively. Which is when they call DS from the store room and he clarifies the 'no haggling' policy.
Sometimes being expressionless with a thousand yard stare is a good thing, along with his Aspie adherence to The Rules.

If it was me i'd do the same as Mampire