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Original poster

Charity shop rant

220 replies

blubkins · 05/03/2017 19:18

Took a donation into the local charity shop over the weekend. The guy at the till told me to take the donation to the back. The door to the store room was open so I put it in there. Another lady came along and put a huge donation in there. Not a second later, a woman who worked in the shop came rushing to the back, shouting at us and lecturing us in a very patronising tone about not going into the back and putting our donations outside the door "because of health and safety". She was extremely rude and said to the other lady "can you please get out" tutting and in the most angry teacher type voice. I explained that the man had said to take it to the back and since the door was open I had just popped it inside (where there were loads of other bags). She insisted on explaining to us why we shouldn't have been in there and I told her back that she needs to explain that to her colleague not us as his instructions were not clear.

The other woman leaving a donation was great, she simply said to the charity shop worker that it was "fine, but please can I have my donation back". At this point the worker realised what a mistake she had made and tried to halfheartedly apologise but the other donator took her bag, left the shop and gave the donation to the other charity shop a few doors down.

I was so shocked at how rude the shop worker was and I pointed out that we were donating items and she shouldn't be so rude. It's a shame because it is a small shop that needs support and I imagine the other lady won't donate there again (and I will reconsider now).

AIBU to think that if you receive a donation you should be thankful and not abuse the people giving stuff in (wealthy middle class area where people tend to donate high quality stuff)?

OP posts:
AndShesGone · 05/03/2017 19:25

Not a worker probably, a volunteer

Yes, it was very rude.

Camelsinthegobi · 05/03/2017 19:26

YANBU. Very shortsighted.

Imfinehowareyou · 05/03/2017 19:27

Yanbu. Hopefully the woman will learn her lesson from this. I have boycotted a charity shop as a volunteer told my DC off for playing with the toys. They weren't in anyone's way but she humiliated me. We didn't buy the toys they played with because of her. I donate to 2 lovely local charity shops and the volunteers simply say thank you.

SloanePeterson · 05/03/2017 19:27

Cambridge? We had an absolute witch yesterday in the very same situation. Shudder to think there's more than two of them.

DoItTooJulia · 05/03/2017 19:27

Oh, I dunno, we all have shit days.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 05/03/2017 19:32

How fuckin rude. !!!!!!I'd have taken my donation and given to a charity shop, who would be more grateful. I'm not saying. The red carpet should be rolled out, or. That they should bow at peoples feet. Just a simple. Thankyou would suffice.

CactusFred · 05/03/2017 19:34

The almost exact same happened time yesterday. Man at counter said to put it through the door at the side, lady in there shouted at me for putting it there due to them needing my gift aid info first - that I had already given to man at counter. So rude!

I won't be giving to them again.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 05/03/2017 19:35

Yes we do, Julia, but. You leave your shit days at the door. You don't be rude to people giving out the kindness of their heart. I'm sorry, but. There's no excuse for that.

CaraAspen · 05/03/2017 19:37

How rude and ignorant of her. I think you should have asked for your donation back too. The volunteer person should be given some much needed training in people skills and she should remember that the key word is donation.

Janey50 · 05/03/2017 19:40

I had practically the same scenario happen in a charity shop local to where I live,when I took a bag of stuff in about 6 months ago.Lady behind the counter says 'Pop them in the back love' which I did. No sooner had I turned round to come back out when some old witch another woman who was in the stockroom starts shouting at me 'You're not meant to be out here!' I tried to explain to her that the other lady had TOLD me to go out there but she kept talking over me,going on about health and safety and people stealing stuff. So I simply picked up my bag and said 'Fine. If that's your attitude I'll take this back'. And walked out. Have never gone back there,either as a buyer or a donator. Their loss,not mine.

DoomGloomAndKaboom · 05/03/2017 19:41

There is a charity shop in my town, that is well known for being staffed by volunteers who have no business volunteering. There are 3 or 4 regular control freaks working there who are all about the POWER and fuck all about charity. One student went to volunteer there and lasted an hour. If you go in at the wrong moment you will see scenes of Roman carnage as they fight over where the shirt rail will go and there was once a crowd - drawing row in the window display over, guess what, the window display.

You daren't go in for fear of being tutted at if you don't buy anything.

I have no idea how they are still in business. I'm sure there are mad despotic mini trumps in shops and other businesses all over the world. Also, for balance, I have deep sympathy for anyone who has to deal with the public because we are mostly arseholes, to be fair.

senua · 05/03/2017 19:41

I was going to donate after a Christmas clear-out. It seems like lots of people have Christmas clear-outs because the charity shop had a sign up saying that they were not in a position to take any more donations. I took the hump and haven't donated to them since.
Any sensible organisation would realise that there was going to be a glut of stock and make plans accordingly.
Charity shop staff can be incredibly rude. It amazes me how much they bitch about each other (they all do it!) within customers' hearing. It really puts me off ever thinking about volunteering.

Reow · 05/03/2017 19:42

Sloane - are you thinking on don Histon Road?

FANTINE1 · 05/03/2017 19:43

I experienced rude staff at Charity shops too!
Not good enough.

John4703 · 05/03/2017 19:44

I really admire the other woman who took her donation to a different shop. I've been treated like dirt when donating to a local charity shop and have never been back but did not have the courage to take my stuff back.
I now donate to a shop that is more friendly, or often just use the huge metal containers at the local Tesco

AshesandDust · 05/03/2017 19:49

YANBU.
I hand knitted a few pairs of intricately patterned ladies mittens for my local charity shop and got a very snotty reception from the lady behind the counter. They won't be getting anything else from me.

greenlavender · 05/03/2017 19:53

I have always felt that the shop felt they were doing me a favour when I donated, until I found a local to my work small haphazard BHF store. They are always very grateful for any donation, let me in the back, and as a rule I donate a lot more.

KurriKurri · 05/03/2017 19:53

The rudest Charity shop where I live had a sign outside it recently saying (in these very words' "We don't want any more donations. Anyone trying to leave donations will be FINED"

Fined by whom FFS ? Utter madness.

Tiptoethr0ughthetulips · 05/03/2017 19:54

Years ago I was moving and wanted to donate a lot of things to the salvation army, went to there shop but it was closed. So I took it a few miles away to their Salvation Hall (?), the bloke who answered the door was most put out, told me to take to the shop, reluctantly accepted it when I explained shop was closed. Not a word of thanks. I've never donated to them again.

Original poster
blubkins · 05/03/2017 19:54

The other woman donating was so admirable in her attitude, she wasn't rude back and didn't say anything except "that's fine, please can I have my donation back" in a very calm and neutral voice. No argument, no fuss but she made a perfect example of the shop volunteer (who I think is the manager, so might actually be paid). I should have asked for my donation back but it wasn't that much and I like the charity cause and don't want to hurt them but will reconsider giving to them next time.

OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 05/03/2017 19:58

We have a few charity shops in our town. Only one of them where the staff seem thankful for donations and say so.

The others don't seem very bothered or want to quiz you about Gift Aid straight away.

MrDacresEUSubsidy · 05/03/2017 19:59

We had this in our local area. I get that they are staffed by volunteers - and that some people will palm off the dodgiest shit which is only fit for the bin! However there are plenty of charity shops and people can always take their items elsewhere. Nobody is forcing you to volunteer there (I do voluntary work myself so I know it can be a bloody thankless task at times though!).

After a mass boycott of a particular charity shop, the manager there faced up to the fact that a couple of his volunteers were putting people off - from shopping and donating there. After a big re-vamp things have started to improve. In the meantime I use a charity shop in the next town who are always very friendly and helpful. I love the fact that they let me know how much my donations have raised as well.

missyB1 · 05/03/2017 20:00

I never donate to the Oxfam shop in our town because they are so unfriendly. I now only donate to the local hospice charity, and tbh I prefer that anyway as I know exactly where the money is going.

Gwenhwyfar · 05/03/2017 20:04

"Not good enough."

You pay peanuts...

IamFriedSpam · 05/03/2017 20:05

That is incredibly rude. In her defence I used to volunteer in a charity shop and lots of people would donate absolute crap that they clearly just couldn't be bothered to take to the dump - (loads of dirty socks and pants with holes in, puzzles with half the pieces missing, books which have been torn to shreds, stuff that smells of urine) so you ended up holding your breath and wondering what crap might be inside overtime there was a new bag! However I very much doubt you were doing that and there is no excuse to be so rude!