To expect a charity shop to check things before selling on

[Allyg1185]

Just as the title says really.

We were dropping of toys etc at our local childrens charity shop yesterday and my ds 7 had some pocket money he wanted to spend. He got a book, a dvd and the game Doggie Doo.

Got home and over half the bits of the game are missing. It was basically the dog and a few scoops! He was disappointed obviously and felt he wasted his pocket money. We gave him the money back because we felt sorry for him. He is yet to try the dvd!

I think some people see charity shops as an extension to the local dump and rather than sort stuff out between the two the lot goes to the poor bloody shop. However surely the staff should also be checking everything that comes in?

so many people are using charity shops as dumps these days Expectations have changed, I think. At one time the thought was "could someone else get some use from this?" and things didn't need to be perfect - charity shops were one step up from jumble sales, where everything was heaped on tables and sold for pence, and you expected to have to replace buttons or zips.

Nowadays, there are more sources of really cheap goods, and people expect good quality even from a charity shop, so the question to ask before donating is "would I pay good money for this?".

So, yes, there is being stuff donated which isn't fit for sale, but it's not all down to laziness, guilt at throwing stuff away, it's in part due to changing expectations.

Of course, if they sell rubbish stuff they’re going to create a feedback loop in which people donate rubbish stuff because they think the charity shop considers it good enough to sell, iyswim.

Of course charity shops should do refunds. Customer service in retail is important, otherwise in incidents like this the customer wouldn't return to shop there in the future.

Ok so fair enough I should have checked but when there are attractive displays and all the items look in good condition then is it so wrong to presume the items being sold have been checked. The staff have obviously taken the time to make nice displays

I have dropped stuff off at the distribution centre (large warehouse) for a local hospice. They get so many donations that I doubt that they would have time to check every single toy/board game/jigsaw puzzle.

That said I would never donate anything that was incomplete, or if I did I would stick a notice on the box stating what was missing.

Yeah, some charity shops are great, others are grim. Like, find food in pockets of clothes grim. I prefer to pay a little more and buy from a well-run charity shop, unless it’s something easy to inspect and disinfect (the charity shop I’m thinking of is itself unhygienic).

shit happens

Actually not enough shit happened, in this instance

Charity shops are shops like any others and have the same legal obligation to refund. However, if I could afford it (which I can), I would not take back and ask for a refund .

A charity shop my MIL uses has volunteers to complete jigsaws to make sure all the pieces are there before they sell them. I thought that was a great idea!

The fault lies with the people who donated the game in this case.

Our charity shop is run by elderly retired old ladies that are completely lovely but are a little slow and usually confused by half the items for sale and I can’t imagine that they would know if all the parts were there in a box of doggy doo before putting it out for sale.

Just to clarify, I didn't say that charity shops don't or shouldn't offer refunds. I was questioning why anyone would want to request a refund from a charity.

Because if you are buying clothes from there because it's cheap but you find it's damaged you have to get a refund so you can afford another one somewhere else.

I used to volunteer for BHF and all games and puzzles were thoroughly checked for completeness. I know not all charities have the same policies though so I ask when I take it to the till. It’s been no problem to actually open and check myself

One of our local charity shops sells mostly empty boxes - they tape boxes shut so you can’t check in store. So far I’ve bought twice there, one box was empty apart from cardboard insert, one had about half of the pieces. And they wonder why people don’t buy...
Other charity shops are very thorough

Add on: bhf is great.

Not everyone can afford to write off money as a donation to charity on something that doesn't work!

I'm a carer to a Disabled child and if I spent a pound on something and it didn't work damn right I'd take it back for a refund!!!!

Of course charity shops should give refunds if products are faulty. Lots of people shop in them not just to donate to a good cause but because they are struggling financially and it's somewhere they can afford to buy toys.

I would and have taken a game back to a chazza for a moan and a refund, as when I opened the box not only was some of it missing- there was a bonus prize of a nest of dead spiders to boot.

Grim. Not nice for us to find, plus clearly shows they’re not even opening the boxes for a cursory check that some weirdo hasn’t been hiding razors or dildos in there as some horrible prank.

Wasn't there a news story a few years ago where someone bought their child a kids DVD from a charity shop and when they played it it was a porn movie?

I work in a charity shop

Every toy, game or puzzle that comes in , I or others check before putting on the shelf , If bits are missing it is binned as its worthless.

Our charity shop does a refund but you must have the receipt

I am sad for your little boy though but good on you for returning his pocket money.

I once bought a jigsaw from oxfam it was nearly £5 and there wasn’t a single edge piece in the box! Some joker had obviously removed them all before donating and it clearly hadn’t been checked. I binned it but it has put me off buying there again.

That is bad bringback .

As I said we stand there and do a puzzle (If small enough of course lol. as would take an age otherwise), we check the contents in the box (if a game etc)are all there and then we seal the box and put out for sale .
We check everything .

I buy a lot from charity shops, almost everything for DS and a lot for myself too. If it's a big charity organisation like the BHF or Oxfam then I don't have a problem taking things back for a refund if I find when I get home that it is defective. I probably wouldn't bother with a small local charity shop though.

I got caught out a couple of year ago. Bought dd a shape sorter. It was in a box with a cellophane window. The box was bit battered but it looked as though it had never been opened. I wrapped it for Xmas, when she opened it only one shape was in the box.

Also last year she was given a craft set from a family member. It had been half used. V annoyed with family member as it was possible for them to have checked it before they gave it to us.

My experience is like that of @PiperPublickOccurrences

I volunteer in a charity shop when I am free

It is reliant on volunteers and as I'm sure you can appreciate not every volunteer is as capable as the next and mistakes slip through.

My main frustration is the pricing which in ours is a joke I think but it's set by head office and we can't change it at will, but they wonder why revenue is dwindling, and it's because they are dearer than Primark!!