Charity shops

[Worzilgummidge]

To think they have become a tad expensive.

YANBU
I've seen Primark dresses labelled up for more than they was new.
Some are still bargains (looking at you barnardos!) But most have risen in price alot over the past few years.
I mostly shop in them because I'm on a low income, I don't go as much anymore as Primark is cheaper.

I noticed it today actually. I mean I don't really begrudge it as its meant for good causes but and maybe they struggle with overheads but I couldn't help but notice.

I still go mooching in them but yes they've become much more expensive. I'm really picky about what I'll buy because I'm not paying £8.95 for a secondhand top from Next, I'll just keep wearing what I've got until I find something sensibley priced.

I was told to leave a charity shop the other day for pointing out to a potential customer that the £80 scratched and marked wardrobe she was looking at was cheaper brand new from Ikea.

YEs, some are. You have to know your shops (and they need to know their audience). there are still a lot of bargains to be had there, but it isn't automatic.

Wow notso

Yes, bargains still to be had, but you have to search much harder.

Yanbu. They are a real money spinner and I think it is a small percentage that goes to the charity, Just before Christmas, I saw a transformer DS was after, they were charging 40euro, it was 50 new and had no remote.
If I have a clothes bundle now I prefer to put on the local fb site free, it really helps someone, I know you get chancers but lots are genuine and thankful.

We've got 2 brilliant ones by us, all
Kids clothes 50p (brilliant bargains such as john rocha coat for Ds!), for example. I've bought brand new jeans, jumpers, dresses for me for £1 each many times. There's also some which seem to select what they will stock according to brand but then charge a lot more for them. They don't have nearly as high turnover of stock. The better bargains are definitely found if you visit regularly and the shop has a high turnover. Our good one is right by school so I pop in every few days if there's particular things I want.

I think every charity shop makes mistakes but I think most aren't bad. Our local oxfam used to be very expensive but in general it's not in their best interests to over price as they'd never shift items. Turning over a large number of items is key to making money and getting footfall (did this job for a while). It's all about maximising profit for the charity. I give certain items to certain shops, I give my books for example to a shop where I know they'll price the really good books (art, academic etc) at an appropriate price, not just all for 50p

YANBU!

Especially furniture and white goods that are old, damaged etc - Sue Ryder in my local town is a rip off. The PDSA one is great though, proper old-school pricing.

The charity shops in the more affluent areas used to do really good stock at great prices. My friends and I used to love going unfortunately they're more aware of the retail prices these days so no more LV for a tenner.

….I think it is a small percentage that goes to the charity

Why do you think this? Where do you think the remainder goes? I work in a charity shop - it's almost exclusively staffed by volunteers ( there are two part time -low- paid employees). All the money raised goes to the charity, although obviously some will disappear in overheads (shop rental, utilities etc) rather than actually going to support the cause directly.

I agree that some prices are ridiculous, and for that reason we don't sell brands like Primark because once they are second hand the condition isn't usually that good. However, high prices are no excuse for the amount of shop lifting we have to put up with!!

There’s a £1 charity shop in the town my cousin lives in - it’s ace snd I go and stick up every time I visit! I’ve had some ridiculous bargains like a perfect French Connection dress! For £1!

Pointyshoes the overheads are the issue though. I’ve read that lessnthan20% of each sale actually gets to the charity so if you donate a jacket that is sold for £10- well, you can do the maths.

I agree some are silly expensive, we have loads of excellent charity shops in my area and I adore them but have to restrain myself as I end up buying stuff I don’t need. Several also get new clothes from local stores. I guess they will price as high as possible but we do have one in particular which is very overpriced so I tend to avoid it.

pointy people steal from charity shops?

I love a charity shop rummage. I don’t mind more expensive stuff where it is a particular label, or cashmere or whatnot. I definitely mind when it’s Primark or a supermarket brand. Some around here are better at pricing, some are worse.

Yes, people steal from charity shops, a lot!

As for the horror if overheads, don't be daft. Of course they have overheads. But they still raise money that charities wouldn't otherwise have.

If you want 100% of your cash to go to charity set up a direct debit. But if you value the shop for it's recycling, volunteer opportunities and social aspect then they are invaluable.

Some very valid points here.

Your lucky to get the 99p start bid on ebay with second hand so they do okay don't they.

Round by us they're ok, except for BHF, who have surprisingly high prices.

Mary Portas did a tv thing a few years ago that basically encouraged them to charge shop prices. But her charity shop stores were in London and the clothes were high end labels.
I don't think it's translated all that well to other stores. I dropped off some baby clothes to a Barnados' and their vests were more expensive used than the Asda ones next door. Nobody is buying 2nd hand vests unless they need to. If you're shopping there to be benevolent and socially responsible, you're not buying vests...

I think it depend on where you live I live .I'm a fairy deprived area charity shops near me arn t expensive .If they were therapist get any business .

They were this tablet keeps changing words

Yawn yawn, "primark priced at more than new" yadda yadda.

Most charity shops are run by people who know what they are doing. Most people with half a brain realise that they cannot charge more than the new price for second hand clothing.

Mistakes happen. Volunteers don't realise that "Papaya" is actually Matalan, and not up there with Reiss and Hobbs. Most decent charity shops have a system for knowing how long an item has been kicking around in a shop for. Shops which aren't shifting stock will reduce price as it's in nobody's interest to have stock not moving out the door.

But, charity shops are there to raise as much as possible for their chosen cause. Not to give the opportunity to buy cheap stuff. So yes, if we know we've sold a Boden/Hobbs/Cos dress for a tenner in the past, that's what we're going to price it at.

Oh yes, people steal from charity shops. I used to volunteer at a charity shop with adults with learning disabilities; some people would argue they had been given the wrong change when they hadn't or, even worse, try to pass off counterfeit currency. That happened several times. It's depressing..