To think charity shops have got just too expensive?

[Arnoldthecat]

The high streets of even the fairly affluent towns now often have a selection of charity shops because no one else wants the retail space. Inevitably i often browse them and i dont think im alone in thinking that they have just got way too expensive.

I tend to look for factual books but as a matter of interest, i look at other stuff and prices. Example,used mens shirt £8 ! It was nothing special either.

I spotted a woman looking at a teapot. The label was partly obscured nd she thought it was £1.99 when it was actually £19...oh i dont think so,she said,as she put it back on the shelf.

No one is buying anything. They get it all for free,why not just keep prices reasonable,shift volume,get the money in and get new stock on the shelves/hangers?

Well I’m sure retail staff get perks of buying stock with a staff discount. I don’t see why volunteers who are giving up their free time to support a charity shouldn’t be allowed to buy products instead of them going on the shop floor. An ethical manager will ensure they’re buying them for the appropriate amount of money. I’m also pretty sure given the range of ages and shapes and sizes that there are plenty of donations to go round.... To prove that point I just bought a pair of new looking designer boots for £8. They are currently retailing new for £290. If anyone has a problem with that why don’t they volunteer and then they can nobly decline to buy anything.

Yep, when I volunteered in a charity shop, I (and the other helpers) got first dibs on anything, but it was priced according to the general pricing structure and pricing was done by someone other than the person buying. The charity got the same amount of money, if it went out on the shop floor, or if a helper just bought it straight away.

I went in to the shop I used to help at today, I came away with a wool cape coat thing (£10), a silk dress from Whistles that looks as good as new (£12) and a jumper from All Saints, also perfect condition (£8).

Those saying it's too expensive in charity shops, if they can't shift the stock, then it'll be reassessed, at the end of they day, they want to maximise the money for the charity.

@wonkylegs amazon have some fantastic jigsaw and games for people with dementia. The brand is active minds- ibe got my eye on the water painting books!

@Shakennotshook thanks I will take a look

I sometimes see items in charity shops which cost more than the original price (think Home Bargains accessories for the the home etc) and I have quietly mentioned this to staff. Never have I been thanked, more like received a sneer and a dose of bad manners.

I won't be doing it again. I have bought and still do buy some amazing top quality items from charity shops and know I have got eye popping bargains! Now and then though I think what?! £4 for a Primark teeshirt or sweater when they are only a fiver bought new.

Some charity shops I’ve noticed are trying to sell things for near enough the price it would cost new. However there are some near me that have really good deals in them.

Yanbu. It’s very odd. Much too expensive doesn’t help the customers or the charity.

I'm looking at two pairs of smart and hardly used curtains for a total of £30 from one of our charity shops. In fact I'm looking at a whole house entirely with charity shop curtains apart from one room where I'm still on the lookout for ones I like.

shop around!

I agree. It's expensive and sometimes smells. Which puts me off buying.

Just back from a walk up a busy, trendy road just outside the city centre. In a half mile stretch there were probably ten charity shops, all really busy. I don’t buy many clothes so the clothes don’t interest me. A couple of days ago we visited another area and found a ‘Changing Lives’ shop. We bought a lovely little armchair in very good condition from a shop in which things were very reasonably priced. Managed to get in the car. Took off the cover and washed it and then died it grey. A great success and a present for my son. Chair turned out to be from Ikea. Cost us £20 and £6 for the dye so a real bargain. I agree that things will sell quickly if reasonably priced and stock then gets replenished.

Contrast with another shop that had an old Kinks cd that my husband fancied about six months ago. £19.99! Still there last week and actually it is much cheaper brand new on Amazon.

We have a charity book shop locally, and all paperbacks are £2. That's fine, but some are nearly new, and some are really tatty. I always think there should be a 50p box for the older stuff, which would get rid of them far more quickly.

Old thread. But still.

I popped to my local charity shop yesterday to make a few donations of my sons outgrown clothes.

I picked up some nike pro base layers at £2.50 an item in pretty good condition. So mu husband has 2 new trousers and 3 tops.
Also picked DS up a brand new from Next Pink Floyd tee shirt. And I got myself a ASOS dress for £3.50.
Postage would have been more from ebay.
I usually am a complainer as prices have usually raised considerably but I seemed to be in the right shop at the right time!

Yes I agree. I saw two lovely cushions in a city centre charity shop last week and really liked them. Went in to enquire about price and they were 12.99 each! So £26 for the pair. I wouldn't pay that for new,

I've been a chazzer aficionado since the 90s and have recently switched to Ebay. Apart from the occasional mega bargain this is a bit dearer, but much better quality and you can filter your search right down. Unfortunately becoming trendy chazzers have nose dived in my experience, though obviously they have a duty to raise as much money as possible to pay their Managing Directors mega bucks. Don't donate much now either.

There were a couple in my local area which were off the high street that were great. One was a hospice one and books were 3 for £1, regular discounts on different departments (one week it might have been 50% off bric a brac, next it might have been all toys 50p etc), I once donated a high chair and came back with a coffee table for £1! Right now they're in the middle of a refurb and hadn't been open for ages, now they are and it's just clothes and a little shelf for bric a brac, but they seem to be doing up the other half of the shop.

The other is an age concern shop and volunteers seem to make up prices as you get to the till! Always good value though, I've seen me go in and buy six books, two toys, a scarf and a pair of kids jeans for just over a fiver!

The high street ones seem to be more expensive, although I've gotten some bargains when they've been doing special days (everything £1) and have in the past year gotten a pair of Adidas trainers (unworn) for £4, plenty of clothes and a pair of Converse for a couple of quid.

Ah to the person who mentioned curtains! Oh yes I have hardly ever bought new as charity shops seem to stock amazing good quality sets of curtains for really good prices.

Furniture too! Side tables, coffee tables, all kinds of items over the years at bargain prices. This is when I praise charity shops to the highest!

My last sofa before this current one (treated myself to a new one but it was under £350) was a great find. I paid £50 for a large two seater in the exact colour I was searching for, dark gold (ish) and I loved it for 3 years before changing it. This is why I love second hand furniture and furnishings, they don't need to last for many years at those prices and a room makeover is more fun when it costs little.

It still annoys me though when I see items (usually clothes) which are stupidly priced high so they do not get my money. I often recycle things back into the charity shops anyway so they are making money twice over on a lot of stuff.

I used to browse charity shops regularly but no longer do because the range of stuff has got very boring!
Charity shops are too expensive if the stuff doesn’t sell within 2 weeks. Regular browsers are always on the lookout. They should price to sell quickly. On the other hand if it flies out of the door within minutes it’s probably too cheap!
I’ve seen stuff sitting around for months, still at the same (too high) price. Why can’t they reduce unsold items like normal shops do?

my local charity shop is very expensive. last week it had out some empty jam jars for £2 each .

i was actually looking for a small glass vase and couldnt find one for under £4 so ended up buying from asda as they had a lovely one for £3!

One of our local charity shops smells a bit strange, In fact they have a few branches in the area and the same peculiar unidentifiable smell is in them all. Maybe they have a blanket policy on particular brand of mothballs or something....? I don't let this put me off because I have this big white metal cube with a glass circular door I can use to sort that out!
Their donations often seem to be old people's clearouts, e.g. Old men-style 'Best' suits, St Michael's nighties they've kept in the drawer 'For best' or hospital stays so VGC, but sooooo old! Their pricing policy is really hit and miss and completely at the whim of whichever volunteer is on duty. A 'going out frock' priced at £10 because it's in good nick and the brand was once well respected. It doesn't sell, so after a couple of weeks it's half price, and if still there, it goes to the £1 rail. Yet I've also seen VGC Fat Face and Boden dresses sold for £4 because, "They're not very cheery!"
They have loads of donations as the very traditional community where we live are very loyal to their brand. They all know someone this charity has helped.