To think this is the end for charity shops?

[Therollockingrogue]

I mean is it? I love charity shops, nearly everything I own is second hand, from car boot sales, charity shops etc etc . But the thought of a rummage now makes me feel a bit bleeeurghh. Anyone else?
Given that in some of our towns the high streets are just alternate vape shop/ nail bar /charity shops, what will happen?
Who would want to work in such an environment anyway after this, especially when most staff are volunteers ?

EVERYBODY will be shopping in Charity shops in a few months time when there are 4 million unemployed and millions more on short time working!!!

only if you stop the production from China. Primark is still cheaper than second-hand stuff, and you have a lot more choice - for those who have one nearby.

I volunteer in a small independent charity shop. I am concerned about what’s going to happen going forward - we get / got a lot of donations but, as someone else said up thread, a lot of it is grubby. I don’t fancy sorting through. We also get a lot of plastic toys in - again grubby. No mention of reopening yet obviously but will be interesting to see what the policy will be once we can

*Seriously? They have greater needs than, say, disabled children, people with heart disease, people with cancer, people with serious visual impairments?

This really is the epitome of utter selfishness*

Judy people who work in shops have to pay their rent and feed their kids. So yes, I think those needs are equal to those of charities.

I am very conscious of "germs" but I can't see why the stuff in charity shops would be worse than other shops. The clothes will have been steamed so that would probably kill anything anyway. Viruses don't last long on surfaces anyway.

I’ve gone off charity shop shopping since I saw a clothes moth in a book I’d bought. I then read how common they are and how difficult they are to get rid of. I put one of those sticky moth traps were I’d kept the books for a month and found a few of the little buggers stuck to the trap. Fingers crossed I caught them before they bred. I’m armed with £50 worth of moth traps and spray from John Lewis as we speak.

I love charity shops and am excited to go when they open again. I will be very careful and mindful of touching and distancing etc, but I will still go when I feel it is safe.

Primark is still cheaper than second-hand stuff, and you have a lot more choice - for those who have one nearby.
Charity shops are good for cheap books, children's toys and sometimes good quality kitcheware. You don't get any of that in Primark.

Charity shops steam their clothing

Charity shops are good for cheap books, children's toys and sometimes good quality kitcheware. You don't get any of that in Primark.

no, but you get it in TK Maxx or similar.

Having scalded myself with the steamer more than once, I can vouch for the fact that they are HOT.

I also love charity shops - could do with a rummage for some clothes, especially tops!
But will people volunteer to go in and run them? Our local ones seem to mostly have elderly as the volunteers

The issues with charity shops are the same as any other shop, except for online only. People touch them, try them on, cough on them, sneeze on them, return things they've bought, etc. If you think about it most thinks have been handled an awful lot, some more than second hand items. I would rather buy some plastic toys from the charity shop than an item of clothing from a sale rail in the supermarket.

Just wash the items and wash your hands! And yes I'd be happy to sort donations too and I am a very health anxious person

BelfryBat your comment re agenda is surely proof that now EVERY thread on MN, no matter how innocuous is fair game for people trying to be antagonistic.

OP I would have thought the same as you but this thread seems to suggest otherwise - that lots will be fine with charity shop volunteering and shopping, so that's encourging.

A lot of charity shops wont be opening June 1st as I said before my DH runs 2 charity shops, after Boris's speech DH area manager contacted everyone on WhatsApp, the field team will go back first to start putting things in place but 1st June will be the start of a phased reopening and that's depending on how the next few weeks go, DH works for a high street national charity and I would imagine most of the larger charities will be doing the same, smaller local charity shops may open earlier

To be fair I have been in the warehouse, they do steam the clothes, by the time they hit the shop any virus would have died. Unlike the clothes you are wearing when you womble around Asda then come home those viruses are still alive in your clothing.

I can't wait for them to open back up either. There's one close to me where the owner (small cat charity) has been putting a table of books outside every day with an honesty box. 20p each!

Can I just clear a few things up about charity shops - I work for one of the larger charities.

• We do pay 20% of business rates. 100% relief is exceptional and hard to obtain.
• Managers, assistant managers, Saturday/Sunday managers, area and regional managers are all salaried staff.
• Rents are at the same level as any other commercial occupier and rarely are any concessions made. Some rent free or reduction has been negotiated during this exceptional time but not all landlords have agreed. Some large retailers including Primark have been flatly refusing to pay all their rent.
• All waste disposal is via private contracts paid at commercial rates. We spend an exceptional amount of money every year disposing of crap people just dump on us that is only fit for the tip
• All clothing is steamed
• When shops reopen the safety of staff and customers will be top priority
• Yes charities particularly the larger ones have to be run like other businesses. This includes paying a reasonable salary to attract the right calibre of person to each of the many roles as would be expected in any business.

There is very little new stock arriving in the UK.

China, India, Bangladesh and others have stopped production.

Some high street stores have cancelled orders for the wholecif summer and autumn 2020.

We might find we have more choice in charity shops than high street chains. If charity shops get online like Oxfam, they could be onto a right winner.

Ive always shopped in charity shops however i wouldnt bother standing in a queue for one. Ive resigned myself to no clothes shopping for the rest of the year.

I can't wait for them to re-open. I've got loads of stuff to donate, and can't wait to replace it with "new" stuff. I couldn't care less about it having been touched/worn by other people. Though I'm hoping that all the fuss-pots will just stay at home and leave all the good stuff for me.

I certainly hope not

A few weekends before Lockdown I was in a local charity shop and they stated they were crying out for volunteers . Was thinking of applying to help but lockdown occurred.
I will ask when they are reopened though as I imagine they would have quite a lot of donations to sort through what with people having clear outs of wardrobes and kids rooms etc .

justasking111

To be fair I have been in the warehouse, they do steam the clothes, by the time they hit the shop any virus would have died. Unlike the clothes you are wearing when you womble around Asda then come home those viruses are still alive in your clothing.

Loads of people change clothes as standard when they get home and lots are washing clothes they wear outside during pandemic.

I don't buy stuff from charity shops, not cheaper and I love a bargain and I'd rather chose pet free smoke free home on ebay for my bargains, plus most dales and Tk maxx mean I can find good bargains on new stuff. Lots of my stuff is new to me and still new but came from someone's house. That's fine, I can wash it etc.

But charity shops will need a deep clean as some as disgusting before this time of pandemic.

If they pay rates it should be the big charities that employ lots of staff that are really run as businesses, not the small charities that struggle with one shop to support something local.Not all the staff are volunteers, some are paid to manage.

I will be donating as soon as I can, I have no money to support the local rescue any more, all I can give them is stuff to sell. There will be many pets abandoned during this time and they already struggle and recently had to close a branch down, costing people jobs and incomes, they use professional staff and volunteers, all are needed.

You often come across old tissues, condoms, and a skiddy pants A place I follow (DH buys from their shop but they also have a bulk warehouse) apparently has a problem with local cats living in the bulk bins Punters are always moaning about it on their SM and online reviews.
We were just talking about this this morning (my donations box is overflowing). I'm sure there's a way around it, and I'm not convinced anyone is getting cv from used clothes.
I do hope they can work it out because I love a rummage - OP you have my dream job! - but the kind of good charity shops do is I fear not the kind that will be prioritised in the New World Order. Unless retail in general goes bust and then the whole high street will be charity shops - ? It's an interesting question.

Coronavirus isn’t going to be around forever, we don’t just have to accept this like it’s something that will never change. Of course charity shops will bounce back.