To ask for your best charity shop bargains?

[kazillionaire]

So, following on from the other charity shop thread, what are your best buys?

Mine was a vendula handbag for £4 in mint condition which is over £200 new 🥰

@RoseDelatour

Sometimes there are charities that would love decent work wear for people trying to get into work if that helps I know a lot of refugees charities also like decent clothes for this reason

Charity shops set the prices and as long as people pay the set price that's that as far as I'm concerned.

@RoseDelatour

I give away all of our unwanted clothes and toys to charity shops. Most in nearly new condition. I always thought it would help people who couldn’t afford to buy new. This thread is eye opening though that lots of people just look for bargains or opportunities to flip items for a profit online! Are there any clothes banks (similar to food banks) where items genuinely go to people in need?

I’ve got thousands of pounds worth of baby toys and books and equipment. I think I’ll offer it to local playgroups and nurseries instead of charity shops.

I get a lot from charity shops, especially when they were little. My aforementioned toy was a bargain, I still have it in my loft, it was no longer available and the new stuff is no where as good. Please don't be put off. I do it from an environmental POV as well.

This all sounds amazing. Unfortunately where I live the stuff in the charity shops is pretty much rubbish and costs an absolute fortune. I have had one purchase about 20 years ago that was great but ever since nothing and we have an abundance of these shops.

@RoseDelator.
That is fabulous. I used to be a childminder but found that now charity shops, nurseries, playgroups etc cannot accept toys/kiddies furniture unless they have the safety tags still intact on them.

A 1950s coat for a quid. Had an Art Deco diamond and sapphire brooch in the original box in the pocket, no-one had thought to check them obviously.

@RoseDelatour

I give away all of our unwanted clothes and toys to charity shops. Most in nearly new condition. I always thought it would help people who couldn’t afford to buy new. This thread is eye opening though that lots of people just look for bargains or opportunities to flip items for a profit online! Are there any clothes banks (similar to food banks) where items genuinely go to people in need?

I’ve got thousands of pounds worth of baby toys and books and equipment. I think I’ll offer it to local playgroups and nurseries instead of charity shops.

The point of charity shops isn't to be a source of cheap clothing for those who need it (although some do fulfil that role, and it's one that's been very welcome to me in the past when I was on my uppers). Their role is to make money for a charity, preferably as much as possible.

Unfortunately some volunteers aren't well versed in designer labels so knock stuff out for a couple of quid, but most are fully trained to recognise something worth slapping a £50 tag on (or selling on eBay/at auction). If you want to be sure your goods are making as much money as possible for the charity, do a recce and find the ones which sell at higher prices. Or eBay/sell it yourself and donate the cash.

It's not the fault of the customer if they get a bargain. I say this as someone who used to manage a chain of charity shops in West London. We had shops on Kensington High Street, Brompton Road and Notting Hill and we used to get some fabulous stuff donated. We sold Chanel suits for over £1000 and auctioned some beautiful jewellery and first editions - we were trained to spot the good stuff.

And there's nothing wrong with buying stuff from chazzas and selling it on if it doesn't suit (like my Dior top). I know people who've made businesses out of reselling vintage/designer stuff from charity shops. Ultimately as long as the charity is making money that's all that matters and everyone's happy!

A balance bike for £4
A Barbie house for £7 with loads of accessories, checked online and it would have been about £100 new.
A suede jacket for DD for a fiver.