Aibu to make money from a charity shop purchase?

[Partnerprobs]

Recently went to a charity shop and found a couple of items for sale that I liked and were in very good condition. A handbag and a book. Both were in a locked cabinet. I bought them for £25 in total and have sold them on eBay for £75 and £34 pounds, so I’ve made about £84 (less eBay fees which I haven’t seen yet)

My best friend was really shocked and said it’s like stealing and I should donate the money to the charity - this has surprised and unnerved me as I thought it was fine (as they were in the cabinet so had been picked as higher end items, and also they were more expensive than normal items)

I thought it was a lucky break and was looking forward to treating myself.

Aibu?

@listsandbudgets

As long as you don't make a business of it.

I went to a charity shop earlier in the week and was blocked from the rails by a couple who were grabbing stuff off in any size.. they were only interested in the labels they actually discussed it.. White Stuff yes, Tu no, Jaegear yes, primark, primark, primark no, Hobbs yes etc. etc.
Several things in my size I'd have liked at least a look at swooped on and they made it so people couldn't get past.

Shop manager said they were obviously ebaying them and came in 4 to 5 times but there was nothing she could do as long as they paid.

There’s nothing wrong with what OP did but for some reason this example makes me a bit sad. I give my best stuff to a local charity shop in the hope that they can make decent money from it - I could sell on eBay myself but think of it as a charity donation. The cynicism in this just makes me a bit sad. My local charity shop is staffed by very elderly volunteers and I think it’s unlikely they would know the potential value of some of these things or have the capacity to research them.

@DukeOfEarlGrey then why don't you do that bit and donate the money you make.

slashlover The bag could has sat there for a month priced at £50, or the shop could have used that space to sell 6 bags at £20 each

Exactly that my DH runs 2 charity shops both shops are in the top 10 of 120 shops nationwide he is very very good at what he does, he could put a bag out for £50 and it wont sell for a week, meanwhile out the back he has boxes of bags that he has no room to display, put it out for £30 it will sell in a day and he can replace it and then sell the replacement and so on, I have seen it myself when I volunteer

@MissM2912

A very close friend of mine died of cancer last year- she specifically told me she wanted her clothes to go to Cancer Research to fund research. It was something that was really important to her in her final days. I know she would be upset that someone would profit in this way. As I said- not legally wrong but ethically so.

No, she would not, and if she did, she'd be as misguided as you.

She wanted to donate her clothes to cancer research who would sell them in their shop and give the money for research. They did that, and her wish was fulfilled in its entirety. What happened to the clothes after her wishes were fulfilled is immaterial. They could have been thrown away, or given away, or cut into rags, or sold on for a profit. It makes not one single difference to your friends request.

And if I was your friend I'd be disgusted at you using my death to try and win an argument on the internet.

Haha, all the people on this thread thinking that the bags of stuff dumped at charity shops and fly tipped outside the clothing banks, were lovenly given to charities to make as much money as possible, many are left there because its easier than going to the tip and people can say they gave loads of stuff to charity.

@Tryingtryingandtrying

What would happen if you came across a first edition Harry Potter book 1 priced for £2.50. Would you buy it and sell it for its true value or let the manager know?

This...

Lots of people justifying with the shoplifters defence 'everyone does it'..

@MissM2912

Just because you CAN do something doesn’t mean you should. If I donated something either with the intention of the charity making money or to benefit someone in need, I would be annoyed at someone buying it for personal profit. Vulture like.

Then don't give things to charity shops. Sell them yourself and pass the money on. The shops do what works for them and their selling and business models to move stock fast and get a constant income. If you're so concerned about the "vultures" that are the shop's valued customers, and so superior to them, do the legwork yourself for the charity.

And never spend any money on yourself buying things you don't need. Give all that money to charity.

I don't like the practice at all. It's morally repugnant.

I took bags and bags of lovely things to the charity shop yesterday, as we've just moved out to do building work and it seemed pointless to store all of our baby and toddler clothes/shoes and my maternity clothes etc when I've got no intention of having another baby.

I'd be really upset if someone goes in, nabs one of my Seraphine dresses or DC's Mini Boden jumpers for a few quid and then flogs it on ebay for a quick profit.

I always donate hoping someone who needs it gets something they otherwise couldn't afford.

I also donated a beautiful Victorian tea set I was given as a wedding present. It's just sat in a cupboard for 15 years and I don't have the time or inclination to sell online and deal with the packing and postage. I did tell the lady in the shop that the teapot alone is easily worth £90+ on eBay. Hopefully someone who collects vintage China will find it and not an opportunist like you!

@ManifestDestinee, quite right. What an incredibly tasteless comment. Plus the implication that nobody else on this thread could possibly have lost a loved one to cancer if they understand how charity shops work.

I'd be really upset if someone goes in, nabs one of my Seraphine dresses or DC's Mini Boden jumpers for a few quid and then flogs it on ebay for a quick profit. I always donate hoping someone who needs it gets something they otherwise couldn't afford.

Then Freecycle them and screen the recipients for someone suitable, or sell them yourself and donate the money.

How do you stop rich, bargain hunting people buying them in the shop or from you?

Just read more of this thread and I'm not giving anything to charity shops in future.

I'll find a shelter that will appreciate and use clothes and shoes that are donated with goodwill.

With hindsight, I should have stored the tea set and sold it on Facebook at a later time.

This thread is eye-opening to say the least!!

This pisses me off because I buy my clothes in charity shops genuinely to wear them and because usually it is my only opportunity to own and wear 'nice' clothes. When a few people, or even just one person, does this in my local charity shop it means there are no 'nice' clothes left.

I should have stored the tea set and sold it on Facebook at a later time.

Yes, if what you wanted was lots of money to be paid for it, wherever you intended that money to go. But if you wanted it to go to someone who couldn't afford nice things, as you said...how many impoverished people do you think will have that kind of money for a tea set, where the pot alone is worth £90+?

Or what if it gets bought cheaply by a reseller and then goes to someone who loves vintage china and is pleased to have got it, but didn't live anywhere near the charity shop?

If you "don't have the time or inclination to sell online and deal with the packing and postage", why should a local charity shop that's staffed by volunteers? You were happy to give it away for the convenience, they're happy to sell it for whatever it can reasonably and quickly fetch on the shelf.

The items are very unlikely to have sold for the same price in a store as they do online. Charity shops have a much more limited audience compared to EBay...

I don't think the charity shop undervalued the items. No doubt they have a backlog of stock from lockdown to get through and want to get as much sold as they can.

If I want something particular like a piece of china, book or handbag I always look on eBay, I know it will be overpriced as someone else as done the legwork and likely bought it from a charity shop. I'm not going to go trawling charity shops on the slim chance it might be there

Very unlikely that someone is going to go into a charity shop and come out with a £90 teapot😂, those sort of things are what people specifically buy and the chance that the person wanting the teapot and the location of it are the same, it would sit there forever cluttering up the shop

There's a psychology to sales. Someone shopping in a charity shop isn't likely to be able or inclined to drop loads of money on one item, even if it's what it's worth. Even the resellers won't buy for the price they intend to sell it for; what's the point in that?

You might perhaps get someone who recognises what a mad bargain it is even if it costs five times the next most expensive thing in there. But you probably won't. As everyone on this thread with relevant experience is testifying.

You go to charity shops to get things dirt cheap. If it was too much hassle for you to list and sell one or two things online, what makes you think a volunteer-staffed, target-driven charity shop will have the resources to sell loads of things online? You preferred to give it away than sell it!

If it offends your conscience so much that resellers sometimes buy their stock from these shops at the price the shop thinks it can get for it, then sell the stuff yourself and donate the money directly. If that's too much hassle for you, why wouldn't it be too much hassle for them?

Completely missing the point of the thread, but what handbag and book was it?

If it offends your conscience so much that resellers sometimes buy their stock from these shops at the price the shop thinks it can get for it, then sell the stuff yourself and donate the money directly. If that's too much hassle for you, why wouldn't it be too much hassle for them?

Yes, this, if people are that concerned about their donations they should be selling them themselves to get the best price then donating the money directly

It's would be different if it was an antique worth hundreds or thousands, then you should make a very generous donation, but not a couple of tenners. I bought a top yesterday with the labels still on for a tenth of the price but still a cheap, supermarket type brand. Had a really frosty reception from the volunteer on the till accusing me of wanting to sell it for a profit. It was really bizarre and uncomfortable!

There’s lots of people like you out there who’re always trying to make a few quid. It’s no different to the staff in the shop who either help themselves to donations or pay for it.

@Lockdownpudding

I think lots of people do this, don't they? The charity shop got their money, and you've made some as well. And somebody somewhere got rid of what they saw as clutter, so wins all round. Good for you!

This.

ManifestDestinee I didn’t mention my friend to win An argument- I mentioned her as I am genuinely upset and horrified at some of the attitudes shown and it made me especially sad knowing my friends genuine intentions. You may think it is acceptable but we obviously just have different values.

@daisyjgrey

I don't do it, it's similar to buying gig tickets and selling them on at an inflated price, which doesn't sit well with me morally.

I don't think this is similar.