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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Charity shops seem to be unrealistic with their prices and I can't afford them anymore!

812 replies

AutumnFairy01 · 29/10/2022 08:03

Firstly, this isn't to do with not giving to charity. I give to charity separately and donate items to local homeless charities, food banks, etc but I've always loved supporting charity shops too. They're great (or were great) for grabbing a bargain and reusing an unwanted item. I love secondhand wherever possible.

However, I've now come to the conclusion that charity shops are largely unaffordable for me now. I browse round charity shops weekly I would say (in more than one town) and the prices are just crazy! I always buy secondhand clothing for myself, dh and children but quite often the charity shop prices seem more expensive than buying new or at best, very little difference. For instance, in Chelmsford the other day, I went into the BHF shop and I saw a very simple baby's top, not designer or anything and it was £4! And then for adult clothing, I couldn't see anything below £6/7.

Boots sales and Facebook marketplace are my go to places more and more now. Sometimes freebay too.

I can understand charity shops putting their prices up a little with rising costs of everything but there has to be a balance surely?

AIBU to think charity shop prices are unrealistic for secondhand items?

Are they becoming unaffordable for anyone else?

OP posts:
londonrach · 29/10/2022 08:06

I've given up going into charity shops now in my area. My parents have a good one near them but even that the prices have increased. I find Facebook marketplace is great for bargains now x

Mamamia7962 · 29/10/2022 08:07

I think it depends on where you go. The Cancer Research shop near me has everything priced at £3 or under.

Applesandcarrots · 29/10/2022 08:07

Yanbu. Used to shop in them and given up for this reason.
I am not going to pay 8 for worn when new costs 10.

Original poster
AutumnFairy01 · 29/10/2022 08:12

The best one near me is a local church charity shop and their prices are generally ok most of the time. It seems to be the shops of big charities like BHF, Cancer Research, Oxfam, etc. They're also the sort of charities that have CEOs so it does make you wonder where the money from the expensive prices is ALSO going.

OP posts:
clarrylove · 29/10/2022 08:12

Depends on your area. Our local ones are v good and nice stuff. I got a brand new pair of M&S leather ankle boots for £3. There is always a 50p baby clothes bin. We are in Glos.

However we went to Middesex this week and I was horrified at the prices there! Totally ridiculous. Ladies tops all seemed to be around £12, men's sweaters and shirts, some were £20.

Applesandcarrots · 29/10/2022 08:14

AutumnFairy01 · 29/10/2022 08:12

The best one near me is a local church charity shop and their prices are generally ok most of the time. It seems to be the shops of big charities like BHF, Cancer Research, Oxfam, etc. They're also the sort of charities that have CEOs so it does make you wonder where the money from the expensive prices is ALSO going.

And prime locations. I know how much rents are around few in town...

Original poster
AutumnFairy01 · 29/10/2022 08:15

I'm in south Essex. So a mixed area. I look at charity shops in Southend, Westcliff, Leigh, Chelmsford areas.

OP posts:
Nowisthemonthofmaying · 29/10/2022 08:16

I find Oxfam are the worst for this - completely crazy prices. I've got to know all the charity shops near me now and there are only three that are still worth visiting - the rest are just too expensive. I buy a lot more stuff on vinted now instead. I suppose it must make more money for the shops and that's why they do it but it takes the fun out of it for me!

Original poster
AutumnFairy01 · 29/10/2022 08:16

clarrylove · 29/10/2022 08:12

Depends on your area. Our local ones are v good and nice stuff. I got a brand new pair of M&S leather ankle boots for £3. There is always a 50p baby clothes bin. We are in Glos.

However we went to Middesex this week and I was horrified at the prices there! Totally ridiculous. Ladies tops all seemed to be around £12, men's sweaters and shirts, some were £20.

@clarrylove those are just crazy prices aren't they! Who comes up with that?!

OP posts:
ivykaty44 · 29/10/2022 08:18

I think it depends where you go to the charity shops, they take in donations and then look at the items and distribute to particular areas depending on wealth

RiftGibbon · 29/10/2022 08:19

I work in a charity shop, and in ours, the people who process the items price them. Sometimes clothes will come to the shop floor that are massively underpriced (e.g. New and unworn designer dress at £6), other times, bog standard stuff will be overpriced (e.g. primary t shirt st £4). My managers are proactive and I can change these when I see them. We do a LOT of price checking.

There is another charity shop along the road from us who do generally charge more.

When I have been a customer and seen something overpriced, I have pointed it out to staff. Not trying to undercut the shop, just to let them know they're pricing unreasonably.

Era · 29/10/2022 08:20

Mine are good for bric a brac. I bought two crystal decanters this week. I am using them as oil bottles in the kitchen next to the stove. £1.50 each.

Dresses however at £10ish for a used dress from a generic high street store/supermarket with wear and tear. I'd rather buy from vinted and get exactly what I'm looking for.

Metabigot · 29/10/2022 08:20

I used to work in head office for a national charity. After a while they would get the unsold stock and put it in the bargain charity shop at no more than £3. May be worth checking out if other charities do this too. Obviously it won't be the best stuff but things that don't sell at original price they will reduce in some way at some point.

Fundays12 · 29/10/2022 08:21

They are ridiculously over priced. My local ones are charging £15 for a dress. I can buy a new one for that as it’s not branded stuff. I used to go to one that everything was £1.00. It was run by a large chain of charity shops and they closed it as it wasn’t making enough profit. It cleared £3k profit a week. The manager offered to make everything £2.00 an item as she thought things would still sell and she could clear £5k profit a week but that wasn’t good enough for head office either.

Original poster
AutumnFairy01 · 29/10/2022 08:21

You'd think that some charity shops would just be more conscious of the cost of living crisis and the fact that people have historically gone to charity shops for an affordable bargain.

Plus there's the environmental reasons. We should be encouraging people to reuse and buy secondhand, not putting them off!

OP posts:
Gazelda · 29/10/2022 08:22

In the charity shop I'm involved with, we sell tops for £3-4, have a basket of items all priced at £2 (jeans, t shirts etc), and loads of bric a brac at 50p.

We also have higher priced items, simply because that's what we've been donated and we know the customers who visit our shop are used to seeing brand items, some with new tags, for a fair price. Next, Wallis, M&S, John Lewis, J Brand jeans, Monsoon, Wedgwood crockery, etc.

The shop rent is £3.7k per month. Plus energy costs, insurance, manager's salary, merchant fees, waste disposal, training costs, tea/coffee for volunteers etc.

Lopilo · 29/10/2022 08:22

I agree, I have seen items that I donated on sale for a higher price than I paid for them when new. I don’t shop in them now.

PeaceX · 29/10/2022 08:23

I don't want strangers coming to my house or to meet people in an Aldi car park.
Rarely buy things in charity shops but I saw a lovely plaid coat in a charity shop recently, raced in, bought it and was a little shocked when they said twenty five euro. But ok, I liked it. It was a tommy H and it was a good wool plaid coat and they're there to make money. Why should they give it a way for a fiver.
They're the charity, not the customers, ykwim.

Gazelda · 29/10/2022 08:24

Gazelda · 29/10/2022 08:22

In the charity shop I'm involved with, we sell tops for £3-4, have a basket of items all priced at £2 (jeans, t shirts etc), and loads of bric a brac at 50p.

We also have higher priced items, simply because that's what we've been donated and we know the customers who visit our shop are used to seeing brand items, some with new tags, for a fair price. Next, Wallis, M&S, John Lewis, J Brand jeans, Monsoon, Wedgwood crockery, etc.

The shop rent is £3.7k per month. Plus energy costs, insurance, manager's salary, merchant fees, waste disposal, training costs, tea/coffee for volunteers etc.

Sorry, £1.7k, not £3.7k! 😳

MegGriffinshat · 29/10/2022 08:25

Yup. I used to rely on charity shops, especially for children’s clothes and toys.

The prices where I are ridiculous now. Those children’s t shirts you can buy new in Primark are on sale in a couple of charity shops, faded for £3.

I live in a deprived area where every second shop is a charity shop or betting shop and so many people relied on them.

mycatisannoying · 29/10/2022 08:25

I agree with you, particularly the ones in affluent areas. It has become ridiculous.

Applesandcarrots · 29/10/2022 08:25

Plus there's the environmental reasons. We should be encouraging people to reuse and buy secondhand, not putting them off!

Maybe those put off will buy new and donate it later (which is what the whole "I am environmentally responsible" things stands on....). Or they will just wear it until it dies like me.

Used to be good fibds there. Often nkt worth it nkw

CornishTiger · 29/10/2022 08:25

I’ve mostly stopped looking in the last few years. BHF were the worst!

PeaceX · 29/10/2022 08:26

@Gazelda wow, that must be a well-run charity shop with a lot of steam-cleaned and artfully-arranged clothes to make back that amount of rent. Credit to all involved.

Metabigot · 29/10/2022 08:26

AutumnFairy01 · 29/10/2022 08:21

You'd think that some charity shops would just be more conscious of the cost of living crisis and the fact that people have historically gone to charity shops for an affordable bargain.

Plus there's the environmental reasons. We should be encouraging people to reuse and buy secondhand, not putting them off!

They aren't. Not the big chains anyway. They are run as a business to raise income for the charity's services.

Managers are on targets and get the boot if they don't make them ( after chance to improve etc). I know because part of my role was to facilitate this kind of work. Don't shoot me, I needed a job too. I don't work there anymore.