To think Vinted has killed charity shops?

[Finlesswonder]

I'm sure in posh towns or areas they are still alive and well but I went into 3 or 4 in my city yesterday and they were completely barren, I guess because people are now thinking why give their unwanted stuff to a charity when they could make a few bob?
It's a bit sad I used to love a mooch around a charity shop but these were seriously slim pickings! Anyone volunteer in one and know if that's true or did I just get unlucky with the day?

My local charity shop is full of worn primark at high prices. I go in there for plant pots though!

DD I would like to spend some time looking at some decent ones but may have to travel to find something like that. I used fo be able to find old clothing with great prints for sewing. Now everything is horrible man made fibres.

I think part of the problem is the perception of most people that charity shops are also there to help the shoppers, by giving the people the change to buy cheap clothing. But the charity shops aren’t there for that, they’re a business, often paying execs high wages. So no wonder some of us would rather sell on Vinted.

I keep hearing this nonsense. It has always, always been about fundraising and NOT about giving people bargains.

FFS it’s a generic ‘you’.

@ShanghaiDiva

“FFS” there’s no need to put ‘you’ or ‘your’ in that sentence as it’s correct without, hence it does read like it was intended that way.

You are being ridiculous.

I think £2-3 for a paperback is fine, although I'd expect to see offers like 5 for £10 or similar. I think people expect them to cost 50p.

I also think my local furniture charity shop has really good stuff and it is well priced - if I needed something I would go there first before I looked elsewhere. Some of the furniture is much better quality than B&Q.

I think £ 3 for a second hand paper back book in a charity shop is far too expensive.
Tesco and other supermarkets do brand new chart paperbacks 2 for £7.
The Barnardos near me does 3 books for £1.
The little local shops price books at 10 p or 20p.
Books are the one thing that is reasonably priced.

I buy and sell on Vinted and also use charity shops.
But I buy a lot less from charity shops now due to the clothing being more expensive.

The closed fitting rooms put me off. I want to try on jeans and dresses, not buy and take home to return.

Most charity shops I visit have fitting rooms open. Do agree that’s frustrating when they are closed.

Depends on the book and the condition imo. Brand new out in paperback is worth £3 imo.

I think the charity shops are killing themselves off with the ridiculous prices they are charging!!! Bobbly Primark and Asda clothes at rip off prices, they need to be more reasonable with what they are asking. I went in to one of my local charity shops the other week, I was looking for something yellow to wear to work for world mental health day, there was a Primark T-shirt for £4 and I know what would have cost about £2.50 when new. The prices they charge for some of the tat they sell is bonkers!

We have four shops, and one does but it’s the most expensive upmarket one. I don’t really understand why the others haven’t opened them up again? They are next to the till so think shoplifting risk is minimal.

I agree that they often charge too much. I was in one a few weeks ago and a dress was priced at £20. Ok it was Seasalt but £20!
I also see Primark t shirts priced at £4 and £5- seriously?
They don’t cost that new.
I’ve given lots of very good quality clothes to charity. However, I’ve started selling on Vinted as I need the money.

I think some shops used the fitting rooms for storage during covid and it’s probably difficult to give up that ‘extra’ space. We are always short of space where I volunteer, but the fitting room is open.
ime most shoplifters are quite brazen and steal items directly from the rail not by taking items into the fitting room. We find the hangers and labels on the shop floor. 😡

I think people have gotten quite efficient at passing books on. Free books in the phone box, a put 50p in the bucket if you can afford it bookshelves at the local supermarket. A suggested quid donation at community centre. I get through a lot of hardbacks. In comparison £3 for a paperback seems quite expensive. My local charity shop has had a sign up for ages saying they are not accepting donations so I assume they lots of stock they struggle to shift.

Yes, there are plenty of options. Paperbacks now retail at £9.99 and I price them at £2 unless they are in mint condition or are new releases, then they would be £3. Books sell really well and we are always asking for more donations.

Yes we have a free book exchange where I live too.

I have five free exchanges fairly local to me. Plus supermarkets doing the take-it-for-a-charity-donation thing.
I don't even bother looking at books in charity shops, never mind buying them.

I have to say its quite hard to get your head around a shop being able to sell a Tshirt for £2.50 new when you aren't used to the brand. I read this post with a dropped jaw as I don't shop in Primark, and with them not having an online shop I really have no idea how much the stuff in there costs. I get a lot of my stuff in Sainsburys which I though was cheap but it would still be £5 for a Tshirt I would expect.

So really the charity shops need to improve their training of brand values, as I can't imagine a lot of the people who volunteer in them are spending much time out shopping everywhere on the highstreet.

@LivingDeadGirlUK
why wouldn’t volunteers have a good understating of brands or be out shopping on the high street?
Re training: In the shop where I volunteer we have clear guidelines on brands, minimum prices, what to send to eBay etc.
you seem to think that charity shops are staffed by clueless volunteers who buy their clothes from Sunday times colour supplement and never ventured on to the high street.

I volunteered in a Oxfam shop..I lasted a week. I was so disappointed that the staff ( paid staff and volunteers) was getting first dibs with the stock! They were paying pennies for the good stuff. Some of them were ebaying stuff and were upfront telling each other about! And nothing they bought went through the books..just got put in the till as craft item ( I was told to do this) I am reluctant to give stuff to charity shops now!

I don't know why but they apparently don't. My post was in response to PP's £2.50 new tshirt being sold for £4.50 used. I'm not saying anything about you personally.

I think most shops have a very good understanding of brands and pricing is pretty similar ime. I have never seen the mythical Primark bobbly jumper being sold for £8 or the tagged items which are priced higher than the original selling price. Mistakes do get made but ime they tend to me more that item has some damage eg mark or missing button and this was not picked up when the item was priced, rather than a pricing/brand error.

That is shocking.
Not my experience (not Oxfam) as all staff purchases go though on our code, we do get 25% off the shop floor price but have never seen anything go through at a ridiculously low price.

It’s such a common notion it must come from somewhere, no? Charity shops used to be where you shopped when you were poor so maybe the prices reflected that. Clothes used to be comparatively more expensive too. So a bigger difference in new/ used prices.

Charity shops actually contribute a really small amount to the running costs of a charity, comparatively. The amount they contribute is dwarfed by legacies in wills.

However as the public face of a charity, should their fundraising efforts be solely
measured in sales? They often act as a point of first contact with a charity and set you on a path of giving. First your items, then gift aid, then a charitable Dd, perhaps your time and then a gift upon your death.

I do wonder if by utilising more efficient ways of passing items on. Vinted / free book exchange etc charities will find that their biggest funding stream (legacies in wills) reduces as people don’t have that initial connection with a charity.