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?

Well observed @Badbudgeter Their higher pricing strategy may cause the charities to lose financial donations in the long run.

Some charities deserve a decent donation. I get why they price their goods high, because the energy bills for a hospice are probably very high and they need to be paid somehow.

Agree with the person who blamed Mary Portas! Imo charity shops used to be about cashflow - they got stuff for free, they sold lots of it cheap and the money went back to the charity. There was an added social benefit that those with less money had places to shop (I was a charity shop dressed kid) and people with small vintage or craft side hustles (who existed before ebay/vinted btw!) could get stock.
Post-Portas - prices went up, footfall went down but donations kept coming so more stuff went off to the rag trade. This was also around the time Primark was taking off if I remember correctly. It was cheaper to shop high street fast fashion than second hand. Charity shops then become full of high street fast fashion they can't shift. A vicious circle! Best solution for charities would be go back to the old cash flow is king model!
We have an everything a £1 charity shop in town that's heaving. They tried putting their prices up last year and it was dead. 3 months later back to everything's a pound and heaving again.

I don’t go to the charity shop for clothes, I love the bric a brac

We have a thrift store, which has a pile it high sell it cheap philosophy too. Essentially taken
over by local causes for the week. They only make money on the stuff sold their week. It’s really successful. Normally profit is a solid £1k- 2k a week.

It does a lot for the local community too. Free school uniform rail, free kids wellies in autumn, free kids coats in winter. As a result there’s a lot of goodwill kicking around. Other charity shops have opened and then closed a year later. Small town though.

Charity shops have shot themselves in the foot by becoming far too expensive.
That said, I still donate to them because selling online is a faff.
I buy on Vinted and can find exactly what I'm looking for, rather than take my chances in a charity shop.
I live in a good area where the charity shops are still thriving. But the prices honestly rile me!

Any suggestions on where to donate hundreds of new wedding dresses? OXfam will take them for their wedding dress service but I would actively prefer to donate elsewhere.

In our shopping area there are several charity shops, 5 clothes/books/brica, one furniture and electrical (F&E), and a Sue Ryder shop that sells everything. They’ve all been around for a while, and seem to all have a fair turnover of stock. Our shop is popular, its not the cheapest, but if we did sell a Primark teeshirt, it would be in the £1 bargains.

The biggest problem we all seem to face is a shortage of reliable volunteers. Charity shops are a good place to gain retail and customer service experience, or to do something meaningful in retirement for anyone who is bored. We have recently had a couple of youngsters doing their Duke of Edinburgh awards, volunteering is part of that, they’ve been a breath of fresh air!

https://www.octaviafoundation.org.uk/news_events/news/795_welcome_to_london_s_newest_one-stop_shop_for_those_tying_the_knot

They support local community groups.

Thanks so much @Badbudgeter !

Why?

I’ve always shopped in charities, going back decades (hard up and well off). Honestly, though, they’re pricing me out now. £4 for primark t-shirt with loose hem.

I do wonder if the perception of charity shops as being expensive/ sending wearable clothing to be ragged rather than sell it cheaply puts off would be volunteers?

I do volunteer within my local community but wouldn’t really consider a charity shop partially as I need volunteering to be flexible around work. Also the expensive prices mean it’s not really for people like me, It’d be akin to taking up chugging.

Oxfam aid workers abusing vulnerable young people by exchanging food for sex ring any bells?

Oxfam: UK halts funding over new sexual exploitation claims https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-56670162

Yes, when I think of Oxfam I think of Pervey Western men getting close to vulnerable women and girls in poor countries. If you asked me what Oxfam do it contours up thoughs of getting men in power close to powerless females.

Cancer research and the red Cross or local hospice shops all great. Oxfam? I'd rather but it in the clothes recycling at the dump

On regards to Vinted. Lots of my stuff is bought and then resold on Vinted now. I'm trying to buy less and ideally I'd wear everything out in the ideal world. But yes my best bits go on Vinted, it pays to buy replacement things on Vinted. The bits that don't sell I donate to local FB community clothing bank that gives away free clothes. It's much more local charity that directly helps my local children community.

I still love looking in charity shops, I'm happy even if I don't find a bargain.

The biggest problem we all seem to face is a shortage of reliable volunteers.
Once you get a reputation it's hard to shift. As others have said, there is the perception of shady practice (staff taking best stock) and of refusing / dumping donations. There is also the problem of the pricing policy: loads of people on here complain about it but aren't listened to. I, for one, wouldn't volunteer at a chazza like that.
There is also the problem that some staff used to be vile. They would gossip and bitch about other staff, apparently oblivious to the fact that customers in the shop could hear every word. It sounded toxic and not a place where you would want to be. They are much improved these days but the image may remain.

Why does all the decent stuff now get sold on eBay? I find that really annoying. Charity shops are nowadays full of expensive tat and more and more floor space is taken up by new products rather than secondhand items. They've lost their appeal for me and I have stopped donating to them because they sell my donations for top dollar without giving anything back to my community.

I only sell higher cost stuff on Vinted. Certain brands that are worth more and brands that people look for specifically. I'm talking about mainly about boutique stuff that DD has outgrown. And use the money towards new clothes for her.
Sports branded stuff and high street brands I still donate to charity shops or put in the clothes bank.

Vinted and Resellers are part of the problem, though some people also cannot afford to give stuff away these days either.

@ichundich
it could be that only the lower brands are being donated. We definitely get a large amount of shein et al being donated and the quality is dreadful and does not sell well. In the shop where I volunteer we also have plenty of white stuff, sea salt, phase 8, fat face etc. We do eBay items but generally more niche items eg unusual books or clothes that are good brands but have not sold in the shop but may sell online eg wedding outfit.

I used to love mooching around charity shops but noticed last year that the prices have increased to the point that I might as well by new. I've even found that books in charity shops are now cheaper on eBay.

I blame eBay in a way.

The last time I went to a charity shop many items were more expensive than buying new.

I love to go but they've gotten too expensive for not very good items.