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?

I’m always shocked at the prices in charity shops. Books for example - a set of children’s books in a case (Famous Five, Worst Witch etc) is generally £10 or £20 in a charity shop.
It’ll be about £1.50 online. Also postage, but the difference is crazy.

I still go in for a look, but the prices are hard to justify. I won’t go into Oxfam from now on.

To the posters who thing we are all just moany grabbers who want everything for nothing - I have no problem paying more for quality items, if it’s value for money. But I’m not going to pay new prices for bobbly tat, whatever utilities or salaries are costing.

One of the shops I mentioned earlier had a pair of Joseph jeans out - they had obviously googled and knew it was a tiip brand so priced ‘accordingly’. £30 for a pair of jeans that were totally worn away in the crotch. Literally threads attaching the legs to the top of the jeans. THAT’S what I have an issue with. It’s total idiocy and a waste of time.

Nah - plenty in the shops round my way (decent area but not posh).

There are quite a few people who haven't got the time or the energy or - in some cases - the ability to sell on Vinted. I live in a small non-Southern town where you can still find bargains but you can't blame charity shops for selling a major name brand for £15 as opposed to a £5 when it cost £75-£200. Most of our charity shops are local. You can occasionally find a great bargain. So here at least Vinted hasn't made a dent.

Not all shops sell at higher prices. Where I volunteer clothes are generally in the £2-£4 bracket and a lot of good quality items as well. As other posters have pointed out, their function isn't only to raise funds for the charity, they provide an outlet for people who may not be able to do paid work at that moment in time but they can cope with volunteering. Also, where I am, we have many regular customers who come in for a chat and a bit of company for a while thus providing an important social function. We couldn't run our main local charity without the income from the shop so it's very important. I think there are a lot of generalisations on this thread which don't apply to every organisation.

It might be that people are donating less - but it might be the shops are selling the high value items elsewhere.

Honestly the amount of effort to photograph, upload, cross check and write up details, hold onto the item for months until it sells then package and post just to make £1-£3 hardly seems worth it.

I refuse to donate to charity shops because the ones round here charge ridiculous prices, all our old stuff goes to the clothing bank that helps people for free instead.

Which is why so few people do it! Selling online is such a hassle that most people, even with a big bag of entirely sellable, wearable stuff, would rather dump it.

The very USP of charity shops is that they are cheaper than you get online.

Think you picked the wrong day! It’s always hit or miss. I donate a lot because I cba with the faff of taking pictures, uploading, haggling, post office, ect.

I never see kids clothes in my local charity shops. So I sell mine to worn in wardrobe.

I went to 3 local charity shops today and bought 1 skirt and 5 dresses for summer. 1 will go back so spent £27.50 in total. I couldn't have bought all that off vinted for the same price once you have factored in insurance and postage. It all fits lovely too so I am very happy

I disagree. DD moved house last autumn and gave me a large quantity of clothing to sell on ebay. I did about 8
items a day, took photos in daylight and did the the actual listing while I watched tv. The app is really easy to use, it just takes a few minutes to list an item . Bought plastic postal
bags and a sharpie pen.
items ranged from dresses with tags still on to sports leggings. High street brands sell well.
At Christmas I transferred £1000 made from sales.

Haven't RTFT and happy to be corrected by the more knowledgeable posters - but don't charity shops carry the clothes donated by their demographic? They don't ship them across shops afaik.
I live in an, erm, not very upmarket area and the shops carry stuff accordingly. A huge difference compared to those in more affluent areas or the trendy charity shops I came across on a recent holiday to Brussels.

This.

You are not most people.

I too think they've finished themselves off, but by sheer number.

We have LOADS - no wonder some have little custom and fewer items to sell.

FB marketplace also moves a lot of bundles of clothing along which is more than giving it away for free to charity shops. Think more people are looking for some extra cash these days.

I would have donated 9 good sized bags of decent clothing and shoes last Sunday after a half term closet clear out for teens and myself, but none open around here. so took them to the clothing bins at the local recycling centre instead. They don't do themselves any favours for working people who want to donate as most can't get there, park and get stuff in during working hours.

I'll be honest I sell online but I donate monthly to charities close to my heart rather than random ones that happen to have charity shops nearby. I sorted all of my clothes last year and got rid of them all so I could start from scratch. I had 3 piles: donate (to the women's refuge), sell (online- single listing for new or higher value items and bundles for other stuff) and recycle (pop in the textile bin at the ambulance station). The charity shops were never taking donations when I asked and I didn't really fancy waiting around for them to be able to take them.

The limitations charity shops have is understandable, but can more than see the allure of the convenience of buying and selling online and making some cash, especially now the pricing tends to be pretty high.

It is when they are overpricing items they get for free... no wonder no one buys anything.

Charity shop near me has a handbag I liked but it was £20 and very well used a brand new one is £23
Charity shops are such a rip off I'm not bothering anymore I can get new clothes cheaper

@Alargeoneplease89 " Charity shops killed charity shops with their greed. Constant overpriced items and any chance a bargain is put on Ebay. "

I remember in one charity shop - can't remember which one, seeing a Primark top, with it's original tag still on, being sold for more. I pointed it out to staff but they couldn't have cared less.
I only go in to see if there are any interesting books, so wasn't going to buy it anyway tbh but it put me off buying even books in there due to the attitude.

In general, i try not to give to charities, with a few exception's, that pay their CEO's and other staff a fortune, though most of them do nice work if you can get it!
I will never give OXFAM a penny, not a single, solitary one, nor do i support Comic Relief, i try to support local charities though and obviously always put stuff in the trolley for food banks and animal shelters.

I'm giving charity shops my clothes ATM as have zero time to do Vinted, Marketplace or eBay even though I've sold there in the past.

I tend to travel to areas where I know the pricing is still cheap. My local city centre charity shops are too pricey and Vinted works out the same or slightly cheaper for less effort.

For me, charity shops are brilliant for toys and bric a brac.

Exactly @EpicChaos and @lovemycbf . I don't even give to charity shops anymore because it doesn't benefit the local community by charging unaffordable prices. I now give away for free on Facebook marketplace or sell extremely cheaply so locals can make the most of bargains.

Charity shops have killed themselves by massively overpricing things. Why would i pay the same for something in a charity shop when its charging the same as new. Charity shops were for bargains. Much less so now. I vint everything now as its easier than taking it to be poked through at a charity shop where I have to pay to park two streets away and then hump bags of stuff to it. I also buy most suff on vinted.