Annoyed at people ranting about charity shops

[Dowhadiddydiddydum]

This is one those threads that’s a release of frustration. So apologies for it being so boring.

AIBU for getting pissed off at seeing people moaning constantly about charity shops and their pricing? It’s driving me insane.

Most people’s objections seem to be based on….

• Charity shops should be cheap…because they’re a charity ain’t they
• I could buy that stuff cheaper elsewhere.
• people give them things for free then they make loads of money from it.

Now am I loosing my god damn mind or do people not understand the point of charity shops is to FUCKING RAISE MONEY. So of course they want to raise as much money as possible. Of course people donate stuff for free….because they donate it so the charity can make money from it!! If you think you can get it cheaper elsewhere then bloody do it….if the shop is that over priced it’ll close down won’t it.

Been tipped over the edge by a shitty TikTok video someone made slating a local
hospice charity shop for selling their items for “too much”. The video has so many shitty comments under it….all apparently oblivious to the fact the shop exists to raise as much money as possible to support those with life limiting illnesses not so Barbara and Jeff can get a cheap table.

With regard to the pricing, it makes no sense when a charity shop prices a used/second hand item at, or above the price it sells for when new. There is also an argument for saying that, if a charity shop prices items too high, they won’t sell, and so the stock in the shop doesn’t change, which makes them less attractive to customers - if it’s always the same stuff, people will stop going in

I agree with this. I think charity shops are great but in my town, their stuff is priced higher for second hand clothes that you could actually buy new. I dont really get the point of this. What would motivate someone to buy it already worn from them if they can get a similar version cheaper and brand new?

In general then it would be choosing to support the big corporations or trying to do good and support the local charity.

I think a lot of people would rather just make a donation then 🤷‍♀️

True and i agree, i guess it depends on the customer if they like the item and do not want the faff of, going to Tesco's etc or looking online or they choose to pay the extra now and helping the charity.

Because it defeats the point... if a charity prices something so no one buys it they make nothing.

Its not just charity shops, I have seen people on vinted selling standard high street stuff (not even vintage stuff thats not made anymore) in obviously used condition for MORE than it costs to easily buy it new online and then theres fees + postage... it baffles me who they think will buy it.

Or even weirder the people who attempt to sell completely unusable stuff on vinted, yes cheap but WHY? like pleather clothes that are disintergrating or clothes with massive stains or unfixable faded/holes/ladders/tears/bobbled. Like is it really worth the £1 you dream you would make to advertise your literal garbage online.

I bought a shirt and it had blood stained footprint on it... seller said they hadn't noticed a black bloody mens size 10 footprint on the back of a light yellow sweater. Even if that wasn't there it also had a hole and was bobbled to hell (not shown or described). It looked like evidence from a crime scene. Lesson learned don't buy things with only one picture from a distance.

Like I understand some damaged clothes are resellable. I have seen things that have a missing button or popped seam and though I could maybe fix that but some clothes are good only for the bin.

Totally agree

AY-MEN. I shop in many charity shops. I'm not obliged to pay prices I deem too high for the goods, so I don't. When I do buy, it's a win for me and the charity. Job done.

And no, I'm not interested in "oh, but CEO salaries"...

Some people shop in charity shops because they can afford to shop in traditional high street stores.
And I agree with others a primark top worn and bobbly priced at sometimes over the new price is not great!

Then it won't sell.💁

This has been a thing for decades. My AH neighbour was one of those people who always moaned about the local charity shop charging him too much - like he thought he should be the beneficiary of their charity. His haggling arguing about the price got him banned.

People must misunderstand and think THEY are the ones that deserve the charity instead of the charity being for the cause. (I know what I mean) 🤣

But then that is why most charity shops use a coding system and reduce the items after x weeks at x price.

I’m saying a lot of people don’t seem to realise most run to make money and pricing/marketing is based on an actual strategy.
Just because it's a strategy it doesn't mean it's right. BHF are overpriced. I don't bother even looking in their shop, I go straight past it. Their strategy doesn't work for me.
I have a couple of favourite shops that are reasonably priced so I'll often pop into see if they have anything. I may draw a blank but I will have a look.
The reasonable shops get my donations; BHF never will.

I used to think you were right OP but recently I’ve been into two charity shops I used to frequent and their pricing is bonkers. £6 for all tops, up to £12 for skirts and dresses. The manager was showing off to some new recruit about sticking something on eBay for £80 and saying they do that for lots of things. Apparently anything that doesn’t sell after two weeks goes off to another shop. The way the manager was talking was just so off putting. I walked out soon after.

I love a rummage in the charity shops and used to buy quite a bit from them. Unfortunately I really don't understand how they can justify some of their prices. Selling something for more than the cost to buy it new or asking too much for something that's not a great condition isn't acceptable. I see this often in my local charity shops and it puts me off.

If you donated x item you generally would want the item to make as much as possible eg the ebay side of the business, so why is it a bad thing to not want them to raise as much as possible ?

Charities have stated aims so unless they state their purpose is to sell things to people cheaply they actually should be completely focussed on raising the maximum amount for their purpose.

I volunteer in one and, believe me there are lots of moans ! Some people think they can haggle like in an overseas market .
Frustrating.

I find it bonkers that just because someone wouldn't buy a specific item at the given price, they call that bad strategy! There are plenty of things I don't buy every day, from every shop, because they are not worth it to me, but presumably there is a market for them at that price point - and if there isn't, the shops have mechanisms to figure that out and adjust their pricing strategies accordingly!

There's a charity shop I go to sometimes that has a max price point of £3. Lots of clothes for only a £1 or £2, sale stuff can be 50p! There's nothing in awful condition and it's mainly chain store stuff but saw an acceptable Jigsaw dress in there last time I went. It's hit and miss but part of the fun. I expect they shift a lot of stock and make a reasonable amount for their cause.

All the ones who overpriced things are closed now, so maybe they did not get the memo ?

Unfortunately, I’ve stopped shopping in them.

The tipping point was my local charity shop selling a used Kong dog toy for £10 which is a grand 88p cheaper than a brand new one off Amazon.

I already give to charity on a monthly basis. But I feel like if I am buying something then it makes me feel kind of annoyed paying more for it second hand than I can get it new so I just... wont. Not going to feel guilty about that- its not a good deal for me so why should I do it? I'd rather just donate money as I already do.

Perhaps some people haven't got that much money so need it to be like that

Because if they cream off the best stuff to e-bay then it means that the shops are left with the bobbly Primani stuff, and if the shops only have Primani then people will stop shopping there. They are in danger of killing the goose that lays the golden egg.