Asking for a refund from a CHARITY shop?!

[Guyfree]

I was out shopping yesterday and, whilst in one of the local charity shops, overheard a woman at the till demanding for a refund for a top she had bought. She said she had bought it, tried it on in the shop, but once she got home she decided she didn’t like it. Admittedly, I don’t know how much the top was, but I can’t imagine it was a lot as it’s not an upmarket charity shop or area particularly.

The staff kept saying that they didn’t give refunds, only credit notes, but the woman insisted she wanted a refund.

I just found the whole exchange really bizarre. When I buy something from a charity shop, I make sure it’s a considered purchase, and would never ask for a refund! On times I have regretted purchases I just take the hit in the knowledge I’ve at least donated some money to charity.

YABU - asking for a refund from a charity shop is fine.

YANBU - asking for a refund from a charity shop is tight and strange!

Well even in a normal shop you can't get a refund just because you don't like it. There had to be something wrong with it.
But no, I wouldn't demand a refund from a charity shop.

Well, she wouldn't be entitled to a refund in any shop just because she changed her mind.

I wonder if she bought it to wear once with the idea of taking it back all along.

Asking politely for a refund is fine, being obnoxious and rude is not.

Only two of the six charity shops in our town have a changing space, so it's perfectly normal to ask 'can I bring it back if it doesn't fit?' They always say yes but are very strict with having the receipt and it going back in the original card or payment method.

I return stuff that I buy and that doesn’t look good on me at home all the time, this isn’t true
underwear and earrings are usually the exception

I wouldn’t return to a charity shop though, it’s like asking what ever charity it’s for to give you money back!

I am the same as you but, I really don’t see why they don’t refund.
The charity shops near me are expensive, no bargains to be had. The same when I go away to places. In fact the last couple of charity shops I looked in, dresses were all over £10 even bog standard ones from Matalan and Asda, and they were quite old fashioned ones at that, nothing worth paying that price for. One new dress was £60!!!
Primark T-shirts at £5. Well they don’t cost that brand new.
If you are charging those sorts of prices then why should you be exempt from having to refund?
People keep saying they are there to make money just like any other retailer so I suppose they have to act like any other retailer.
I think if you are going to refuse to refund then you must clear have signs up stating that.

We clearly have signage saying exchange or credit note only. Exception for faulty goods only. There's fitting rooms in store anyway

All the charity shops I’ve been to lately offer refunds. Her being rude and arguing about the credit note is wrong, but refunds from charity shops aren’t.

Until recently I volunteered in a charity shop (a small national charity) and we gave refunds. The fitting rooms were closed for a while after the lockdowns and ultimately the charity wanted customers to be happy. We always advised customers that they could bring items back if they didn't fit.

In practice very few did, but the customers that did were always grateful - many ended up exchanging or buying more items. Charity shops are businesses, and having happy customers is a good business practice. We certainly never judged customers as somehow abusing the charity if they brought things back!

The problem is that people wear the outfit and return after their night out!

Maybe I should clarify to say.... You're not entitled to a refund just because you don't like it.... if a shop gives you a refund that's good bout they don't have to.

I would have cheerily said behind her. Oh well, you can redonate it!
Then again she really might be down to her last few pounds OP and charity shop clothes aren't 2 or 3 pounds anymore.

After 15 years in retail the entitlement of people no longer surprises me. I'm sure you'll get them on this thread soon enough though, thinking they're entitled to a refund for any reason they fancy, spouting off about calling trading standards, saying the prices in the charity shops have gone up (true) so that justifies demanding a refund (false). There's a reason recruiting in retail is a nightmare, and volunteer recruitment for charities even worse.

I know someone who bought an item from a charity shop to wear to a fancy dress party. After the party she took it back and got a refund. She seemed quite unashamed and almost quite proud of her ‘savvyness’. She’s very wealthy too. I called her out about it in front of everyone but she still didn’t seem to ‘get it’.

Have prices in charity shops gone up because of the likes of Vinted and Depop creaming off all the best clothes? I know since using Vinted I’ve stopped using charity shops so much and I’m somewhat ashamed to admit that only the clothes I can’t sell on Vinted go there now!

By the way, refunds for in person purchases are only legally required if goods are faulty, changing your mind or buying the wrong size doesn't legally require a refund, it's a courtesy some shops offer.

I think it depends on the price (and to a degree, the charity).

A small, local independent charity shop selling stuff for a few pounds - not okay.

A big national or international charity like Oxfam, who are charging significant amounts for their goods and at the same time spaffing hundreds of thousands up the wall on EDI training telling staff not to use the words woman, or mother, and who can't stop their aid workers raping poor women in the countries they are meant to be helping... Get the refund.

Never mistake good will from a shop for your rights

You are entitled to a refund if the item is defective in some way or differs from description eg. faulty zip, torn seams or green instead of blue

Ttying to return something, simply because you don't like it, when in all other regards, it's a perfectly good piece of clothing, is not a cause for a refund

This will be down to store policy. Legally shops only need to refund if there is something wrong with the product but the majority of retailers are more generous with their returns policies. Some only offer credit notes rather than full refunds.

Was there a changing room in the charity shop? If not then it's not unreasonable to take something back once it's been tried on (and seen to look awful). Some of our charity shops do give refunds, but some only exchanges - largely due to bad experiences with chancers treating the shop like a free lending library. It costs nothing to be polite though.

@CaptainCarrotsBigSword It’s not a one off shop, but it is also not a national charity. It is a charity that has a few stores across our county supporting young people in hospice care.

I wouldn’t ask for a refund from any charity shop, national or otherwise.

@KeinLiebeslied54321 It does have a changing room. The woman had tried it on in the shop, purchased it, then got it home and decided she didn’t like it after all.

Right, fair enough. Some don't though nowadays.

I wouldn’t ask for a refund from any charity shop, national or otherwise.

Even if an item was faulty?

As others have said, charity shops can be extremely expensive. If I bought something and found it was damaged or faulty I would ask for a refund. I can't afford to write the money off just because it's a charity.

But this isn't true! You can get a refund for anny item with the tag still on

I am a charity shop volunteer and I regularly process refunds!

Look, charity shops are often criticised for wanting to be "normal shops". Normal shops offer refunds, so do we. If you have bought something which doesn't fit you, or which you have discovered has a minor fault which you and we didn't notice, BRING IT BACK!!* *

We want to keep our customers happy, keep them coming back and spending money. We see the same faces every week browsing for the new stock.

There is no shame or stigma or unreasonableness in asking for your money back, volunteers are not going to judge you (well, none of the ones I've ever worked with would) and it's not an unusual thing to ask. Ignore the weird, judgy attitudes of some of your fellow customers.