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!

And as for the law - legally any shop has to refund on faulty items, even a charity shop. Giving your money back because something doesn't fit, or you've changed your mind is store policy, whether you shop in a charity shop or Harrods.

Consider that someone's only option is to buy from charity shops and if something they buy is faulty, why shouldn't they get a refund? A lot of charity shops are over priced now anyway.

When one of mine volunteered at a charity shop near us, we were agog at people’s attitude. They would apparently try to barter, demand discounts, shoplift and ask for things to be taken out of the window display before changing their minds.
It’s as if people think the charity part is going in the door!
I do think the prices have increased a lot though. A worn pair of trainers from a high street shop were £20 when they practically cost that new. But clearly someone buys the stuff.

I volunteer with BHF and we refund purchases.

We will only refund if you have the original receipt and our swing tag is still attached. If you've taken that off (to wear it once and return) or it's "fallen off" then sorry, you won't be able to get your money back.

No-one is saying that. What they are saying is you are not entitled to a refund because you changed your mind.

I think op some people can’t afford to write it off to charity, they are buying it from the charity shop as they want it and it’s all they can afford, as such, if they change their mind they need the money back. In an ideal world everyone could afford to say they will see it as a charitable donation as it was their bad, but it’s far from an ideal world.

I buy as much as I possibly can from charity shops, probably about 70% of what I buy. We have loads of good (and not cheap) ones in our town. Every purchase, without fail the sales assistant says 'try it on and keep the tags on, return it if it doesn't fit!'

Sometimes I do, sometimes I don't (something small or cheap). But I have a family to feed, why would I just write off £20 on a dress that doesn't fit me? I return and get my money back, probably buy something else while I'm in there, and the shop re-sells it for £20.

I find it totally weird that you would take issue with it. I donate loads to charity shops and buy loads there.

I appreciate that charity shops have got more expensive. However, that’s why I mentioned in my OP that I make sure whatever I buy is a considered purchased and I 100% want it. I check for faults, items being broken etc. I buy a lot of children’s toys from charity stores. It feels like asking for your donation back (because in essence, it is!)

The thread is about someone changing their mind about a non faulty product, I thought the op was clear.

I voted YABU as we dont know her exact circumstances really.She may be flat out broke,or a bill come in she didnt account for. Charity Shops are not that cheap now TBH. I bought a jacket for an Aunts funeral some years back .The guy in the Oxfam shop said "Oh dont worry ,just bring it back when you have worn it and we will give you money back!" I didnt though

You can't always check.

Some charity shops have no changing rooms
Toys might need batteries - Which are broken or corroded you test them at home
A game might be missing pieces
You might miss a stain or rip in an item of clothing

The example in your OP was rude, but YABU to say asking for a refund the same as asking for a donation back. It's not a donation, people have paid for an item and they shouldn't feel guilty about asking for a refund when there's a fault with or damage. You might be able to write off the money as a donation, but other's aren't.

You can't try things on. I can consider it all I want but I can't magic it onto my body.

And it's not asking for a donation back. A purchase is not the same as a donation. You are returning an item that is then going to be resold.

I used to manage a charity shop and we did refunds but had this very old fashioned paper book we had to fill out if we did one. Someone once came in and returned a £1 mug tree because it hadnt "suited" her kitchen when she got home. She was annoyed when I got the little book to fill out (which took an extra minute or so) and asked if that was "really necessary for just £1." Absolutely no shame whatsoever.

You can, but that is down to the good will of the shop.
You do not have the legal right to a refund on goods that you have bought in person and that have no faults.
if you buy anything online, you legally have 14 days to return it for any reason because you were not able to inspect the goods in person. These are the distance selling regulations. The online shop might offer more than 30 days of course.

😀

Unbelievable, I can't understand why anyone would expect a refund from a charity shop. I've bought plenty of things which I later decided weren't suitable, I simply donate them back again. Some people have a real cheek.

It’s not a “real cheek” and volunteers don’t see it like that, only some customers.

I buy clothes on spec for my DD, and always check I can return when I purchase. If the answer were No then 90% of the time I wouldn't buy the item at all, whereas I have about a 50% return rate. I tend to know what she likes, it is just hard finding things that fit well.

You can, but you're not entitled to it, and a shop saying no to refunding you when you've just changed your mind (regardless of the presence of tags, I'm not sure why you think that matters) is doing nothing legally wrong.

Lots of shops have a 14, 28 or 30 day goodwill refund policy if you change your mind, but they don't have to offer this. I think the person you're replying to was referring to the actual law, and a person's legal rights as a consumer, in which case they're completely correct.

The law does not entitle you to a refund if you've changed your mind (unless you're purchasing online).

Id say they should have clear signage saying they don't do refunds, if that's the case. I personally wouldn't seek one from a charity shop, unless the item was faulty and or very expensive. Even then I'd more likely just redonate it or sell it on myself.
The issue is you can't swap things like for like if it's the wrong size etc, so a credit note might not be of great use to some. But then just buy from an ordinary shop if that's what you know you might do.

Of course you can! Have you never bought something to try on at home, because you don't have time/the changing rooms are closed/you want to try it with other clothes/it's for your kids who aren't with you??!

Unless something was expensive and clearly faulty, I'd just return to the shop next time I made a donation.

I volunteer in a charity shop and we give refunds but we sell quite high end stuff, designer handbags etc.

People do try to haggle. A man tried recently. The shop was full and I said to him ‘so you want to pay less money? ‘yes’ ‘in this charity shop?’ ‘YES!’ ‘The charity shop for children for the hospice for who are dying?’

SILENCE.

Not everyone has the luxury to view it as a donation. To some people, they are simply buying goods from the only place they can afford, and they shouldn't feel ashamed for asking for a refund any more than they would if they were asking at M&S.

People talking about "cheeky" need to check their privilege.

But people won't buy high ticket items if they know they have absolutely no option to return them if unsuitable. Most people buy purchases in charity shops on a bit of a whim. Vaguely looking and seeing something that catches their eye. If that is £15+ they are more likely to take a chance buying it if they know they have the option to return it like they would in any other shop. Good returns policies are a key marketing tool used by many successful business (Amazon as a prime example). It persuades customers to buy something there and then.