To be annoyed the charity shop called me rude

[ohmydays37]

I donated two huge bags of clothes to local charity shop. Before I could even ask a question the woman who worked there demand my postcode for gift aid. I said my husband deals with that and I explained I wasn't comfortable giving his details without his permission. She then said, I was extremely rude and it was for gift aid and she was running a business. In no way was I being rude (which I told her).

I guess my AIBU to think you can't just ambush people for gift aid without knowing if 1) they pay tax and 2) you need to explain the details of it. Which she didn't.

I’d be more worried as to why you can’t give your post code without your husband’s permission.

Somewhat ironic that you said "I’m fascinated why you are so invested in a stranger." 😂😂

Yes .Superstores on the edge of town are the future as far as the charity I work for is concerned. All our charity shops are under threat in small towns as greedy landlords scupper our ability to make as much money as we can for the actual charity. I didn’t realise until I worked for one that the actual shop pays the rental and business rates ,all repairs ,not even paid for by said greedy landlords. It will be easier for the customer ,out of town superstores, but my charity shop is a part of the community and we don’t just sell donated goods we support on a daily basis ,our customers. Not kidding but with the lack of support in our locality we have almost become a hub .Sometimes I feel like a branch of Social services,providing a warm ,safe space. Where all our welcome. So, a good charity shop can actually become a lifeline for people. I understand it’s just a shop but sometimes it’s more than that and that’s why our volunteers do reflect society. But our higher ups do see it as a business and we are indeed ranked on a weekly basis for how much we sell,how much we sold that was gift aided,how many volunteers etc. many shops not keeping up are sadly under threat. It has been an eye opener I can tell you.

Every one of your comments has been unnecessarily aggressive, as if getting someone riled up gives you some sort of buzz. It won’t work on me, unfortunately, I just think you look really silly. I’m sure you’ll want to get another little jab in but I’m finished here, it’s given me a sense of second hand embarrassment I could have done without of a morning!

They are businesses and not a lot goes to the charity

They are businesses and not a lot goes to the charity

Filling up the bingo card... Charity accounts are published online for anyone who wants to see how much they're raising and how they are spending it.

Explain.

The whole mumsnet ‘was I rude?’ obsession is handwringing no more or less.

It baffles me why people care so much if some rando takes something they said the wrong way.

I doubt any men even think twice about it let alone berate each other on an online forum.

It’s odd you fee embarrassed for strangers online. I guess that’s where the over investment part comes in.

You should have said ‘im not a tax payer’ and that would have resolved all issues

I have only read page one so apologies if someone else was as ignorant as me!

I don't pay tax on my income - legally! But I would still like to understand how places like charity shops can get gift aid on donated products? I understand it perfectly for monetary donations, but for donations like used clothes or furniture etc, does the manager or someone else trusted to do so, have to mark down what price they are charging for each item that any particular person has brought in, and then if that item sells the cashier has to refer back to their paper work/computer to reference whether the person who donated the item pays tax or not?

Sorry, I don't think I am wording this very well at all - basically I don't understand the logistics involved in getting gift-aid for products rather than money directly!
Many thanks to anyone who replies.

People saying OP should have given out the husband's postcode - if he's self employed and/or does a lot of charity donations it can actually be a hassle to keep track of gift aid for tax returns and at a certain point I think you can end up having to pay it back, so even as a spouse it might not be reasonable to share it without asking

@SonjaBarkerFinch it's not odd to feel second hand embarrassment when reading things online lol I'm not overly invested in this thread or other posters but seeing someone being a nob for no reason does stand out to me

Exactly.

Registering your details to be a GA donor is entirely voluntary. If you do sign up (by completing a few details and signing a declaration), you receive a donor number to make future drop offs. Asking for a postcode/surname is just quicker sometimes eg if people have forgotten their donor card. We don't use those details for anything else.

Marketing/advertising/leafletting for charity organisations (like most) is run nationally, nothing to do with individual shops.

Sorry that last message is mine was meant to be in response to knottedtwine. But I'm a bit new here

@PlayingDevilsAdvocateisinteresting when someone is registered for gift aid their donation has a sticker with a code on.
When the customer goes to buy the product the assistant scans the price tag and then scans the gift aid sticker. It's all done electronically.
If the donations are from a non gift aid registered person they will just have a price ticket.

have to mark down what price they are charging for each item that any particular person has brought in, and then if that item sells the cashier has to refer back to their paper work/computer to reference whether the person who donated the item pays tax or not?

I have volunteered for two large high street charities, both use gift aid barcodes. So each donor who is registered for gift aid has their own gift aid number and we print off stickers with their barcode number. Then when selling the item, you scan the barcode and then enter the price. The software does all the rest of it.

I always just say no when I get asked about Gift Aid. No one has ever been rude. She sounds pretty obnoxious.

Then you must feel embarrassed for yourself right now.

I literally walked into the shop, told the lady I had some bags and she then said "first 3 digits of postcode ie X11 and asked for the rest".

No hello, thank you, we do gift aid and blah blah. She wasn't SEN and I wasn't exaggerating as per a few comments.

My husband has signed up to gift aid in another shop which he does take things too. This shop is easier to park and carry donations.
Therefore, I'm not giving his details to a shop he hasn't signed up for.

Other people have mentioned having to declare it on a self assessment and receiving a tax bill. No way would I sod about with that for the sake of a charity getting a couple of quid extra!

You are very clearly over invested in a stranger yourself.

I can't believe you needed that to be explained.

Can you explain why that’s a bad thing?

@PinkSparklyPussyCat, then other people are wrong. You don't have to declare donations to a charity shop on your tax return!!

You have to list cash donations.

One of the worst I’ve had was when I’d phoned ahead and made sure they wanted my stuff and then when I brought it in the old man sitting behind the desk rolled his eyes and sighed at me.
I said “the lady on the phone agreed to take it” and he replied “there are no ladies working here”, obviously making a ‘joke with a jag’ at his female colleague’s expense. 😑