Charity Shop Staff

[FlexibleShirking]

Took a donation into a charity shop earlier, big bag of clothes. Two older women at the counter, one of whom was clearly new to volunteering there as she needed guidance from the other about gift aid and the procedure.

The new person was very pleasant but the other was horrendous. Short both to me and the new volunteer, audibly tutting when she could find the gift aid form, and then grabbing it out of her hand. Then directing me exactly what to write. The new volunteer looked quite embarrassed.

AIBU to wonder why you’d conduct yourself like that to anyone? If it pisses her off so much, she needn’t volunteer. Just weird and I felt sorry for the other person.

Yes I think many choose to volunteer so they can continue to be unpleasant as they undoubtedly were in employment. Loses many decent volunteers I would imagine.

Yes over the years I've come across quite a few unpleasant charity shop volunteers.

It used to surprise me. But I suppose a lot of them aren't volunteering out of the goodness of their hearts: they have personal reasons such as job experience or because they have empty or lonely lives and don't want to just sit at home.

I think it's a shame for the charities when the volunteers put people off going into their shops by their attitudes, as has happened with me in the past.

I’ve stopped donating to the charity shop with rude staff and only donate to the shop with the pleasant staff. I imagine a lot of people locally might do the same!

Lots of those types only volunteer to get first dibs on anything decent.

I no longer donate to those particular places.

Pass the feedback on to head office. It builds a business case for customer service training or it may be decided the volunteer isn’t suitable for that role.

Maybe she's already told the newbie how to do the form 17 times.
Maybe she had a raging headache.
Maybe she's just a cow in general.
I'd let it go to be honest. Worse things in life to worry about.

There's a charity shop near me which is one of the higher priced and I rarely buy anything but still like to browse. A while back I was doing just that and overheard the man behind the till patronise a customer. She had chosen a glittery top and was paying. His voice was loud enough for all our ears.

Ooh are we treating ourselves?! Are you going to a party dear? There was no need for him to say that.

@MrsGrimshaw a sales assistant made conversation with a customer!
How shocking 😱
Seriously..... can people not make small talk anymore?

We call that small talk where I am…what was patronising about it?

A lot of people that work in charity shops have sone form of learning disability, so that needs bearing in mind.

There's a charity shop near me that has people like this in it - seem to be genuinely pissed off when you donate bags of decent clothes. Similar energy to GP receptionists when you ask for an appointment

I work for a charity . The charity have a few shops in the county . My mum and sister donated some stuff to one of the shops and were met with a tutting and eye rolling woman . I gave her the benefit of the doubt until I went in myself with donations and she was incredibly rude to me . She didn't know that I'm an actual staff member of the charity . I reported her straight to my boss because we rely so much on the funds from the shops and this woman was deterring people from donating and going in the shop.
I can't grasp why they volunteer if they're going to find it a hindrance if they have to do something .

Totally agree with both of @Needmorelego 's posts.

I volunteered at a local food share. A food bank but also where really good quality meals are cooked and sold at very reasonable prices.

The woman in charge was so awful I never went back!

Last time I was in a charity shop the lady on the till couldn't work out the total of my items or my 80p change. I asked her if I could have 20ps (making it look like I needed certain coins, how do you tell a stranger adult they are awful at beyond basic maths!)

Understand they are volunteers but they need to be able to count, could cause real issues with end of day totals etc

Many older people who are volunteering & have not been in paid work are likely to have undiagnosed autism/ADHD/dyslexia etc. diagnosis didn't exist when they were younger so they won't have received the support & guidance that children & young people do now so they will not have had the opportunity to develop social skills etc.
If it hurts you that much to interact with them then sell your stuff on vinted or recycle it & buy from shops that pay minimum wage.

Maybe the newbie is the new manager, getting paid, but not yet au fait with the procedures in that shop. That'd cause resentment in any volunteer having to teach her.

I hate this sort of behaviour. I usually don’t go back and take my stuff somewhere else next time.

I’m letting it go. Just an observation.

I was there. You weren't. It was the patronising WAY he spoke to her and he might as well have patted her on the head.

Working in charity shops is one of the things that criminals doing community service can do.

I don't take donations in anymore after the staff acted like I was being a massive inconvenience with my two bags of clean, good condition clothes. They made such a production of signing and side eyeing the bags that I said I'd take them elsewhere, to which I got another sigh "no, we'll take them" said in long suffering tones. After a similar experience in a different shop all my donations go in the supermarket charity bins now, which is actually more convenient and even better is they don't answer back!

That type volunteer so they look good and can say they’re a pillar of the community, and so they can’t be faulted. Surely the worst type of personality ever! I know a fair few like that.

The manager is so rude at my local children’s charity shop that I won’t donate any more. I hate it as it’s a small, local charity that I love.
I donated all my baby items, pram cot everything as it was after my last baby, all clean and no marks and she didn’t even say thank you.

Years ago when i was younger I'd have let this go. Now however I stare at them and ask them directly why they are being so rude!
Great fun watching them squirm when called out and suddenly all apologies