To think people are quite petty to object to charity shop staff getting "first dibs" when they are BUYING the items?

[SorcererGaheris]

For context, I am a volunteer in a charity shop myself, and if I see something that I want, I will purchase it. The shop doesn't give staff discounts, either; staff pay full price - the last item I bought, a book, cost me £40.

Anyway, I COMPLETELY understand people objecting if volunteers were to just take donated items for themselves, but I've seen some online discussions in which people complain about the staff getting first pick of donations when they are paying for them. I really don't see the problem in this case, and think people who object are rather out of line. Other retail workers surely sometime purchase items from the shops they work in, so I don't see why volunteers should be begrudged that. A volunteer is a customer as much as any other.

I'm sure you don't have to be a fan specifically of Icelandic practices to be interested in the book - it's going to have appeal to a range of occultists. Yes, occultism is reasonably niche but nothing that has its own category on Amazon is truly niche.

If another customer finds it and buys it, the shop has gained a customer - they might gain more if that customer tells others where they found their bargain.

Some people have really weird ideas about what charity shops are for, and what volunteers are actually like.

Just a thought but there are many charities of a Christian foundation who wouldn't allow the ocult book on the shelf.

You're probably correct that one doesn't have to just be interested in Icelandic practices, though I do know occultists with a very particular cultural focus who would not be interested in a book of Icelandic spells.

That said, there's a very low probability that occultists frequent charity shops to look for books about witchcraft and occultism; the majority prefer to look directly in pagan supply shops, because there's a higher chance that a specifically pagan supply shop will have a book of interest.

And even in the unlikely event that someone were to have come into the shop who might have found the particular book I bought interesting, I don't see why that should be of any concern to me. When I want to buy an item, all I care about is my own wants and desires. Why should it matter to me if someone else could, although unlikely, perhaps buy it (for the sane price that I paid.) If I wish to own something, then all that I think about is my own personal desire to own it.

DS volunteers on a saturday morning in an Oxfam bookshop, he had someone come in and buy a copy of the "God Delusion" by Dawkins, then rip it up in front of him, telling him they had no business selling such blasphemous rubbish.

DS was quite perplexed.

I went into an independent animal rescue charity shop that not only disallowed animal-derived products (reasonable) but also any non-vegan cookery books, anything featuring images of farming or hunting (e.g. crockery) and any books on those topics.

Their shop, their choice, but I won't be going back - I was worried someone would spot I was wearing leather shoes, and lynch me.

That attitude seems to be at odds with doing charitable work.

I'm not volunteering at a charity shop out of any personal morals or values or even because I'm particularly interested in what the overall charity does. The sole reason that I volunteer is because I find the work fun. I volunteer for my own pleasure.

FFS, the OP is a customer as well as a volunteer. Nobody walks into Asda and doesn't buy the last (very niche) bottle of artisan wasabi or something just because someone else might want it instead.

Seriously weird.

I very much doubt the staff at Asda get the chance to wander round the warehouse picking out anything they want that's in short supply before it goes out on the shelf.

A poster or two in this thread has clearly got an irrational objection to volunteers also being customers. It makes no sense at all.

The items that staff at our shop buy aren't in short supply, so I don't think that's an entirely fair comparison.

We also don't literally wonder around with an eagle eye. When I'm working in the shop, I'm not going downstairs on the lookout, with the expectation of probably finding something I'd like to buy. Most of the time, I'm not interested in owning a lot of the things we sell, or sometimes I already own the item in question.

When I see something I'd like to buy, it tends to be noticing it by happenstance.

I agree - I was just responding to the point about Asda.

And there we have it. Really odd in my opinion. Why would you not have an interest in how well the charity is doing that you’re volunteering for. In that case I’m not surprised that it doesn’t concern you if staff taking all the best stuff brings down the overall quality and footfall of the shop.

standard on this type of thread: if we are not completely clueless it’s that we are stealing all the good stuff and ebaying.
fucking depressing

How many times? What is this mythical best stuff?

How many times? What do you mean?
The ‘mythical best stuff’ I’m talking about is the stuff that the OP says staff should be able to get "first dibs" on, as per the title. They’re not going to want first dibs on the lowest quality items surely?

The staff are not taking all the best items. They are sometimes buying (at the same prices other customers would pay) particular items that they wish to own.

Quite a few of the items that stuff buy are NOT among the best items that are sold.

The shop I'm at - it's completely untrue that staff are "buying all the good stuff". Staff will purchase items that they would like to own, yes. That does not equate to all the good stuff being unavailable for other customers to buy. Some people are really making some rather large leaps.

Like I said, I do the volunteer work solely because I enjoy the work. For me, volunteering is all about having fun. If it became unenjoyable for some reason, I'd stop doing it.

Staff wish to purchase the items that interest them personally, and interests are very subjective. An item that a member of staff buys is not necessarily always a high-quality item.

I’m a volunteer in a charity shop and I agree with this. In the last six years I have been doing this, the quality of donations has fallen massively. I think people are selling their good stuff on eBay/vinted.

The shop is in an average area and I would say 70% of our donations are rubbish, about 29% are okay and only about 1% are excellent.

If the volunteers buy all of the excellent stuff before it goes out in the shop, then shoppers are less inclined to come in if they are never going to find a bargain.

but Your best stuff is not my best stuff…
I buy books and then return then to be sold again. At the moment we have where I volunteer; hotter shoes, sea salt clothes, white stuff, Calvin klein coat… good brands, decent quality and of no interest to me.

I see good quality brands every week where I volunteer and we have a reputation for having nice stock.

@SorcererGaheris oh for the last time. I know you’re BUYING it and not TAKING it. I’m simply objecting to your ‘first dibs’ mentality! I’ve explained why and you’re simply ignoring my reasons, so what’s the point.

Agree @ShanghaiDiva we clearly fall into one of two camps as volunteers. You are either a complete thicko with zero social skills who is only in a charity shop because you can't get a "proper job" or are doing community service OR you are a flint eyed grabby CF who is only there to grab all the "good stuff".

Well, in the post I quoted you referred to the staff "taking" the best items, so I felt I needed to specify that we are actually paying full price for them.

I've explained why I feel that in regards to my particular shop, your objections do not hold up. The good stuff is not all being bought by staff. There is a high amount of good quality stock on the shelves for other customers.