Why do charity shops...

[LemooonSlice]

...keep items as "display only" ? A piece of furniture for the shop I can understand, or a window prop, that's used each year. But 2 charity shops local to me have a Christmas tree in the shop (easily accessible) decorated with a random assortment of ornaments, and customers are not allowed to buy the baubles. If they were a matching set fair enough, keep them together. But they are a random assortment and the charity loses income and goodwill because they are displaying things in the window and shop that customers can't buy. I genuinely don't understand the logic! This is not a dig at the shop volunteers, who do a great job (and I have done it myself)

Ask them?

Probably because they use them year on year so don’t have to scrabble around to get new each December

You would need to ask them.

At a guess it's easier for them to have a box of Christmas stuff they get out every year, than sell it and watch for random Christmas items being donated to build each year's display.

Maybe they belong to a staff member or volunteer who has lent them to the shop for the display but wants them back?

Because they want to attract people into the shop and to look bright and Christmassy but they don’t want to flog their own decorations. They probably keep the floorboards, shelves and till, as well. And the light fixtures?

I had a very upset DD one year as she saw a spider decoration in the window of a charity shop just before Halloween but when we went in with her pocket money to buy it it wasn’t for sale as it was a staff member’s.

I will ask them why next time I'm in - if it is due to not wanting to replace as they use each year I could ask if I could swap for some of mine. These are being displayed on a tree in a toy section so seems unlikely they would be lent by a staff member. Not trying to be difficult I just genuinely didn't understand, when they sell others

Why is this so hard to understand?

This is really entitled. Charity shops are allowed decorations and a display just like any other shop. I could understand maybe if it was a second hand kettle or an item of clothing. It’s their Christmas decorations, give them a break!!!

For the same reason any shop with their own tree as decoration don't sell bits of it?

They've made a nice display for the Christmas season, so they want it to stay there for the Christmas season!

They won't lose income, because the whole point of the nice display is to attract more customers. And they won't lose goodwill because most people are probably quite accepting of display items being unavailable.

Also, the volunteers in store might not be the ones who make decisions about displays and might not have the authority to trample about in the window.

Oh and charity shops are much more marketing-savvy than they used to be. Perhaps they have a specialist volunteer or staff member who covers a large geographic area and drops in to individual stores to do their displays. They won't want everything unpicked all the time.

They probs use them every year. Simple as that.
Also maybe the baubles are broken at the back.

Ask them....our elf was marked as such....it's not like the common ones you see ...50p later the elf comes out ever year since..

As everyone else says - because they want to keep the shop looking Christmassy this year, and probably then put it away so they don't have to buy new next year.

Do you question all the other shops and department stores as to why they don't sell you their display items too ?

I'm guessing they don't want to rebuy Christmas decorations every year; or perhaps they belong to a staff member.

Are they particularly special baubles? Just wondered why you are so keen to buy those in particular when baubles are so readily available.

One of our local charity shops has a big box of assorted baubles at 20p each.

It’s a Christmas tree! They’ll use it every year. C’mon it’s silly if they don’t sell other display things but perfectly understandable that customers can’t buy the baubles.

Exactly! Any shop could, in theory, make more money by selling every bit of stuff in the place - but, erm, you need some things in a shop that stay there! Same reason they don’t sell the clothes racks and light fittings 🤷‍♀️

There is a strange attitude to charity shops on here. They are scrutinised in a way another shop wouldn’t be. Perhaps people don’t realise they’re doing it, but they are looking down on charity shops. Definitely.

Because they’re their Christmas decorations for the shop? The tree would look a bit shit if people bought all the baubles.

Do you go in to any other shop and ask if you can buy the decorations they are using? Why aren't charity shops allowed to have decorations that they don't sell? They don't want or usually have the time to redo the tree every few days because they sold the decorations.

I went into a local charity shop recently and donated deveral matching sers of baubles.I sid to the manager "I guess you are snowed under this time of year with baubles."
She replied that they had sold dozens to a local school and the kids were redecorating them for the school tree with glitter and trimmings.
Went past the shop today and in the window a small tree has been decorated with the baubles I donated. It was lovely to see.

I didn't mean to upset anyone - I absolutely love charity shops. Thank you all for your viewpoints. I often worry I am getting things wrong and so try to ask questions which will help me understand better.

But that is being difficult. They’ve said they’re not for sale, it’s Christmas, shops decorate, they have decorated with their decorations.

Because its a decoration, not a sale item!
Would you try and buy the mannequins they display clothes on? The light bulbs? Why on earth would you assume a decorated Christmas tree was available to be picked at? If they had a string of fairy lights over the door would you try and buy them?

They are a charity shop.

Do people not donate old baubles and decs in January?

I bet they do, and I bet they get new donations of Christmas stuff all through the season.