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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To regard £110 as far too much for.....

27 replies

dilemma456 · 21/09/2008 22:00

Message withdrawn

OP posts:
undercovercat · 21/09/2008 22:01

YANBU a lot of the stuff in charity shops now is actually cheaper to buy new.

Dior · 21/09/2008 22:05

Message withdrawn

cheesesarnie · 21/09/2008 22:05

yanbu!

undercovercat-same here.far cheaper to buy new which id rather not do.

nametaken · 21/09/2008 22:05

YANBU - I have just looked at their website for this winters coats and they are selling for around £110 for this seasons brand new winter coats.

I think someone at CR thinks Elvi is a designer label and doesn't realise they are just a high street store.

LynetteScavo · 21/09/2008 22:07

They'll see they are charging too much when it doesn't sell!

imananny · 21/09/2008 22:21

ouch - im all for buying stuff in charity shops but wouldnt spend that on a coat even if brand new and from shop

melpomene · 22/09/2008 00:24

Were they missing a decimal point? Maybe it was supposed to be £11.00.

notthebubblyseaweed · 22/09/2008 01:05

I've seen ikea and primark things in charity shops priced at more than they were in the shop.

ninedragons · 22/09/2008 02:53

Melpomene must be right. SURELY there was a decimal point missing?

Original poster
dilemma456 · 22/09/2008 10:55

Message withdrawn

OP posts:
DaphneMoon · 22/09/2008 11:02

That is really cheeky and a bit greedy tbh. They won't possibly sell it for that!

filthymindedvixen · 22/09/2008 11:09

I once worked in a charity shop for a while to get some retail experience.
They had a list of 'labels' which would command a higher price. It drove me mad when we were pricing garments and the mamanger (who was an Old Biddy) would alter my prices to make them higher because they were Gap and On The List so therefore people would be asked to pay £5 for a bobbly, faded, dated t-shirt from 5 years' ago.
We'd have these pathetic round and round arguments where I'd say :''It's not in good nick, you can't ask that, no-one will buy it. I know these things.''
Her: ''Ah but it's Gap, dear. Look. Gap. On THE LIST it says we don't charge anything less than a fiver for GAP. Look.''
ME: ''But it's just a t-shirt....''

Ad infinitum.
And you know what, 3 weeks later, ropey t-shirt would still not have sold.

It was a matter of great pride to me that when I got to dress the dummies in the window, the garments would sell within hours

paddingtonbear1 · 22/09/2008 11:14

yanbu.
When I was at uni I got a fab ralph lauren winter coat for a tenner at oxfam. It lasted ages!
This seems very steep, was it at Barnardos? Our local Barnardos do tend to hike the prices a bit. Maybe cos we live in Cheshire!!

joshhollowayspieceofass · 22/09/2008 11:15

This makes me so mad too. My local oxfam has had a glam boutique style makeover but it's hardly full of anything nicer when you really look closely. They are selling the KIDS stuff for £7 and £8 - what's the point? A little trackie top from Gap? You'll pick it up BN in the sale for £4.99!

They are there to provide two services - to make money for a charity but also to provide a properly affordable place to shop for anyone without a load of cash (most of us at the mo). Also a great place for students to buy stuff. It's ridiculous that they are now no longer the most competitively priced on the high street. I don't think they should charge for high street brands - F's sake, Gaps not even that Wildly Expensive! Surely it's only the proper designer brands that should command more? Though I confess the joy for me as a student was the thought that you would find a designer item that the old dears were clueless about and pick it up for a few quid. Happened a few times...but that was many years ago now

Cappuccino · 22/09/2008 11:16

you can buy a t-shirt in Gap for a fiver

are they mad?

filthymindedvixen · 22/09/2008 11:48

she was mad. and inflexible... I use that as an illustration as to the mentality of some charity shops who use guidelines as Laws.

Mind you, i did a car boot sale last weekend. That was depressing...I had a VGC Hobbs velvet coat which loads of women were trying on. I had no price on it, was just looking for any decent offer...I was hoping for a fiver.
Not one person was prepared to pay that. I asked for £2, and the woman said she'd have to think about it...
In the end I took it home and gave it to a friend for free.
Everyone is greedy these days or wanting summat for nowt.

KatieDD · 22/09/2008 11:55

Stratford is a funny place though, full of mad old actors who'd probably rather pay £110 for a 2nd hand coat than £100 for a new one.

lizandlulu · 22/09/2008 12:00

elvi is a larger ladies store, it is quite expensive, but that was far far too dear for second hand
a few months ago there was a brand new teb baker coat in a local charity shop, (baby boys coat) and they still wanted £30 for it which i thought was too dear.
i donate quite a bit to charity shops but always give it to the ones who are cheap when they sell stuff.

EachPeachPearMum · 22/09/2008 12:15

Charity shops really have changed their pricing policies haven't they?

I fondly remember absolute bargains...
the jaeger trousers for £1.50- already altered professionally for a 5'0" person
Beautiful silk M&S Autograph blouse- £2
DH's Dinner Jacket- £4.00- could have been made to measure for him! Classic, timeless, will probably never need to buy another (don't ever go anywhere posh enough to wear it )

Now it all seems to be Primark t-shirts for £3, etc etc.

It's such a shame, as surely they are losing money on running these shops? People who genuinely couldn't afford to shop elsewhere are now buying from Primark/supermarkets which is terrible for the people elsewhere in the world who actually make these garments.

Especially when the stock is in good condition and wearable, just not a 'bargain' anymore. I would happily bypass the shops and give my clothes directly to people who need them for free if I knew how to do that.

undercovercat · 22/09/2008 12:19

eachpeach Freecycle.org for your give-away clothes

pamelat · 22/09/2008 13:40

can anyone ever get on to Oxfams designer auction online site???

It never works for me

EachPeachPearMum · 22/09/2008 14:54

undercover there are issues with car-booters/ebayers on freecycle though.

zippitippitoes · 22/09/2008 15:07

i think tho that if they sell cheap they just get ebayers car booters buying and reselling

prices are higher because ebsy has put a value on secpnd hand stuff

MrsMattie · 22/09/2008 15:09

YANBU. The charity shops around here take the absolute piss. I dont know how they sell anything. I feel like saying 'You are competing with Primark, Peacocks, Matalan all on the same road...why are you selling grotty, secondhand, no-name tee shirts for £5?????'

Oh, and sort your shite merchandising out!

silvercrown · 24/09/2008 16:30

I was told by someone who works in a charity shop that it's all about overheads now and targets they HAVE to meet. It's no longer just about selling things off cheapl;y to raise funds for the charity which is what it should be. These places shouldbhave some sort of regulation body and not have to meet targets.

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