Charity shops getting expensive!

MoaningMyrtle · 16 July 2017 at 3:18PM

Whenever certain charity shops have 'sales' they are packed, the staff will cram anything and everything onto the rails eg creased, dirty, shabby. it will sell for £1.00 (every item will be £1.00) this is twice a year in Cancer Research, it lasts a few days. I would take a risk for a £1 item but not a £6-7 one. They also have 1/2 price sales in one of our village charity shops, again it proves to be very popular.

System · 16 July 2017 at 3:44PM

Prinzessilein wrote: »

the place will now be staffed by unemployed people on 'placement' (and some of them are downright grumpy about it!)

I thought Workfare (or whatever it was called) had been done away with? Is it possible to find out which companies/charities are using welfare claimants for free labour?

Pollycat · 16 July 2017 at 5:36PM

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

I usually pop into the charity shops when I go in to town and last week the BHF shop which is usually very expensive had lots of items in a 'sale' at half price, the original price being crossed out with a very large cross on the label. If they'd started at that price I feel there would have been no need for the sale!!!

Our BHF is expensive.
I usually look at their sale (half price) items and think 'yeah, knock another 50% off and we might be talking.'

MMF007 · 16 July 2017 at 6:02PM

avogadro wrote: »

I thought Workfare (or whatever it was called) had been done away with? Is it possible to find out which companies/charities are using welfare claimants for free labour?

Apologies for butting in to thread but I can tell you that my SIL had to work 3 weeks at a branch of a well known Italian style restaurant for no pay. She had been made redundant 2 months earlier and was getting unemployment benefit. Was clearly NOT at risk of becoming long term unemployed, but still had to provide free labour. Thankfully, due to previous work and her determination she found work herself, which she loves!

back to topic - yes, I cannot believe CS are charging £4.99 for a cheap, nothing like new t-shirt. I have stopped even looking in Sue Ryder near me. I know the point is to make funds for the charity but over pricing is not the way. I wonder if CS are now more about getting the taxpayer subsidy, gift aid? Everytime I donate it is the first thing the staff say to me, before any thank you. I feel they need a better approach because many of us do not earn enough to be able to gift aid, and have to say this to justify why we are not gift aiding!

Jane2112 · 16 July 2017 at 6:38PM

Just jumping in with my thoughts and I agree with you that CS are getting more expensive - well the 'main' one are. Some of the more local e.g. hospice, local animal ones etc are more reasonable priced.
Many years ago I worked at a 'price point' oxfam branch, where everything was one price e.g. ladies top 99p - didn't matter if it was M&S or George. It was the most successful CS in town.
Once in Oxfam Kendal I overheard a customer complaining about the price of vinyl records to which he was told "We have an expert come in to price them"!! Well their expert is way off.
I am much more careful with my money these days. Often think - I could make it for that price.;)

Islandmaid · 16 July 2017 at 6:46PM

Our local Hospice has several shops around the Island, they are now like boutiques after a refurb a couple of years ago - the prices went up to match, so I don't bother anymore - I send all my decent old clothes to the local church as they still have 'proper' jumble sales at least twice a year with any profits going to community projects etc

TravellingAbuela · 16 July 2017 at 7:08PM

If they don't watch it the main stream charity shops will outprice themselves. They are already much quieter, with far less customers in our part of the world. The hospice and local charity shops, with more sensible prices, are taking their custom away from them.

There was a Greyhound Rescue shop nearby which attracted lots of customers with its realistic prices and sale rails. The council, in their wisdom, increased their rent. It was impossible for them to pay the increase and leave any profit for the charity. So they had to close. The shop re-opened as an E-cig place. It closed again after a few weeks and is now boarded up. So now the council have lost the rent altogether and the charity lost some much needed income. Wise move eh council?

Mr_Singleton · 16 July 2017 at 8:54PM

dandy-candy wrote: »

I buy all my clothes at charity shops and I've noticed the prices going up these last few weeks.

Just a quick reality check here.... maybe said through gritted teeth.

The purpose of charity shops is to help those less fortunate than ourselves...people with cancer or maybe people starving or at risk of starving to death in a foreign country maybe child refugees fleeing war zones.

So,

The purpose of a charity shop is not to provide people living in a first world country with dirt cheap clothing thus enabling them to avoid the £1.99 Primark t-shirt made in a far eastern sweat shop by people working 15 hours a day in horrendous conditions because thats such an obvious example of retailers profiteering.

So deep breaths everyone remember Kama and there but for the grace of God.

lessonlearned · 16 July 2017 at 10:15PM

Totally agree Mr S with most of your comments, especially about sweatshop conditions. .

.However, ....... their new business models don't appear to be working. By insisting on a national pricing structure and not taking into account local circumstances the more expensive ones are pricing themselves out of business.

sulphate · 16 July 2017 at 10:34PM

I noticed this when I was pregnant with my son, baby vests etc £1 each in charity shops, not exactly good value when you can get brand new multipacks (5 per pack etc) for a fiver in supermarkets.

I donated a bag of clothes to a charity shop about a year ago and the girl at the till couldn't have been less grateful, acted like it was an inconvenience to take the stuff (all good quality clothes) and didn't even say thank you. I don't go in there anymore.

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Charity shops getting expensive!

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