Charity shops. Their noses are turned upwards

SallySunshine · 21 August 2017 at 5:08PM

i love charity shops, but am now getting slightly overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of clothes they have in stock.
Sometimes If i see an item that is torn or damaged I point it out politely to the staff, as perhaps it was missed when pricing, stocking etc.
Twice I have been spoken to quite rudely when mentioning this, other times thanked for pointing it out.
I do this because now I've started wearing specs I can see so more closely and clearly, having in the past bought something without inspecting it thoroughly.

Saw a lovely brown handbag the other day, priced at £10, no brand and used, then noticed the shoulder strap was badly worn, pointed it out to manageress and got a bit of a mouthful that all the items were closely inspected before being put out for sale.

Nearly offered to send her and her staff to Specsavers!

Pollycat · 21 August 2017 at 5:17PM

SallySunshine wrote: »

i love charity shops, but am now getting slightly overwhelmed by the sheer quantity of clothes they have in stock.
Sometimes If i see an item that is torn or damaged I point it out politely to the staff, as perhaps it was missed when pricing, stocking etc.
Twice I have been spoken to quite rudely when mentioning this, other times thanked for pointing it out.
I do this because now I've started wearing specs I can see so more closely and clearly, having in the past bought something without inspecting it thoroughly.

Saw a lovely brown handbag the other day, priced at £10, no brand and used, then noticed the shoulder strap was badly worn, pointed it out to manageress and got a bit of a mouthful that all the items were closely inspected before being put out for sale.

Nearly offered to send her and her staff to Specsavers!

I saw a lovely Mantaray dress yesterday in BHF that fit me perfectly and was in gorgeous autumnal shades. I have lots of opaque tights in different colours that would have gone with it.
I came out of the changing room and was giving it a final check over before paying for it when I noticed that it had a hole in the fabric at the neckline.

I took it to the till, put it on the counter and said 'I was going to have this but it's got a hole in it' and walked out before he could offer it to me at a reduced price.

It would have been very easy for the staff to miss it though - I'm mega-picky.

SallySunshine - she would have got a mouthful back if I'd been the customer.

moneyistooshorttomention · 21 August 2017 at 5:57PM

I would have also had my say back if I'd been told off for pointing out defects.

I've been too trusting with 2 charity shop purchases recently - and discovered they were faulty when I got them back home. So will certainly be inspecting very closely in future and pointing it out to the staff if I do spot a fault. I will not be expecting a "mouthful" back for doing so:cool:

maisie06 · 21 August 2017 at 9:55PM

Same around my way - Charity shops bordering on rude, you'd think we were offering old rags full of Ebola virus!! I just advertise stuff on local facebook groups now - free to good home, if it doesn't go within a few days off to the tip it goes....although the local branch of the Salvation Army were very grateful for good quality kids clothes, books and toys, maybe try them or another church group, they distribute things to people in need.

pleasedelete · 22 August 2017 at 6:00AM

When a relative of mine died and his wife was downsizing the Salvation Army came. He had lots of long johns, vests , big underpants (style he wasn't a fat man) and cotton pyjamas which we had set aside for rags however they specifically asked if they could have them as their older clients use them and they were very hard to get.

OrkneyStar · 22 August 2017 at 2:30PM

Hermia wrote: »

I was speechless. She was one of those women with a face like she had been sucking lemons so I assume she was just a miserable old wotsit. As someone else said upthread I also read mainly on my commute. I love the way people who presumably don't read assume all bookworms spend hours every day reading whilst lying on a chaise longue!

When I worked full time and commuted by train I read much more than I do now, it was a great way to pass a dull day after day journey. It's just downright rude to comment like that, even if she was (wrongly) thinking it!

Wednesday2000 · 6 September 2017 at 11:34AM

I went into a PDSA shop this morning and the staff could not have been more helpful and friendly. I haven't been in a CS in a while, but I was pleasantly surprised.:)

Mnd · 7 September 2017 at 8:21PM

We donate to our local cancer hospice shop and have never had a problem, my wife has a very creative way to boost their fundraising by seeing her stuff on display and buying it back! I kid you not!

purpleybat · 11 September 2017 at 3:04PM

i took lots of stuff to our local BHF shop the other week. I was aware lots was quite old fashioned and lots suitable for ragging only so I washed the lot and told them when I dropped it off it was unfortunately a bit of a mixed bag.
last week when I took shoes and bits down I was chatting to the manageress (lovely lady) and she told me about half of previous lot went for recycling due to the style. I fully understood this cos it was stuff i'd hung onto for years. what surprised me was that she thanked me for them being washed, I thought (until then and reading this page) that everyone washed donations.

Sassia · 11 September 2017 at 5:15PM

We have a couple of really good charity shops here that actually collect things. Himself asked one whether they would take clothes and handbags that might be a little worn. She said yes and any that aren't suitable for selling go to the 'rag man'. They all seemed very grateful. Maybe our area doesn't get many donations.

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Charity shops. Their noses are turned upwards

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