MMD: Would you tell a charity shop that a Chloe bag was under-priced?

juliaw

This bag is most liikely a fake. The charity shop has already sussed it out.

I buy a lot from charity shops and jumble sales. You get good bargains sometimes, but never all that good. You can easily be overcharged too.

Always remember that statements such as "I bought it from a jumble sale for 10p" are classic excuses for receiving stolen goods.

A.Jones

I like the idea of reusing etc... but I find that charity shops have priced themselves out of the market. Their prices are too high..

Me too. I rarely bother to go to charity shops for books and DVDs any more because of their prices. The Oxfam near me charges about 2/3 the RRP on the back of the book. It is often cheaper to buy new on amazon than pay their rip off prices, or get them from a boot sale second hand. Same with DVDs. They wanted (and still want) £10 for series 1 of "I'm Alan Partridge", when you can get new it for less than £7 online or at Asda.

Their pricing has definitely changed my attitude towards them. Not only do I not buy from them, I do not donate to them either. I don't see the point any more.

debbsie

I buy a lot of vinyl from charity shops and I've had some fab bargains. Some shops know what to charge, others don't. That bag might have been £50 in one shop, or 50p in another . . all part of the fun - innit!!

MimiJane

I'd be torn between snapping it up and telling them (and hoping for some good Khama!). I think in the end my conscience would get the better of me and I'd tell them. I'd probably regret it after though

A.Jones

Why would people pay double for it? Surely if they feel guilty, it would be better for them to pay only £5 for it, and donate anything extra they are willing to pay for the bag, rather than inform the shop that it is underpriced. That way, they can giftaid the donation.

dbfisokay

Cloudane wrote: »

... I can't help thinking to myself "the charity is not for *you* dumbo! Just because you happen to think you're poor and deserve lots of free stuff because you couldn't be bothered to get a job, doesn't mean it's you the charity's aimed at". But I digress...

The digression is often the path of truth. "The Charity" IS to some degree for me (and perhaps you) and everyone who has an interest in helping others to live WHILST THEY STRIVE TO LIVE THEMSELVES. This striving often disbars straightforward donations. I can give more money towards the good cause if the charity shop involved helps me to do so i.e. allows me to buy essentials and luxuries at an affordable price e.g economical Clothes and books. If they cannot do so - I will by rote be impelled to buy new, sometimes lesser quality clothes, from private industry at the price I can afford BUT this will leave me no room to give money to the Charity (shops or otherwise) which is frustrating because this continues to be my primary way of loving those I can love in no other way.

I have no delusions of being poverty stricken ( unless poverty stricken means having the luxury to debate on line via a financial services website) but I am not situated to give and give and give - I need help to help however modern Charity Shops are gradually eroding access for the historical and contemporary source of most giving i.e. from those who have least to give.

My previous post was lazily written and the emotional responses understandable, however also ill conceived and built on ignorance of who I am. My point is that corporate mentality is leaking into Charity-the mixing of God and Mamon if you will. It's about basic economics - sell affordable stuff to the masses and you'll get more than the combined donations from the minorities - The shop I helped in increased its takings by this exact philosophy. The giving became steady, routine and above all - Charitable (as did free donations from which all profit is high) The customers commented on the refreshing reductions whilst takings increased. Neighbouring shops have since ceased to trade out of lack of custom. Such a waste. Anyway. Respect to all who care - it takes passion to call someone you don't know Dumbo. And to those who have "heard it all before".. I doubt It-try listening before criticising. I'm not planning to comment further but thanks for letting me know that my imminent MA in Ethics may be well informed via this forum. Take care y'all. I'm off to return books back to the charity shop from which I bought them so the can sell them again - hopefully cheaper Than Mr Asda/Tesco;)

GiveItBack

some good points db, but not everyone thinks along the same lines as you, which I think changes the way you must operate.

if everyone going into a charity shop to buy did so because they a) need the low price, and b) care about the cause, then you'd be right, but many customers have no clue which shop they are even in, or anything about the cause. This means that people are looking to spend a certain amount on something, or not at all.

if a shop was known for selling everything at £1, people would go, flock perhaps, as they'd know they'd get a bargain, some may donate extra money, some may not, but this would be a short term effect. In the long term, when I'm donating a pair of designer jeans I can't fit into any more, will I go there, knowing they'll sell for £1, or go elsewhere?

So in the long term the quality of donations will fall, the quality of items for sale will fall, and it will become a place not to find a bargain, but to spend £1. and maybe add a donation.

In your example, the other shops closed, but that is one of two effects of economics, the other would be that the shops reduce their prices accordingly, so they're now competing against each other. Certainly they're undercutting Asda / Primark but for how long - and it would only appeal to certain markets.

My concern is that the long term effect (and I'd love to see your specific example in action - pm me please) would be shops turning over much the same amount of items, but at a lower price.

Sadly, I should also point out that the source of the most giving is actually the rich, not the poor. Proportionally, the super rich give the most % of their income, followed by the poorest, and the rich almost equally, then the middle. but in actual cold hard cash terms, most of the money will come from a handful of people. Then again, the super rich rarely shop in charity shops.

Cloudane

Fair points made. I should take this time to point out that although a traditional charity is aimed at other various beneficiaries, there are other forms of non-profit organisation.

Those who are more interested in charity starting at home (and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that IMO) should probably keep their eyes open for CICs - Community Interest Companies. These are things like your furniture/electrical reuse centres who are often quite professional and are indeed interested in selling things cheap to people in the local community who are on a tight budget or disadvantaged. I'm not sure of the exact legal status, but I believe it's the norm for any 'profit' to go towards the community they're serving, rather than their own pockets (reasonable salaries aside).

surviving-ok

I bought a jaeger jacket, value circa £300, for a fiver and it looks great; did it in limited personal finacial circmstances and no way could I afford it otherwise. I just thought it was great there was at least one charity shop out there still sellign clothes at prices people can aofford; I used ot look at them allt he time but have seen so many bobbly jumpers for a fiver, and stained t shirts for a few quid, that usually I stick to Matalan etc, and this shop is gogn to get everything I give way (not stained or bobbly usually) in future. The jacket loks like it's made for me.

JesaRose

A charity shop has two main functions:

1. To make money for the cause
2. To raise awareness of the charity on the high street; for donors and people that may need that help themselves

Some big charities are over priced and pay their staff high wages, some are reasonably priced and staff are not paid anywhere near as much as normal retail. Don't just assume everyone is the same.

One shop could provide enough profits to open another shop and so on until you have 20 shops. 20 shops could bring in an extra £4 or 5 million a year which can run a hospice for a year.

I agree its great to get a bargain from a charity shop but don't moan when something is properly priced as there are people who need that money more than most of us. I would not expect my customers to tell me if I had under priced something but if they did then thats great and thanks to them.