charity shops

fernliebee

I'm not sure I'd have the gut's to take them back but if I'm feeling brave I might give it a go. I hate the things now ha ha!

Thanks for all your replies, I think most of us agree that this is a bit steep. I do understand that it is worthwhile giving to charities, and I do donate to NSPCC and any kidney charities, but I think a donation is just that, donated but if they are selling something it should be fairly priced.

Never mind plenty more important issues to think about, like finishing xmas shopping! Eeek!

remembered_nights

I volunteer for Oxfam and the rules on the conditions of books are really strict - if there's so much as a biro-ed name in the front cover it can't go out!

1sue23

I volunteer in a charity shop and all books are 25p any in even slightly bad condition go into the bin ,unless us volunteers want them and then we make a donation and can have them ,I then pass them on to the elderly who live in the sheltered housing down the road from me ,who in turn pass them onto friends and hospitals .

lilmissmup

Another charity shop volunteer here. I volunteer for the cats protection league, we charge 35p for a non-hardback, 65p for hardbacks which i think is reasonable.

I know the oxfam bookshop in my town charges £1.99 for a paperback which is too much i think.

geri1965_2

remembered_nights wrote: »

I volunteer for Oxfam and the rules on the conditions of books are really strict - if there's so much as a biro-ed name in the front cover it can't go out!

Why?! My OH buys a lot of books and writing in them doesn't bother him at all. What do you do with them if you don't sell them?

Loz01

Charity shops are a rip off :eek: Ive seen books in there before for the same price as you could get them in The Works/other cheap shops.

paddy's_mum

I think that there are several well known charity shops that are slowly but surely pricing themselves out of the average person's range.

In our nearest large town, Oxfam in particular is becoming renowned for overpricing and I have several times picked up items that reinforce that belief. Several weeks ago, I looked at a set of rubberwood caddies - tea, coffee, sugar. The caddies were in good condition but were clearly well used. The set was priced at £9.99. Three doors down the road at Wilkinsons, the identical set was available for £6.99. I didn't buy.

I have also several times picked up a book marked as £2.99 to find it still had its original bookshop price sticker of £2.49. Similarly, I don't expect to pay £14.99 for a pair of smallish, unlined, unfashionable curtains that have clear fading down each outer edge. When, as a matter of courtesy, I pointed this out to the shop assistant, I got a tetchy answer about the area manager deciding these things and the irritable sniff and sharp look that suggested that I am one of those scum people who would try to defraud a charity shop. I don't go into Oxfam any more, needless to say.

I agree that £1.50 per board book is a lot especially when compared to the cost of brand new. I realise that charity shops have a declared aim to provide funding for their cause but there is a fine line between appealing to people and making them feel that their good intentions are leading them to be exploited. Charity shops need to realise that with freecycle and car boots sales, customers do have a choice as to where they spend their available money and price accordingly.

onlyroz

Well I've bought quite a bit of excellent quality furniture from our local charity shops at bargain prices. But I do agree that second-hand books (not just from charity shops) are often quite expensive.

Voyager2002

consultant31 wrote: »

Lots of charity shops overcharge now, but then the top brass get very large salaries! Only about 20p of every £ spent in Oxfam goes to the needy :eek:

However, I make a point of never buying anything without a price on, that way you can't get stung.

And your source?

I know Oxfam fairly well, and the figures I have seen suggest that around ninety per cent of their income goes to help the needy. I doubt if the charity commissioners would allow them to continue to operate if they were hanging on to 80 per cent of their income.

Their salaries are pretty good, but less than the market rate for the blend of management and marketing skills that are involved. And the general terms and conditions of employment are a good deal worse than in the commercial sector.

So do you have any evidence to back up your comments?

MsChazzer

I volunteered in a charity shop years ago and there was a minimum price guide for items so they may well be following that. However, there was also a quality check as well to ensure that the items were in good condition.