charity shops

beyond_skint

I think charity shops are sometimes taking the mick. Especially if they are in the high streets like heart foundation, very over priced. Sometimes you can get a real bargain especially when a little old lady doesn't know some named clothes i.e fat face or pumpkin patch for instance. I have 2 near me that are really good. I got a viyella coat for £4 and a pumpkin patch skirt for my dd for 75p :T
I do think it depends who is doing the marking.

I still think they get it all for free so it should be cheap. Books should be no more than a pound tops. 10p for kids books.

I do sometimes comment on the prices
I would forget the books this time, but learn from experience.

beyond_skint

I also heard oxfam give some to arms as well not sure but I refuse to support war so I don't go in there anymore

eyelinerprincess

I got two books and a new bag in a charity shop the other day for 70p! The ones I go into for books are priced very reasonably (max 50p for a book), and I've found some real treasures in charity shops.

fernliebee

Thanks for all the replies! I have got some real bargains in charity shops, I do think it's hard for them in todays financial climate. They do have to make money to remain on the high street but I think there is a limit. I think more than anything I was annoyed at myself for not showing my normal savvy!!

I did see in the same shop a primark bag the same as one I bought new for £1.50 priced at £2.99!!! I think thye must have a dodgy price tagger in there!

My lesson is learnt, however unfortunately I won't go in this shop again- the RSPCA shop up the road is much better

Ellie2758

mudgekin wrote: »

I dropped 3 full bags of clothing into a charity shop last week which I have outgrown. they were all size 8 and 10 and had been bought when I had much more money and much less sense and I'm now a size 12. Some of the suits has been worn once and all the items had been expensive. 2 days later I spotted one of the women from the shop with one of the suits and when I went in for a browse there where very few items out for sale and the ones that were had been priced at ludicrous prices and one of the assistants was wearing a pair of trousers and a sweater that I had given.

The items were handed in for 2 reasons, one that some folks would get some use from the items and get good quality things cheap and two that the charity would benefit from some extra cash. Although they were expensive items and classically styled, to ask £50 and upwards for items in a charity shop is so wrong. That will be the last I hand any more items in. The idea that the shop assistants get first pick and I have no doubt didn't pay the prices that they had things for sale at really stuck in my throat

I dont know which charity shop you gave your stuff to but my daughter works in two charity shops and pays for any clothes she buys from either of them. It is easy to assume the worst.

remembered_nights

geri1965 wrote: »

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?

'It's up to each shop to arrange' which basically means they're too cheap to have them recycled, it's infuriating :mad: Personally I take them home once a week and put them on freecycle as a job lot, or take bags to other local charity shops because i can't bear the waste. But everyone else bins them.

Angelica_2

I've worked as a volunteer for a couple of the larger better known charity shops.

I was surprised that both were very much a business. There was a pricing structure that had to be followed and targets that had to be met.

Until it was pointed out I didn't realise that there were so many overheads. You can't normally staff a high street shop full time with just volunteers so there's normally a manager and an assistants wages to pay. Carriers have to be paid for as well as utilities. The driver that drops off the donation bags and picks up the rotation from other shops has to be paid.