Charity Shop Ignorance

I-Owe-You

Donated 2 black sacks full today and was told "Put it over there" as apposed to "Thank You"

I don't expect a fanfair, but politeness costs nothing. Perhaps instead of spending the ££s made from our donations on management salaries, how about some customer service training! I won't be donating to that particular shop again... !!

alec_eiffel

Although the charity shop I work at it far from perfect (depending on whether it's the manager or her assistant working) I am really surprised to hear that people are donating and not being thanked. It's totally unacceptable. We received a complaint a few weeks ago that someone donated a bag and couldn't get out the door because the volunteers were too friendly and the person was in danger of getting a parking ticket for overstaying the allowed time!

tired_mum

I have stopped giving to my local holiday homes for the handicapped as they never said thank you and made a fuss when i took books in there with the comment not more books I then discovered that the person who runs the charity owns at least 1 of the chalets that they rent out to the charity
I now only buy books at sense as the paperbacks are 3 for a pound used to use BHF put there prices are ridiculous so sense gets at least £2 a week from me

KatieKins

Going back to the rudeness (again lol) I was in a local charity shop before Halloween and this lady wanted to buy one of the costumes that was in the window and the manageress threw up such a drama about how she needed it for the window display and it wasn't practical etc. In the end she let them try it on but I don't know whether they were allowed to buy it as I left.

Now, if I donated something to a charity shop for them to sell to make money, I would be happy thinking that it had sold, thus making money for the charity and that someone got a bargain who perhaps couldn't afford full price in a shop. I would not expect an item to be saved for a window display!

Along the same lines, in that shop after Christmas, a local elderly gentleman bought in a bundle of free calendars from the local childrens railway. The same manageress kicked up another fuss saying she would not be giving away calendars to customers. Again, what would be the harm in giving them to customers! maybe some people don't have one!?

All very dramatic in this shop and so unprofessional every time I go in.

WASHER

I-Owe-You wrote: »

Donated 2 black sacks full today and was told "Put it over there" as apposed to "Thank You"

I don't expect a fanfair, but politeness costs nothing. Perhaps instead of spending the ££s made from our donations on management salaries, how about some customer service training! I won't be donating to that particular shop again... !!

Last time I donated a black sack full of good clothes, i got told the same "put it over there", no thank you or anything.

I have stopped giving anything to charity shops now, really good clothes now get cut up as dusters and floor clothes, the rest of the stuff gets put into a bag I quite often get through the door, never heard of them, my husband says its not a proper charity.

u1bd2005

KatieKins wrote: »

Going back to the rudeness (again lol) I was in a local charity shop before Halloween and this lady wanted to buy one of the costumes that was in the window and the manageress threw up such a drama about how she needed it for the window display and it wasn't practical etc. In the end she let them try it on but I don't know whether they were allowed to buy it as I left.

Now, if I donated something to a charity shop for them to sell to make money, I would be happy thinking that it had sold, thus making money for the charity and that someone got a bargain who perhaps couldn't afford full price in a shop. I would not expect an item to be saved for a window display!

Along the same lines, in that shop after Christmas, a local elderly gentleman bought in a bundle of free calendars from the local childrens railway. The same manageress kicked up another fuss saying she would not be giving away calendars to customers. Again, what would be the harm in giving them to customers! maybe some people don't have one!?

All very dramatic in this shop and so unprofessional every time I go in.

I totally agree with the window display, you display items to sell them, whats the point otherwise.

With reguards to the calendars, I do understand where you're coming from, but the rules the charity shop follows are set by the head office, and I know we aren't allowed to put leaflets and such on the counter unless they are from our charity shop, or sent from head office, though we do usually offer to put a few leaflets, etc... in the staff room as a gesture.

But if its the same case for the charity shop you mentioned then the manageress should have calmly and politely explained why she couldn't accept them.
If you want customers to return and keep supporting the shop then you need to deal with them correctly.

queenlizard45uk

I price all items in my shop to what I would pay. For example, we received a lovely dress with was from Oasis. Hardly worn. I put £10 on it, which I think is very reasonable. This dress originally cost £60! If nobody buys it after about a week, I shall reduce it to about £6.
I always put really good items in my window, and I love it when people ask to buy them. I have put items out and in about 30 minutes, somebody wants to buy it. Which I think is brilliant!

queenlizard45uk

KatieKins wrote: »

Along the same lines, in that shop after Christmas, a local elderly gentleman bought in a bundle of free calendars from the local childrens railway. The same manageress kicked up another fuss saying she would not be giving away calendars to customers. Again, what would be the harm in giving them to customers! maybe some people don't have one!?

We were given calanders from a local church and we were very happy to give them away for free to customers. They loved the fact they got something for free!

OrkneyStar

queenlizard45uk wrote: »

I price all items in my shop to what I would pay. For example, we received a lovely dress with was from Oasis. Hardly worn. I put £10 on it, which I think is very reasonable. This dress originally cost £60! If nobody buys it after about a week, I shall reduce it to about £6.
I always put really good items in my window, and I love it when people ask to buy them. I have put items out and in about 30 minutes, somebody wants to buy it. Which I think is brilliant!

I would expect to pay £2 max for a dress in a charity shop- the fact that something is new with tags or hardly worn is not a selling point for me- as I wonder WHY it was hardly worn (un-comfy, bad fit/shape etc ?).
Our local cheaper shop is great, they sell much more, and the atmosphere is friendlier too. Red Cross is acting too posh these days. The other local shops are in-between depending on day/staff!

hollydays

I used to give to two well known charity shops,but I now take my stuff to one of these places that sells very cheap furniture etcf to people who are on a low income,as I feel those people are more in need.The stuff is sold very cheaply too.