prices in charity shops

asbokid

nuttywoman wrote: »

I only give stuff now to our local Salvation Army charity shop because they are so grateful for anything you donate

The Salvation Army sells much of our clothing donations to a private rag trader who flogs them by the ton to secondhand clothes shops in Eastern Europe.

From: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1352343/Salvation-Army-millionaire-William-Booth-makes-fortune-donated-clothes.html
And: http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2011/jan/31/salvation-army-profits-watchdog-inquiry

Sally Army millionaire: Rag trader making a fortune from the clothes you donate to charity
By Emily Andrews
Last updated at 11:27 AM on 1st February 2011

When William Booth founded the Salvation Army in 1865, he had the poor and needy in mind.

The Methodist minister probably wouldn’t have included Nigel Hanger and his £5million fortune in that category.

But Mr Hanger has the Sally Army to thank for his designer suits, country mansion and Ascot-winning racehorse.

The 56-year-old has made millions from selling on the clothes and shoes which thousands of us donate to the Christian charity each week.

His company, Kettering Textiles Limited, sells on the donated garments to Eastern Europe, where the price has risen from less than £100 a ton to £350 over the last three years, thanks to the rise of second-hand shops.

And although the charity has received just more than 60 per cent of the sale of the clothes over that period, Mr Hanger’s company has made £10million.

The businessman, who is married with three children, admits that ‘profits are good’. And the Salvation Army defended the arrangement as ‘administrative costs’.

But critics are unimpressed. They have accused the charity of misleading them over how gifts intended for good causes are used.

Drunkstar

Quite a few charity shops do that. Because they got a constant influx of donations they put stuff out for a while and if it doesnt sell then it goes to the ragman so they can still make money from them.

TheSaint_2

I agree with many of the prior posters - charity shops should be cheap. The charity shop itself selling cheaply helps those that are poor.

On the subject of expensive designer gear I also agree that they should indeed charge a lot for those items. If you are really hard up you don't usually care about brand names.

I used to buy quite a lot of stuff in charity shops, but like others now find that I can buy my clothes cheaper from tesco or matalan / primark.

Pupnik

I agree that charity shops can be overpriced. For example, the Oxfam Bookshop seems to price all paperbacks as at least £1.99 no matter the size or quality. A thick, mint condition book is priced the same as a ratty looking book with bent spine, yellowing pages and torn cover. Ridiculous! I quite enjoy 60s sci fi pulp novels but they tend to be in bad condition- £1.99 from Oxfam, 50p from the monthly flea market. Asda or Tesco clothes should not be in the same price bracket of brands like Monsoon, it is crazy.

One charity shop which I always find a bargain in is the RSPCA shop- in fact I would go so far as to say they are too cheap! Good quality hardback books for 50p! When I buy something that I think is priced too low I like to pay a bit extra.

nuttywoman

asbokid wrote: »

The Salvation Army sells much of our clothing donations to a private rag trader who flogs them by the ton to secondhand clothes shops in Eastern Europe.

From: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1352343/Salvation-Army-millionaire-William-Booth-makes-fortune-donated-clothes.html
And: http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2011/jan/31/salvation-army-profits-watchdog-inquiry

I know, when we took the last lot of stuff in they told us to bring them anything it did`nt matter because they could sell it on .

esalad

I was in my local hospice charity shop last Friday. They have recently had a refurbishment ie Cath Kidston wallpaper and wooden flooring laid. Their prices were always on the high side but now have gone through the roof! £5.00 for a second hand skirt is more than I will pay. The staff were gathered around complaining that since the refit three weeks previously that takings were down and the shop almost empty and it sounded like the management were coming down hard on them. The area isnt the most affluent and people want bargains not fancy refitted shops.

My DD also pointed out a pair of Primark shoes priced at £10.00 which only cost £8.00 in Primark! Thats just plain ridiculous:rotfl:

vodkawitch1

I would rather donate to a homeless hostel or womens refuge at least it is then free to people who are in need. Like everyone I think the charity shops are overpriced.

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Overheard from out the back of a BHF shop when looking at the overpriced DVDs:

'Some fat *$(@ came in asking if we had any size 22 clothes in. Told her we don't get things that big. Honestly, this is the BHF - if we're going to sell clothes for fat slobs, we may as well have cigarettes by the till'


Haven't been back since.

Evren

I avoid British Heart to be honest, A lot of the stuff seems to be very overpriced, compared to some places I go to, and the workers always seem to sniff their noses at me.

asbokid

Evren wrote: »

I avoid British Heart to be honest, A lot of the stuff seems to be very overpriced, compared to some places I go to, and sniff their noses at me

Bath time, that tells me..


!!!!!! happened there?!