British Heart Foundation - Unbelievable!

SailorSam

Micky_Mouse wrote: »

I cant believe someone has actualy haggled in a charity shop.

I don't think that's exactly haggling, you're saying instead of paying you £1 in cash you're saying here i'll swop a bag of books worth £25 perhaps.
The shop would know they'd get the book back at a later date and is just saying thanks for donating to us and not to a different charity.

jc808

Micky_Mouse wrote: »

I cant believe someone has actualy haggled in a charity shop.

I have, but only ever in Oxfam or BHF... (I go to loads of charity shops)
Why do you think that is?

jc808

ThumbRemote wrote: »

My sense or perspective is fine, thanks. It's your "ropey old charity shop" that is probably making next to nothing for the charity. It what sense is that reality?

Surely when you donate goods to a charity shop, you want them to get the most they can from selling them?

A charity shop is a business making money for a charity. It's not there to provide bargains for you or others.

If its making next to nothing, why are they still open?

ThumbRemote

jc808 wrote: »

If its making next to nothing, why are they still open?

????

You started out talking about a hypothetical shop: "give me a ropey old charity shop with senile old biddies and everything 10p any day". I responded, about this hypothetical shop, that it would be making next to nothing for the charity.

Now it's suddenly become a real shop.

If such a shop does exist, where everything is 10p, it probably relies on a massive turnover of goods or incredibly cheap/free rent. Its probably raising money for a small charity, who don't have the business acumen to make the changes needed to realise more profit from the shop. Alternatively the "senile old biddies" probably wield an awful lot of power, and rather than fight with them the charity just leaves them to it, on the basis they are raising something rather than nothing.

biscit

ThumbRemote wrote: »

If such a shop does exist, where everything is 10p, it probably relies on a massive turnover of goods or incredibly cheap/free rent. Its probably raising money for a small charity, who don't have the business acumen to make the changes needed to realise more profit from the shop. Alternatively the "senile old biddies" probably wield an awful lot of power, and rather than fight with them the charity just leaves them to it, on the basis they are raising something rather than nothing.

You are right.

That said there are charity shops out there who charge unrealistic amounts for the goods they sell. Oxfam has minimum pricing guidelines, but these were ignored in a branch I know because the staff there knew what would sell and for how much. They were supposed to send on stuff that didn't sell to a recycling place, but had a reduced rail instead and took money rather than send stuff on.

I've seen Primark stuff priced at close to new price, sometimes it's a posh old thing who has no awareness of stores like Primark and prices according to what she would buy new.

You are totally correct to say that charity shops are there primarily to make money for the charity, but a combination of volunteers (not that being paid makes you any more competent- see the rest of this forum!) and unrealistic guidelines can lead to some items being unrealistically priced.

There is a misconception that the charity in charity shop is about providing cheap stuff to poor people, and you were correct in pointing out this is not the case.

lily117

I would never again donate to BHF. Our local furniture one (Swansea branch) throw out perfectly good items on a daily basis at the back of the shop. This of course attracts all the local scavengers. Have reported this to Head Office and they said they would look into it but it still goes on.

Steer73

Mk14:37 wrote: »

I once took a bag of books but saw one i wanted and asked if they'd take the books in part exchange and sell me the other book for a pound (which I would have later returned to bhf), but they flatly refused. I left the books but didn't take the other, and haven't returned since, preferring to use one of the other half dozen on the high street.

Its a charity shop, not a bring and buy sale!

ellay864

I once had an old dressing table that I wanted rid of but had no transport to get rid anywhere. 3 charity places turned me down flat saying they couldn't collect (even though I know they have vans). Another said they would take it but asked me for £2.50 fee. I agreed and said I'd leave the money in the drawer, and I arranged to leave the dressing table in a covered area beside my house so they could collect while I was at work.
I got home to find the dressing table still there, a note saying it wasn't really what they were looking for and £1.50 remaining...they took the other pound for their petrol for the wasted journey! Needless to say next time they came round doing a door to door I wasn't exactly rushing to donate!

lincroft1710

ellay864 wrote: »

I got home to find the dressing table still there, a note saying it wasn't really what they were looking for and £1.50 remaining...they took the other pound for their petrol for the wasted journey!

Cheeky beggars! Name and shame!

BTW If you want to dispose of furniture for free again try a site such as Freegle. It's not a charity, but a site where members give and ask for items. No fees for removal!

ellay864

I would name and shame but it was a while ago and I can't remember them...they were a local charity, not one of the 'big names'.
I did try putting it on Freecycle as well. Charity had been my first noble thought, then just finding a home anywhere. I needed to get rid but hate throwing things away if they could be used by somebody. I didn't get any takers on freecycle either so ended up breaking it up to take to the tip. Seemed such a shame