What is your charity shop bargain of the week?

Pollycat

alexnder wrote: »

Recently went on a trawl of nine charity shops in my area and bought just one shirt! Seems all the prices are ridiculously high for some cheap labels and clothing and, while I enjoy chazzas, I'm not sure it's a good use of my time! I've been buying more off eBay as a result but it's difficult not knowing how something looks on you. Donated quite a few things due to this which, although cheap, add up!

Similar here - but 6 shops and bought zero.

Just back from 2 weeks holiday too so was expecting to find something.
I did pause for a second on a Wallis summer top that would have been good with linen trousers but passed on it at £3.50 - but that might have had someting to do with the weather. :rotfl:

I'm willing to pay a reasonable amount for something that wasn't cheap to start with and is in very good condition like £5 for a Mantaray maxi dress that I know was £40 new but not the same for a Primark one.

My time isn't an issue as I pop up to our local Tesco Extra & small greengrocer (3/4 mile away) on a regular basis.

It seems prices - especially in BHF - are a cause for complaint for a lot of people.

Georgiegirl256

Pollycat wrote: »

It seems prices - especially in BHF - are a cause for complaint for a lot of people.

I used to volunteer in a BHF store, and people were always saying the prices were to high and trying to haggle them down. I'm maybe only aware of that because I was actually serving them, but I've never known it in any other store (doesn't mean to say it doesn't happen of course). It's one of the few shops that I actually have to stop and think "do I really need this, do I really want to pay that much?" Which is a shame, as it's one of my favourite charities and is very close to my heart.

Yesterday, I bought 9 dresses at £1 each. Again, some decent names and at least one BNWT. Even though I got a bargain, I do think that sometimes the ones with tags or that look is very good condition shouldn't be included in the 'all womens clothing £1', and should maybe be priced seperately for the benefit of the charity.

Brick-a-brac was all half price, so I got a Holkham green Tudor house money box for 75p. Oh, and also a pair of cropped trousers for my Mam for £1 as she fancied a pair for doing the garden in. Not sure if she'll wear them though with them coming from a charity shop? :eek:

Also, whilst taking some items to our local hospice shop, I couldn't resist a handbag that was behind the counter! It's sort of a olive green/khaki/taupe colour (seems to look different in different lights!) and was brand new and has lots of compartments which I love - £4.30. Also a white long sleeved blouse for £2.

mavvymoo

Hello all
I was just commenting on the price of charity shops now.Yes I think they have gone up and the BHF is sadly the highest priced here.

If I go in there I always hear people saying how expensive it is and moving on to another shop.Which is sad for the charity as if they came down on price I am sure they would sell loads more.

The other really high priced one here is age concern. I saw a nice pair of M&S cut off trousers with the tag on saying £39.50 and they had a price tag of £25 :eek: That was about 4 weeks ago I popped in again Monday just to see if they were still there. and yes they were and still priced at £25.

The Charity shop I help in is a local one and everything is a very good price.Its marked down to half price after 2 weeks stays another week and then goes on to the £1 sale rail.

If it doesnt sell its bagged up and sold on to me Who then sells it at monthy sales for a charity of my choice.The last sale I did I made over £300 for help for heros This month will be another charity (this time local) Its hard work but very rewarding knowing everyone is making money for charity, everything is staying out of landfill. and people are getting some amazing bargains as you would be shocked if you saw what is taken off the sale rail and passed on to me sometimes.

Mav x

silvasava

When will some of the charity shops learn that 50pct of something is better than 100pct of nothing? Lower prices mean a quicker turnover of stock and draw more people in. My local BHF shop looks very nice but there are 12 CS in our small town and our hospice shop although higher priced displays top of the range items.

Pollycat

Georgiegirl256 wrote: »

I used to volunteer in a BHF store, and people were always saying the prices were to high and trying to haggle them down. I'm maybe only aware of that because I was actually serving them, but I've never known it in any other store (doesn't mean to say it doesn't happen of course). It's one of the few shops that I actually have to stop and think "do I really need this, do I really want to pay that much?" Which is a shame, as it's one of my favourite charities and is very close to my heart.

It's a charity close to my heart too - both my Mum & Dad had heart surgery.

I'd never haggle in a charity shop unless the item was faulty in some way that they'd not noticed, I'd just vote with my feet.

I have pointed out some pretty poor shortening attempts on garments and our Hospice shop usually knock something off.
In mitigation for my meanness, I do take all my unwanted stuff to them.

Once I saw a lovely maxi dress in Shelter but right towards the bottom the side seam had frayed.
It wouldn't have been a problem for me as I would have had to shorten it and the frayed bit would have been cut off.
I asked if they'd reduce it but the assistanr said they couldn't sell it.
I asked what they would do with it and she said they'd put it in the rag bag.
I suggested they threw it on the floor, I would pick it up and just happen to decide to donate £1 in their tin.
It took her a while to catch on but she agreed.

mavvymoo wrote: »

If it doesnt sell its bagged up and sold on to me Who then sells it at monthy sales for a charity of my choice.The last sale I did I made over £300 for help for heros This month will be another charity (this time local) Its hard work but very rewarding knowing everyone is making money for charity, everything is staying out of landfill. and people are getting some amazing bargains as you would be shocked if you saw what is taken off the sale rail and passed on to me sometimes.

Mav x

Thats fab, Mav. :T

Pollycat

silvasava wrote: »

When will some of the charity shops learn that 50pct of something is better than 100pct of nothing? Lower prices mean a quicker turnover of stock and draw more people in.

Apparently in a lot of shops pricing comes down from head office.

I posted on here a while ago about our local Barnados refusing to take books as 'they get about 250 a week but only sell about 20'.
Well, when paperbacks are priced at £1.99 each & the 2 hospice shops 50 yards away and 250 yards away sell similar books for 50p to 75p and 25p or 5 for £1 it's hardly surprising, is it?

They would have room to put a table out with books for 25p and I'm sure they'd turn stock round pretty quickly.
I sometimes question the business acumen of some charity shop managers/area managers (shakes head in disbelief).

Georgiegirl256

Pollycat wrote: »

It's a charity close to my heart too - both my Mum & Dad had heart surgery.

I'd never haggle in a charity shop unless the item was faulty in some way that they'd not noticed, I'd just vote with my feet.
. :T

I wouldn't haggle either. Their was a shop near us that sold furniture, and for a while they had a sign up saying they would take offers (they later stopped it), and we bought a corner unit and my parents bought a wardrobe. I couldn't bring myself to do it though. Even though I've got no qualms about doing it in a "proper" shop, I'd feel bad in a chazza.

Just washed those trousers that I got for my Mam, and just noticed 2 marks on them. :mad: To be fair, I did just grab them without checking as t were only a pound....rookie mistake! She'll probably be thinking what a lucky escape she had lol! :rotfl:

Pollycat

Just remembered a dress I bought years ago that had a biro mark on the front.

I mentioned it and the staff reduced the price by half.
I said if the mark came out in the wash, I'd bring the other half of the money back but they said it didn't matter.
This was when most charity shops were staffed by ahem 'older ladies'.

Anyway, it washed perfectly and I popped back a week or so later - wearing said dress - and put the money in their donation tin.
The ladies were thrilled.

Does that make me a haggler?

Georgiegirl256

Pollycat wrote: »

Does that make me a haggler?

No, IMO you did them a favour, it would probably have ended up being ragged if no one had bought it. Nice of you to go back and out the money in the tin, a lot of people wouldn't.

I've taken things back before when I haven't noticed a mark or a rip, but I can't be bothered this time as it was only £1.

DigForVictory

I was in a BHF shop & spotted a couple of enamelled tin mugs. £1.49 each, still with the tags that identify them as worth £8 each on Amazon.

One will go into a Christmas stocking, one I want to use but am making myself out in the present drawer.

They are not all gruesomely priced - or perhaps the store manager has pointed out the 4 competing charity shops in a 200 yard radius & been given much wider latitude.