Charity Shops Getting Expensive!

Lavendyr

ThumbRemote wrote: »

Charity shops ARE commercial businesses. They exist to make a profit for the parent charity.

Is the charity shop branch set up as a trading entity (e.g. as limited company) within the charity group? I wasn't aware of that. Would be surprised as it would mean they would be liable to corporation tax on 'profits', but I haven't looked into the group structure so don't know for sure how they have set the shops up.

If that's not the case, then yes, in broad terms they need to take in more money than they spend, but that doesn't mean they are for-profit.

passatrider

I work in a charity shop selling furniture and whether you like it or not we have targets much like any other other business on the high street. It's the way of the world. The only difference being that all the proceeds after expenses go to a worthy cause rather than shareholders.

We do sell things at high prices yes as this is what people are prepared to pay for them. If they didn't then we wouldn't make any money. You have a choice no one is forcing you to buy from us.

I'm sorry if this sounds a bit hard faced but that's the way charity shops have to be now to survive. You have to stand out from the rest to get the punters through the door, even if this means selling the best things at the best prices.

Dreamnine

I still give to charity but I've stopped using charity shops.

This is mainly because they were getting very expensive for what they were selling - like the above poster I too have noticed Primark and George branded clothes for more than what they would have cost new.

arcon5

Lavendyr wrote: »

Is the charity shop branch set up as a trading entity (e.g. as limited company) within the charity group? I wasn't aware of that. Would be surprised as it would mean they would be liable to corporation tax on 'profits', but I haven't looked into the group structure so don't know for sure how they have set the shops up.

If that's not the case, then yes, in broad terms they need to take in more money than they spend, but that doesn't mean they are for-profit.

No they will be setup as a registered charity, which means they receive certain tax benefits!

But their retail outlets are still run on a 'for profit' basis, it's just the profits they make go to charitable causes rather than paid out to shareholders as dividends.

arcon5

Our local BHF charity shop is shambolic. We was looking for a washing machine recently, they was offering a used and shabby looking one for £280, compared to a brand new one from Argos for <£200.

The fridges are always dirty inside, the furtniture needs a good clean and dusting and the staff are stood around talking far too often.

Lavendyr

arcon5 wrote: »

No they will be setup as a registered charity, which means they receive certain tax benefits!

But their retail outlets are still run on a 'for profit' basis, it's just the profits they make go to charitable causes rather than paid out to shareholders as dividends.

Well that's not "for profit" then is it! By definition, a for-profit business exists primarily to increase the wealth of its shareholders.

As I said, they obviously need to bring in more money than they spend to run the shops - because they are a branch of the charity's fundraising activity. But that doesn't make them for-profit, that just makes them fundraisers.

nuttywoman

The only charity shop i give to in my town is the Salvation Army because they take old clothes as well - they sell them on , also they are cheaper than the others , we was in a few weeks ago and they sold a Little Tykes Cosy Coupe car for £3.50 . The ladies in there are lovely and friendly not like the miserly`s working in the other shops in town.

jc808

Generally if a CS has:

- A 'big name'
- Lots of new, 'custom' products eg table mats, baskets, cards, pot pourri, that sort of !!!!ing !!!!!
- Women serving, who are still ovulating, or even clearly young and still attractive

Then its gonna be expensive. On the other hand, if youve got places with ropey old dears (Like in the League Of Gentlemen sketch), loads of !!!!! everywhere for 10p (and some great stuff also, that hasnt been filtered out to fit some !!!!!! Clapham demographic like in Ox !!!!ing Fam) and a shopfloor that looks like it was last fitted out in 1971, then youre in a PROPER charity shop...

- From a charity shopper and PROUD

jc808

arcon5 wrote: »

Our local BHF charity shop is shambolic. We was looking for a washing machine recently, they was offering a used and shabby looking one for £280, compared to a brand new one from Argos for <£200.

The fridges are always dirty inside, the furtniture needs a good clean and dusting and the staff are stood around talking far too often.

Agreed with this - the BHF in Maidstone has some great stuff, but some of it is overpriced. My mum bought two fans in there this week and ones blades were FILTHY. She also broke the spigot thing that holds the front cage onto the fan itself by overtightening the screw when she tried to put it back together... Then had the !!!!ING CHEEK to ask me to drill two small holes in the spigot thing and stitch it back together using nonexistant materials... I mean have you seen those plastic things that hold together desktop fans? Bloody stupid idea. In the end I !!!!ed it off and used cable ties (That I was using to fix her fencing that she keeps moaning about too) but thats not the bloody point, BHF are !!!!ing expensive, and at least one of (If not more) the electric desktop fans they sells blades are of a substandard level of cleanliness, being caked in dirt, dust and dead flies and whatnot

tiff

I buy from charity shops, usually when things have been out for a few weeks and then reduced to half price (wouldnt pay the full price).

I have become disillusioned as a volunteer in a charity shop and thinking about not volunteering soon. They take advantage, push you to work more hours, leave you to work alone in the shop and the prices and waste are incredible.