Charity Shops Getting Expensive!

GrungeMeister

I can't afford our local Oxfam. It's shelves are heaving with stuff they can't sell. Many of the clothes are dearer than brand new from Primark, frequently their books are more expensive than the cover price.

Someone told me the manageress is salaried, which accounts for the prices they charge I suppose.

It's a two way street, charity shops. We buy second hand and they give us it cheap, that's the deal so many Oxfam shops have forgotten.

jc808

GrungeMeister wrote: »

I can't afford our local Oxfam. It's shelves are heaving with stuff they can't sell. Many of the clothes are dearer than brand new from Primark, frequently their books are more expensive than the cover price.

Someone told me the manageress is salaried, which accounts for the prices they charge I suppose.

It's a two way street, charity shops. We buy second hand and they give us it cheap, that's the deal so many Oxfam shops have forgotten.

truth...........

eyelinerprincess

GrungeMeister wrote: »

Someone told me the manageress is salaried, which accounts for the prices they charge I suppose.

Yup, there's an ad in the window of one the charity shops looking for a manager on a Sunday and I think the salary was £7.50-ish an hour.

tiff

It has been proven in our chain that paid shop managers increase takings compared to voluntary shop managers. Our chain had quite a few voluntary managers until recently. I think its right to have a paid manager, someone needs to be in control.

I recently went for an interview for a shop manager for a well known mental health charity. The salary was £13,500, 5 days a week 9 till 5. A very low salary for the responsibility and hard work required.

Beetlemama

We've often said they are getting so expensive, our local Salvation Army use to do furniture of various sorts for 40 or 50 quid and now the suites of furniture are 100-200 quid. I know they are raising money for their chosen charity, but the other part of the charity shop was that we poor people use to be able to buy things in there that we couldn't afford at a regular shop - and now we can't buy them in there either.

I only go in to the local recycling shop (one of those real old fashioned places where they just make up a price when you get to the counter with your bits, like a pair of jeans, two necklaces and a kids board game - "How about £1.50?"), save the children and the age concern that has a £1 rail, the rest I have to walk past. The shoes might be in good condition, but they're £15 and I don't care if they are a brand or a big name, I just don't want wet feet and I can get a cheap pair in ASDA for less than half that.

sammyroser

eyelinerprincess wrote: »

Yup, there's an ad in the window of one the charity shops looking for a manager on a Sunday and I think the salary was £7.50-ish an hour.

I applied for a manager job once for oxfam and it was about 11k less then the average in the area.

I have one street that has almost every charity shop and the only one worth visiting is RSPCA. Got a denim jacket that felt like new for £2 and a pair of trousers again very good quality, originally from DP for £3.

chippy2u

Why are books so expensive in charity shops. I used to buy books for around 50p to £1 and I would return them to the shop after I had read them for resale. Now with books at £2.50 upwards I have stopped buying them from charity shops and instead got a Kindle (it soon pays for itself) and get 1000s of books free, so the shops have lost at least one regular customer because of their high prices!

Kite2010

I always have a flick though the CDs and it is amazing how much some charity shops think they can charge for some worthless CDs. The CDs you see in Poundland selling for a quid (M People, Steps etc) are for sale for £3.

Or you get the shops with has "variable" prices so some CDs are £10 because it has a "special edition" sticker on the case!

cattie

The only charity shops I buy from and donate to in my locality are Cats Protection, where most clothes are priced at a straight £2. Books are 8 for £1 paperbacks and 4 for £1 hardbacks.

This shop believes that even something sold for 5p helps towards helping unwanted or homeless cats. It is a wonderful Alladin's cave as you never know what gems you might find. As you may imagine, it is well supported, even though not on a high street situation. When friend come to visit me they love to go there for a rummage.

The other shop with reasonable prices which gets my support is the local hospice shop, this also sells reasonably priced furniture & is often no sooner in than is sold.

The 'names' can learn a lot from these smaller charities, which understand better that the more you sell, the more you make. And that lower prices equals more sales.

brightonman123

i used to volunteer for a local charity shop, with football connections-

most items were in very good condition (boss wouldn't allow any tat!), and much lower prices than normal retail shops.. parents could save a great deal, when kitting out their children.

thankfully their main expenses were covered by local firm donations, and I think only one member of staff was actually paid- all others were (willing!) volunteers..

I have heard, but am unable to confirm, that some national charities take about 90% of ££ donated in admin/salaries etc, which is quite disgusting, considering the goodwill they expect.