Real life MMD: My £1 charity shop vase is worth £750 — should I split the profit?

scoobydoobydoo

Avon2001 wrote: »

Hi,

What you say is probably true of small local charities, however I assure you that larger charities pay their staff very well indeed and give them outstanding benefits and conditions. That's why I save my money for small ones.

And where did you get that little gem from?! My daughter in law is a manager for a large well known charity shop and she gets paid a pittance. To do the same job for one of the normal clothes retailers, she would get paid atleast 25% and upto 50% more. She gets no benefits or perks.

Littleweedj

squirehorse wrote: »

Charity starts at home!

Home is also the U.K. where ongoing research into diseases could mean the difference between life or death for those closest to you.

juliamarsh

I think the decision is entirely up to her, but whatever she decides to do she shouldn't feel guilty about it, the item belongs to her after all and she paid what was asked for the vase even if it was cheap! She can make a donation to the Charity Shop if she so chooses but she certainly shouldn't feel obliged to split it 50:50 with them.

Now I must go and take another look at that bag I bought from a Charity Shop the other week....!!!!

scrabbly

I don't think there is any "should " about it but I personally would feel ever so mean if I didn't give something back in some way - cash,goods anything,
Life is not ALL about money !

Sulevia

Personally I would do something really useful for myself with the money - like paying off some of my debt, but I would give an extra donation to the charity I got it from as a kind of 'thank you' for being the bringer of my good fortune.

ditzyangeluk

I work in an Oxfam charity shop and any items that are donated ARE checked for authenticity and value via the internet - if the shop in question doesn't do that, ther loss. HOWEVER, I WOULD donate a some money to them but certainly not half. Thems the breaks (as all the antique and buy/sell shows on tv prove!)

walvert

So why are you a fan of charity shops? Because you are generously driven or because you can make a bundle by using them and the generous givers to these charities?
If you fall into the second category you will not understand the debate. Nauseating little people.
In the first category you may well be in a quandary.
What are your financial circumstances? Most of us could use some extra cash.
Personally - and there must be a great number of personal views - I would not hesitate to give at least 50% to the charity.
Perhaps the people controlling these charities, usually on grossly generous salaries, should come under much greater scrutiny and made responsible for the efficiency of their organisations.
Walvert

Gra76

I'd sell the vase and I'd keep every penny. The charity shop advertised the selling price and made what they wanted on the vase. Once it's sold on it's none of their business what the new owner does with it. If they didn't see the value in the item that's their loss. The buyer shouldn't feel obliged to give anything back.

Ultimately, you don't owe anything to a previous owner of any item. It's irrelevant who the previous owner was or what the item is.

Charities are businesses too. If they underprice their goods and someone else makes a profit on it that's fine with me.

catnatlady

bossymoo wrote: »

I'd probably give them a bit, depending on how much it actually went for. Maybe not 50/50 though, as pp says, she took the trouble to look into it.

I agree. If you wanted to support the charity in the first place, then reward them for their hard work in running the shop that brought you good luck!

suejb2

Keep it all if the charity shop don't have the way with all to check things "value" prior to putting them on the shop floor for sale the it is their lookout. My friends mum used to work in a charity shop and she had some of the best clothes because staff got the pick of the bags before they were priced up.Your good fortune to be in the right place at the right time.Well done.