Charity shops?

lindseykim13

Hmm was wondering what others thoughts on this might be. I like to have a good look in charity shops and always thought it was a fair game. Keep going in to find the good bits ect so a bit of luck really to be in the right place at the right time.
Noticed lately that there has been nothing good in my local for a long time.
Overheard today that the lady who runs our local has a little supply racket going though. She keeps any vintage clothing back for a lady who then sells it at vintage fairs. She keeps all military items back for a guy who also sells it on at military fairs, and there was plenty more of this but you get the idea!

Now if the money raised was going straight to the charity i can see the point but it isn't. She's letting these 'friends' of hers buy stuff cheaply by the sack load who are then making a nice sum on it. Wouldn't surprise me if these 'friends' were in fact relatives and they were then going halfs on the profits.

Surely this is a bit fishy as people are donating stuff in good faith and it's being practically given away to dealers rather than being sold in the shop.
She's the type to go mad if something ends up on the shop floor that she wanted to keep back as i've heard her moaning at the other volunteers before.

Is it just me who thinks it's a bit mean on the charity for starters? Last time i donate anything to that one.

zenseeker

If that is remotely true I would report it. I'm pretty sure the charity in question would take a very dim view of these activities.

soolin

If she is doing it without the knowledge of the charity and to help 'friends' then it needs reporting.

However, it is common for charity shops to sell on selected goods like this, most smaller ones do. I had a contract with a couple for books, I would sit in their back office sorting out donated books and filling my car at 2p or 5p a book. Other dealers did the same with vintage clothes. Even normal clothes were sold by the bag I sorted to a company.

EDIT: I did not know anyone at the shops with which I had contracts, it was just that I would pay a little more than the big dealers who only wanted to pay 1p a book.

lindseykim13

Just doesn't sit right with me, i'm all for bagging a bargain and making a profit but she was more than happy to tell this lady all about who and why she keeps stuff back. No wonder there has been nothing other than ornaments and pretty crud kids toys in there amongt the basic clothing. I don't see anything wrong with promising to give a set amount of pence for books ect but for example a sack of vintage clothing for just a few pounds when 1 dress alone could be worth on average £10-£30. I used to collect some vintage dresses (still have a few in the wardrobe!) and like to see if they have anything nice in to add to it. Like i say nothing for months and now i know why!
Seems unfair on the customers and the charity.

Contains_Mild_Peril

Is it an independent shop or part of a chain? If the latter, any bulk selling to dealers should be authorised at a higher level (e.g. by an area manager). The charity shop where I work will occasionally put aside particular items for customers who have requested them, but tends to sell vintage stuff on eBay, which some staff considered better for the shop's reputation than displaying items with a limited market which many would view simply as old tat on the shop floor (I remember arguing with a colleague over whether a particularly hideous 1980s top was worth selling at all: IIRC it made about £4 on eBay).

Rhymsta

Our local charity shop closed down and a very similar shop opened up calling itself a Recycle Shop with a notice saying that they would accept our unwanted goods.

I think the proceeds still go to a good cause though...

The SOBP. (Shop Owner's Back Pocket).

cannyscot_2

If it is a national charity I'd get on the phone asap and report it as it breaks all their policies. It is misappropriation of charity assets so would effectively down the line be against charity commission rules as the charity as an obligation of protect all donations and acount for them.
If it is one of those local charity things I'd probably write to the charity conmission. I'd be super annoyed if I had donated and they did this .

Meadows

I would report this as donations are given for a worthy cause and not to benefit a few friends and relations (and no doubt a few £'s in her pocket).

Even if it's your word against hers it should be investigated!

pulliptears

lindseykim13 wrote: »

She's letting these 'friends' of hers buy stuff cheaply by the sack load who are then making a nice sum on it.

How do you know how much she is selling the sacks for? How do you know how much is being made out of the sacks? If you don't then to be honest I don't think it's any of your business.

It's quite feasible she's selling the sacks for more than they could get in the shop as an individual item but leaving profit in it for the buyer.

Lets be honest the majority of us wouldn't know a vintage dress from any other and probably wouldn't pay more than say £4. They may be paying her £5 for the dress and then selling it for £10 but the charity isn't missing out at all.

bartelbe

Like others have said, it depends how much she is getting. I have volunteered in charity shops that had similar arrangements. To be fair we didn't let them pick and choose. They paid a set price for bags of stock we couldn't shift and took their chances. It meant the shop got some money and didn't have to pay to dispose of unwanted stock.

I still volunteer, nowadays most shops are more sohpisticated. The stock is storted, with the best stuff going onto auction, online selling or even ebay. A pain if you make your living off selling on charity stock, but affraid those days are over. Charity shops are much more proffesional now.

The only problem I have noticed is shops that sort stock, then price based on the internet price, but try to sell it in the shop. You won't get the same price for collectable items in a charity shop, that you will online. It is too specialised a market. All that tends to happen is the stock hangs around too long and never sells.

porto_bello

To be honest, I've overheard quite a few conversations in charity shops along the lines of "let's hold this back for X" or "Y knows someone who is collects this, so don't put it out". I've also known charity shop volunteers apply the logic that because they're volunteers, nobody should begrudge them the odd freebie... or several.

I'm sure there are many cases of charity shops losing out on income and I’m uncomfortable with charity shop staff helping themselves or passing stock onto their friends/associates, but realistically I doubt reporting it would really achieve anything. It's not really something that is enforceable and many charity shops probably will take the view that they couldn’t afford to lose their volunteers, so they may as well overlook the occasional ‘light finger’.