Charity Shops!!!!!! bah humbug

Joto_2

I think it depends where the charity shops are and how nice/snobby the area is. I've seen a man struggle into a charity shop with a very good and expensive looking exercise bike only to be told they can't accept it because he didn't have the instructions! I've taken several bin bags of clothes into the same shop only for them to quickly glance through them before accepting them and one lady who wanted to buy a salt and pepper pot in the cabbage design (don't know the make) who queried the price was told that's what they had been valued at. I must admit when we lived in this area though I picked up some lovely bargains. The shop use to have a six week turnaround and if it hadn't sold it went onto a £1 rail. I've had a Jeagar jacket and suits, Planet dresses all for a £1.

pulliptears

Joto wrote: »

one lady who wanted to buy a salt and pepper pot in the cabbage design (don't know the make) who queried the price was told that's what they had been valued at. .

I love it when they have stuff valued. Its either way off the mark and overpriced or amazingly underpriced.

Some years ago I bought a boxed action figure from the 70's that had been valued by a local toy dealer at £11. I had a hunch about it and bought it despite my unwritten rule of never spending more than a fiver. Two weeks later it ended on ebay at a little over £800.... :T

On the flipside, I wandered into one in Prestatyn the other week that wanted £30 for a piece of £5 wedgwood because that was "What it had been valued at!".

pseudopensioner

well, all remaining books are now packed for the move (been up since 02.30 and am shattered), all that remains to be packed is the PC and me!!!!

Oh no I forgot 2 knives, 2 forks 1 teaspoon and 2 plates for the takeaway.....there is no way I am cooking tonight, pans are packed anyway so that's a good excuse.

Have registered on Swindon Freecycle so someone down that area may
benefit.

Anyone know any nice animal charity shops down Swindon way?

GreenNinja

I have also experienced this "don't want it" attitude when I recently took some stuff up to my local charity shop.
The lady in the shop was quite rude and said I am on my own I can't take any more donations when in actual fact she didn't have to do anything, as I was putting the goods directly into their storage/sorting area.
I also noticed in another charity shop across the road, selling a stained bobbly old top for 3 quid!

hev_2

When I worked at a charity shop (for a local hospice, not a 'chain'), I always made a point of thanking people properly for donations.

On the other hand, I once opened a black bin bag to find inside a blood stained eiderdown!

Charity shops have to make money, which means that some stuff they cannot shift will have to be put in the rubbish which they will be charged for at business rate. I think that they should still be polite to the people who bring stuff in, even if it is unsaleable, but you have to be realistic about what you take to a charity shop. This is still no excuse for rudeness or the unhelpful attitude. I would have fallen over myself for the books, it means that more donations are likely to follow.

BTW, the worst I ever saw was walking past a Barnardo's charity shop in Llandudno, where a load of obviously unwanted books had been dumped in the rubbish bin outside. Most of it looked saleable if priced appropriately. Somehow, I am less likely to take my stuff there.

BTW II, a charity shop is not to give charity to the purchasers, but to raise money for a good cause. That is not an excuse for over pricing, but they would be wrong not to try and get the best possible price for any item.

That's my rant over - I think the OP was treated shamefully, and I want to stress that there are a lot of nice people in charity shops out there!

pseudopensioner

Think it felt worse because it was an animal charity, I love to support animal charities.

I have animals and care for them well, I appreciate that some pet owners who may be financially embarrassed at certain times, but still have and want to care for their pets.

Imagine a single person old or young , who relies on their pet for companionship and comfort, and if they need help for vets bills etc. where else can they turn except to charity?

pulliptears

pseudopensioner wrote: »

Think it felt worse because it was an animal charity, I love to support animal charities.

I have animals and care for them well, I appreciate that some pet owners who may be financially embarrassed at certain times, but still have and want to care for their pets.

Imagine a single person old or young , who relies on their pet for companionship and comfort, and if they need help for vets bills etc. where else can they turn except to charity?

Sadly not in the case of my elderly parents who's shih Tzu tore the ligament in his leg last bank holiday monday. In desperation they took him to the PDSA, but because they worked all their lives and dont claim benefits were not entitled to any help whatsoever, despite the fact they could barely afford it! My father is terminally ill but even that doesnt qualify for assistance.

One operation and £800 later the dog is recovering, but my parents will struggle for months now.

pseudopensioner

pulliptears wrote: »

Sadly not in the case of my elderly parents who's shih Tzu tore the ligament in his leg last bank holiday monday. In desperation they took him to the PDSA, but because they worked all their lives and dont claim benefits were not entitled to any help whatsoever, despite the fact they could barely afford it! My father is terminally ill but even that doesnt qualify for assistance.

One operation and £800 later the dog is recovering, but my parents will struggle for months now.

That is so sad, did that also apply to the RSPCA? Were they unable or unwilling to help?

pulliptears

Both unfortunately. Because they worked they just arent entitled. I had to fight tooth and nail to get a stairlift installed for my father, even though they have a very small amount of savings they just dont qualify. The problem is because Dad is suffering from Lung Cancer he cant get insurance, the small amount they saved is a "burial fund". Sadly that isnt considered.

Mum was more upset by the fact that the waiting room seemed to be full of scruffy youths with big dogs they couldnt control and getting the treatment for free.

They didnt go to the RSPCA, to be fair Leo was in a lot of pain and they really didnt want to prolong it so just accepted the treatment from the PDSA. In the end the vet gave him painkillers, charged £60 for an out of hours call and then told them to come back when it wasnt a bank holiday. They took him to a private vets the next day as they were so appauled with the treatment they had recieved.

jasmineswhiskers

hev wrote: »

BTW II, a charity shop is not to give charity to the purchasers, but to raise money for a good cause. That is not an excuse for over pricing, but they would be wrong not to try and get the best possible price for any item.

Surely selling a larger volume of items more cheaply with a quick turnaround would make the charity shops more money. They obviously have enough people willing to donate the quantity. Plus they'd have less to get rid of themselves. I presume they have to pay for this service. Also why don't they have 'Sale Rails' where items are reduced after a certain period of time. When I went into one of my local shops they were selling a man's suit. Jacket was a 44" chest and the trousers were something ridiculous like a 38" waist, 28" leg (Humpty Dumpty sprung to mind!) Anyway I asked if they could separate the two as the chance of finding someone to fit these measurements was probably zero. They wouldn't do it and it was there for ages - probably got chucked out in the end.