Charity Shops!!!!!! bah humbug

MoaningMyrtle

If I go shopping to a less affluent town near me, they have furniture for sale in the charity shops. Other branches of the same (Local Hospice) charity shop in more affluent towns do not sell any furniture. They must do their marketing well.

Slightly O/T observation now, we have two charity shops in our large village, one of which is done out in a modern style, one of the more old-style cram it all in and hope for the best. There is also another currently empty shop in the parade available for rent at £14,000 pa. Obviously business rates and utilities will be in addition to this. It makes me wonder how much charities pay in rent/rates for their shops?

My friend and I have often discussed opening a shop in the village, with these prices, you would have to sell a lot of high priced new items before any hint of a profit wouldn't you ?

Js_Other_Half

MoaningMyrtle wrote: »

There is also another currently empty shop in the parade available for rent at £14,000 pa. Obviously business rates and utilities will be in addition to this. It makes me wonder how much charities pay in rent/rates for their shops?

Significantly less business rates are paid by charities:
http://www.mybusinessrates.gov.uk/rates/other_reliefs/index.html

As for the rent - who knows - they certainly have very few paid staff.

foreign_correspondent

I think OXFAM are often best to donate books to - they have staff who research the value of anything old/rare, so if you send some decent/expensive books in they are likely to sell them at a realistinc price and benefit the charity more.

As for the shop assistant who was rude to you, most people working in charity shops are volunteers - this means that:
a)they are giving their time for nowt - so you have to appreciate that.
b) they may not have as much aptitude/experience/training etc as someone who is a paid shop assistant (although many volunteers are actually very skilled and experienced)
c)Some charity shop volunteers may be unable to do paid work due to issues such as health, learning disability or mental health issues. If someone seems a bit grouchy or slow on the uptake, maybe give em the benefit of the doubt!

Personally, I would have appealed to her better nature and said 'oh ok, but I did ring earlier and made arrangements with the manager to bring them down, - I have made a special trip to bring them - normally of course I would let you keep the box, but as I am moving I need to re-use it.... now, where can I put these for you?' plonk down the books, give her a cheesy grin, thank her for her help and shoot off - job done! lol:D

frivolous_fay

Oxfam have bookshops which I assume take on the books the other shops don't care to stock. The staff there obviously have an eye out for anything potentially valuable, although I think they're a little overzealous at times.

Case in point: A 1st edition of The Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett charges hands for thousands of pounds - there were only around 400 printed.

This does NOT make a recent Pratchett 1st edition worth £30. No, not even a hardback. No, not even a 1st. It's not rare, get a grip, and why is it in a locked cabinet anyway? :rotfl:

littlejaffa

Am I the only one that thinks it's wrong to try and barter with charity shops to get something your going to sell on e-bay for a profit? (then complain if they shop won't reduce the price!) The more money they can make the better their cause does...isn't that the point of them?

In alot of shops it's only certain people allowed to price goods (the ones that know what a first edition looks like or have heard of prada!) so if you ask anyone else they won't reduce the price cause they're not allowed too.

Remember these people give their time and energy free, for anyone to do that there's usually something in it for them, (even if it is just a gossip behind the tills).