Charity shops - expensive?

monkeymonkeymonkey

LizD wrote: »

Stealing is disgusting anyway, but to steal from a charity shop is utterly despicable, even if the clothes are overpriced.

I saw this happen the other week... it is quite awful, but just imagine how desperate for clothing you would have to be to steal from a charity shop of all places!

wannabe_sybil

Actually, I haven't been to the high concentrations of charity shops. However the ones I have been in have had not much in the way of clothing for my little boy.

I was very tempted by a suede type jacket for him at £2.99 that was immaculate and from Next, but it would have only just fit him, and I am trying to stop buying all the time.

I think charity shops should stop trying to be 'retail environments' and go back to the 'rummage and see if you can find a bargain' type places'. That is much more fun. Until then they will be trying to compete with Matalan and Primark and failing.

Also, dear heart took a boot load of books to the British Heart Foundation and they turned him away. The books were actually in extremely good condition - I've worked in a charity shop and I didn't send tat.

Austin_Allegro

ryandj wrote: »

I think the point of charity shops is to raise as much money as they can for the charity itself! They are not shops for giving charity to the customers.

Sadly it seems most of the major charities are now run along the same lines as big business. Paid employees and the inculcation of a competitive spirit in order to corner market share, and a fair bit of politicisation as well. The actor Stephen Tompkinson showed this well in the very funny and much neglected 90s sitcom 'Sweet Charity'.

Yes the bottom line is still to make money for the charity, but once you have 'charity executives' drawing large salaries, you get vested interest, and charity in the Biblical sense of selfless love goes out of the window.

This is why I prefer to patronise charity shops run by small local charities like hospices. They tend to be run mainly by volunteers and have realistic pricing.

Reverbe

monkeymonkeymonkey wrote: »

I saw this happen the other week... it is quite awful, but just imagine how desperate for clothing you would have to be to steal from a charity shop of all places!

Or just cheeky. I think in my local area we have a lot of problems with Polish and other Eastern Europeans stealing from charity shops even before the recent credit crunch and charity shop price increases.(I am quite friendly with my local ones and you do tend to hear these tales) I tend not think not how desperate must you be to steal from charity shops, but how scummy must you be to take money from deserving causes and people with illness etc.But then again maybe I am too good as I am the type of person who would not steal if I was penniless, homeless and starving.

Reverbe

Austin_Allegro wrote: »

This is why I prefer to patronise charity shops run by small local charities like hospices. They tend to be run mainly by volunteers and have realistic pricing.

Not always the case. Our local hospice one has been caught by me a coupla times recently selling the exact same wool that can be bought brand new from the market at considerably higher prices.:rolleyes:

Teria

Our local Banardos sells all second hand adults clothes and shoes for 1.49, all childrens clothes and toys for 79p, and all new, or designer clothes for 2.00. Books and bric a brac for between 49p - 1.49.
None of the other charity shops in town are this cheap, and that's why this one is always packed!

annie-c

Reverbe wrote: »

Or just cheeky. I think in my local area we have a lot of problems with Polish and other Eastern Europeans stealing from charity shops even before the recent credit crunch and charity shop price increases.(I am quite friendly with my local ones and you do tend to hear these tales) I tend not think not how desperate must you be to steal from charity shops, but how scummy must you be to take money from deserving causes and people with illness etc.But then again maybe I am too good as I am the type of person who would not steal if I was penniless, homeless and starving.

I'm surprised that they are able to identify the thefts as being specifically by Polish and Eastern European individuals. I'd have thought that shoplifting is done covertly - if we saw it, we could stop it! So I do wonder if assumptions are being made abut the racial identity of the shoplifters, without actual knowledge.

Personally I think shoplifting from charity shops is very sad but I have never been penniless, homeless or starving so I don't know how 'good' a person I am in that respect.

annie-c

Teria wrote: »

Our local Banardos sells all second hand adults clothes and shoes for 1.49, all childrens clothes and toys for 79p, and all new, or designer clothes for 2.00. Books and bric a brac for between 49p - 1.49.
None of the other charity shops in town are this cheap, and that's why this one is always packed!

Our Barnardos has a similar policy and also sells books at 5 for a £1 so they fly out of the door

Steel_2

I wish our local Willen hospice would price reasonably - they try and flog their paperbacks for £1.50 - £2.00 and wonder why they never sell any. Hardbacks start at about £4.00. Videos are £2.00.

Even one odd ratty old drinking glass will have a sticker for 99p on it.

I don't bother going in any more.

Reverbe

annie-c wrote: »

I'm surprised that they are able to identify the thefts as being specifically by Polish and Eastern European individuals. I'd have thought that shoplifting is done covertly - if we saw it, we could stop it! So I do wonder if assumptions are being made abut the racial identity of the shoplifters, without actual knowledge.

.

No they come in quite blatantly speaking Polish etc and then suddenly the stuff is missing.:rolleyes: The Manageress told me this along with tales of other breakins etc they have had. They know who it is but the police will not do a thing to help them. They also will not give them a special deal on the intershop intercom where shops warn each other of known thieves out and about.