How much??!!

justme111

Look at local newspapers private ads.
Gumtree
Facebook selling groups

themull1

I think argos ones are reasonable, some ikea ones, but i would look on preloved/ebay/gumtree.

FatVonD

There is a small chain of charity shops raising funds for a hospice in the area we live who charge astronomical prices.

In one of the shops I picked up a hat I liked the look of then put it back down as it was £20(!!!) Fair enough if someone will pay that but I was prepared to walk away and would never try to knock the price down in a charity shop but the assistant started trying to push me to buy it after I'd put it down. I said I didn't want it as it was too expensive at which point she started ranting at me about how the charity was for the benefit of the hospice and not the customers.

After suggesting she find a different job as she clearly wasn't a 'people' person we set off for the next shop and another customer ran up the street to tell me that she'd done exactly the same thing to him the week before.

Suffice to say I don't bother with that charity shop any more when buying OR donating, I donate to our local Fara shop where the woman is far friendlier and the prices more reasonable.

TopQuark

I don't really understand people complaining about the 'greed' and 'high prices' of charity shops. The clue is in the name; CHARITY. The money is going to a good cause, that's the whole point of it. Their objective is to raise as much cash as possible to support the cause.

Jagraf

I buy most of my stuff from charity or second hand, if I have to buy new anything I am really disappointed lol.

There are two sides here. Most people buy in charity shops to get themselves a bargain, not because they are being kind or supportive (some do I know, but if you really want to support a charity, give a donation or volunteer your time). The other side is that if charities don't price properly, they won't sell anything, and that's bad business, although remember most charity shop workers volunteer their time and cannot know the true value of every item.

I've seen sofas ridiculously overpriced, and ridiculously underpriced, along with other stuff. I have, on occasion, found such a bargain that I've actually said its underpriced and given more. I've never haggled with staff, they are not there for that purpose.

I think its getting better. But there are a couple of,points here I agree with - one they run as businesses and try to get as much money as possible, they are there to raise money for their cause. The other is, just because they are a charity, they don't need to be overly grateful for someone purchasing something. The best way to be charitable is to give something for nothing.

I love shopping in charity shops, and most of the staff and volunteers are very savvy, business like and helpful.

lostinrates

I rarely charity shop any more at all apart from cook books.

Prices are extortionate. I'm happy to donate still if people can get good out of our no longer needed or wanted items, I cannot be bothered with ebay and I'm a bit nervous of free cycle, but I find a lot less clutter in my life.

I do look on the rare occasion I'm near them, and make bee line for weird cook books then look at other stuff but usually horrified by cost. Otoh, I did point out once they were selling a real pearl necklace as if it were fake, which seemed a shame.

TBagpuss

TopQuark wrote: »

I don't really understand people complaining about the 'greed' and 'high prices' of charity shops. The clue is in the name; CHARITY. The money is going to a good cause, that's the whole point of it. Their objective is to raise as much cash as possible to support the cause.

I think pat of the issue is that in order to raise the money, they need to be able to sell what they have.

It's better for the charity to sell 100 books at 50p each than to sell 10 books at £3.

If they price a tatty sofa at £300 then they are likely to have a sofa taking up space in the shop for a long time. If they sold it for £100 then the charity gets £100, they can display new stock and generate more for the charity.

There was a charity shop near where I used to live - most of what they had was very overpriced for the condition it was in. They were turning away donations as they didn't have space. I know, because during my clear out prior to moving I offered them some stuff, and they couldn't take it. So I donated it to a different charity shop a few doors down.

3 weeks later, I went back with some more stuff - offered it again, as I thought it might have been a temporary blip. Same answer, they were not accepting donations as they had no space.
The stock (particularly bigger stuff) appeared to be identical to what had been there 3 weeks earlier.

The things I was donating were not huge - I think the biggest thing was a roller bag.

The other shop priced things lower but they were moving much more stock, so they must have been producing a lot more money for the charity, plus, they got more people in, so more chance of impulse buys, and people tend to come in more often if they think there will be new stock.

It is the charity shops goal to raise money for the charity, but people shopping are generally looking for bargains. I would not pay more in a charity show than I would if the item were on sale somewhere else - as I see it, the charity already has a much bigger profit margin that the 2nd hand furniture shop of the person selling on e-bay, because they got the item for free in the first place (and in respect of other shops, the charity also gets breaks on overheads)

Gigervamp

And when you find them selling Primark clothes for more than they cost new, it's taking the pee.

babymoo

My sofa from a local charity shop cost me £10 2 years ago! It is in very good condition and the delivered for free.

(We did actually donate extra to cover the delivery though)

sacha28

TopQuark wrote: »

I don't really understand people complaining about the 'greed' and 'high prices' of charity shops. The clue is in the name; CHARITY. The money is going to a good cause, that's the whole point of it. Their objective is to raise as much cash as possible to support the cause.

Although I see what you're saying I think that is a very narrow minded point of view.

Of course their main objective is to raise money for charity but if they're overpricing things they aren't going to sell so they aren't actually raising anything are they.

I can't remember who said it but the only reason I went to the Air Ambulance shop was because, as an A&E nurse, the charity is very close to my heart and not because I thought it was going to be the cheapest. I see those guys, on average, 2/3 times A DAY (more in summer) and the service is insanely expensive to keep in the air. Yes I was expecting maybe a bargain but I wasn't expecting to see tired, worn out, dirty sofas going for more money than I could buy for brand new.