More Charity Shop Bargains for 2018 & beyond!

luvchocolate

Pollycat wrote: »

Well, that's told me off then. :rotfl:
I was actually wondering if you had any take on the Trading Standards extract that I found that appeared - at least to me - to give the impression that it's goods being passed off as genuine that's the issue.
But never mind. :whistle:

Oh sorry I did not mean to sound like that!
I saw a Michael Cors bag on display in a local charity shop last week priced at £5 which told me they knew it was fake, I spoke to the manager and apparently a volunteer put it out, it was a terrible copy.
In my opinion Trading Standards have a big problem with fake goods and its hard on charity shops to keep up with training volunteers.
So sorry if I came across unpleasant.x

dolly84

luvchocolate wrote: »

Its against trading standards.....every charity should obey these regulations, the shop managers are responsible and and could be prosecuted.
That said trading standards do check charity shops and if something is a good copy and put out as genuine a written warning would be handed out, to be fair its not easy now to tell.
I was covering a Hospice furniture store when we got a visit and I had a rug for sale, no fibre content label on so should not have been on sale but I was told to put it in the rubbish, fair I thought.
Not a lot of people know every item of clothing put out to be sold must have a fibre content label on, we had labels printed saying 100% mixed fibres and these had to be stuck to the garment not on the ticket.

I just don't get it, they are selling donated items that have a purpose not items that they are trying to pass off as genuine designer like some sort of market stall. As long as they don't say it is genuine it is up to the buyer to make their own mind up. I do understand it with regard to soft furnishings for fire safety but not for clothing, I see lots and I mean lots of clothing with all the labels cut out and no information to suggest what the fibres are.

Pollycat

dolly84 wrote: »

I just don't get it, they are selling donated items that have a purpose not items that they are trying to pass off as genuine designer like some sort of market stall. As long as they don't say it is genuine it is up to the buyer to make their own mind up. I do understand it with regard to soft furnishings for fire safety but not for clothing, I see lots and I mean lots of clothing with all the labels cut out and no information to suggest what the fibres are.

I agree with both bits in bold, Dolly.

suki1964

Aren't the labels cut out of clothes that have been sold previously by the discounters? So you can't take the item back to the named store to ask for a refund?

Same as M&S putting a dot on their sale clothes

Pollycat

suki1964 wrote: »

Aren't the labels cut out of clothes that have been sold previously by the discounters? So you can't take the item back to the named store to ask for a refund?

Same as M&S putting a dot on their sale clothes

I think it's the brand label that's usually cut out or snipped rather than the care label (that tells you how to wash, country of manufacture and fabric composition).
That label is usually sewn into the side seam rather than the back of the neck.

I've bought lots of items from charity shops that have had the care label cut out.

cbsexec

Well I have now given up on our two local charity shops. They are just too expensive! When they are charging over £5 for supermarket and primark tshirts it is just silly. They are both overflowing with stuff and neither have a sale rail. Luckily I have great buys from further afield. I have donated plenty to both charity shops in the past and bought from them so it is a shame.

Pollycat

cbsexec wrote: »

Well I have now given up on our two local charity shops. They are just too expensive! When they are charging over £5 for supermarket and primark tshirts it is just silly. They are both overflowing with stuff and neither have a sale rail. Luckily I have great buys from further afield. I have donated plenty to both charity shops in the past and bought from them so it is a shame.

One of our local hospice shops appears to price stuff up to eye-watering levels.
For example, a Brakeburn purse - used but in pretty good condition - was priced at £10.00.
These retail at £22.99/£23.99 and can be had in the sale for £16.79 and even as cheap as £9.20 for one design.
I may have considered it at £5.00 but no way at £10.00.

More reasonable pricing (posted March 2019):

Pollycat wrote: »

Aw, thanks Miro.
And I hope you enjoy your rain forest holiday.

Well, had what was probably my last look in the city for a couple of months.
slim pickings - just a Brakeburn cross body bag in grey with teal & rust leaves. £4.99 Barnados

similar to this style:


But more like this colour

cbsexec

Yes much better pricing. I would like to know from someone who works in a charity shop what happens to unsold stuff. Does it get passed on to the cheaper shops for example? I feel that they are not encouraging people to buy second hand when the prices as so close (or more) than new. Especially now when so many retail shops have permanent sales on. I want to do my bit but sometimes!!

Owain_Moneysaver

cbsexec wrote: »

Yes much better pricing. I would like to know from someone who works in a charity shop what happens to unsold stuff. Does it get passed on to the cheaper shops for example?

Depends on the charity - some have different grades of shop and cascade stock down to the 'outlets'. Others will send culled stock for restribution to other shops generally or for sale to clothing merchants and get more per bag than they would for ragging.

Pollycat

Owain_Moneysaver wrote: »

Depends on the charity - some have different grades of shop and cascade stock down to the 'outlets'. Others will send culled stock for restribution to other shops generally or for sale to clothing merchants and get more per bag than they would for ragging.

I know 3 Air Ambulance shops pretty locally:
The one in the city has normal pricing.
One in a nearby town prices everything at £2.00.
The one in the town I visit most prices everything at £1.00.
I used to get a lot of bargains from that one but not so much nowadays.