Charity shop tips

scholesy_2

I agree if they are donations this is bad, but if it is rubbish then thats ok.

Focusing on people who seek out the good items whether for personal or trading brings about an interesting thing. The people who really can't 'afford' items would in theory be people on benefits/unemployed etc therefore these people should have more time to go charity shopping most days. Theory or probabilties prove that they should get the best items as they have a higher chance of seeing them first. If they don't know the true 'value' of the items that is their fault not the dealers who do. Whereas if they can only be bothered to go once a week and hope they find something is their own loss.......

Think if made my point

vegansaver

LOL, that's a great theory to ease anyone's conscience

Sadly, the reality for most is far from true. Just because one has to shop in a charity shop out of necessity doesn't mean that they are A) unemployed and on benefits or void of responsibilities.

If only it was so easy for people who had nothing to do except go from charity shop to charity shop purchasing the best items. Oh hang on, for some it is, I nearly forgot as some have the time to do this in order to make money from other's charity.

But yes you've made your point perfectly clear, in order to get something they need, people should have to trapse around the charity shops in competition with those who do so for profit. If they arrive at a shop 5 minutes after a trader has cleared it, they have only themselves to blame.

You've made your position perfectly clear, but thankfully it's not one I share.

LondonDiva

Vegan

I think you are very confused about:

(a) what charity shops are there for; and
(b) why people give things to them.

The answer to (a) is that they are there to raise money for the charity concerned - not to provide a source of cheap secondhand goods to the public, some of whom are quite capable of paying more than a bare minimum price.

The charity shop managers you disparage are merely doing their job properly if they seek to maximise the revenue of the charity.

And if they accidentally over-price things compared to what they would have cost new, that's fair enough - if someone is mug enough to pay it, then they must think the item is worth that to them.  So everyone's happy.

As for (b) I give things to a charity shop because it's environmentally friendly to do so, compared to throwing it away, and because it enables the charity to make some money, and thirdly because it enables someone less well off than me to buy some cheap secondhand goods.  The third point isn't my primary motivation.  And I would far rather that the items were sold at a fair price, than that they were knocked out for a few pence to give some MSE who can afford to pay more an exceptional bargain at the charity's expense.

Just my opinion.

[glow=red,2,300]hear hear![/glow]

culpepper

I've found some brilliant stuff in bin bags left outside charity shops early in the morning, and thats all free.

Umm ,I think that is mostly stuff people are trying to donate but the shop is shut.If its excellent stuff im sure the charity is not throwing it away..People donate to the RSPCA shop near us and often just leave it in black sacks leaning against the back door.
You could always ask if it is rubbish thats in them , the next time they are open.Atleast then you'd know for sure.

boroboyz82

I work in London and on my way to work in the morning I constantly see people including City Workers rumaging through the donation sacks in hte street before the shop has opened. One gentleman was even telling me how he does it for a living and the other day he found two resonably new Nokia mobile telephones in one sack that he then sold on for £50 each! I find this sort of thing disgusting as the cahrity has not made any thing from these people and the innocent people who have donated them will believe that the charity has benefitted. I guess the idea is to only donate when the shop is open and then there would be no way of these people benefiting before the shop has opened.

MarkyMarkD

I think Betty was joking or admitting to being evil

And I agree with the last post.

Most charity shops say "don't leave stuff outside" precisely because they know that it gets stolen or messed about with, but people leave it because they can't conveniently get there when the shop is open.

Jeryth

OR they are too lazy to check their local supermarkets (for example) and deposit unwanted clothing and stuff in the bins which are available at any time of day

Stir, stir

Austin_Allegro_2

I've given up buying stuff from charity shops to sell on for profit. I find my new job (as an arms dealer) doesn't leave me much time... ::)

robnye

I've given up buying stuff from charity shops to sell on for profit. I find my new job (as an arms dealer) doesn't leave me much time... ::)

fancy selling peoples arms..... ::)

any silly people who have sold you both of their arms.....?

Rave

Rave, don't know why you are asking me as I don't care what you do with stuff that has been thrown out. Recycling is good.
My objection was solely those looking to profit from items that have been donated in good faith to those who really could make do with them.

Well, that's my point in essence- as well as selling stuff for pocket money I also find stuff which is useful, or which I couldn't afford to buy otherwise. I as someone on a low wage do benefit, but the charity does not. I'm just trying to make the point that charity shops have to be run as a business. Stock that doesn't sell will sooner or later get thrown away to make space. It makes no difference to the charity if the person buying the item is buying it because they need it or because they think they can sell it at a profit, they get the money either way. If you choose not to buy a bargain from a charity shop just because you're hoping someone more needy will come along, I can assure you that there's an equally good chance that no-one will buy the item and it'll end up in an incinerator or landfill- and in that situation no-one wins.

Rich :¬)