13 charity-shop bargain hunting tricks blog discussion

MSE_Jenny · 29 January 2019 at 5:30PM

'There's been a surge in donations to charity shops this month, with the 'Marie Kondo' effect at least partly responsible. Charities want you to take advantage - so we've rounded up our top tricks and tips to help you find the best items...'

Read MSE Jenny's full blog: '13 charity-shop bargain hunting tricks'

Pollycat · 30 January 2019 at 5:10PM

MSE Jenny
Thanks for the article, I've been a charity shopper for more years than I can remember.

A few comments:
Re Ted Baker, Age UK also had some Ted Baker surplus stock (but only in very small sizes).

I did look at the Oxfam online shop but the website is 'clunky' and you can't search for specific things like you can on ebay.

You CAN haggle – but whether you SHOULD is an open question. Many do report haggling in charity shops. This is more a moral decision than a financial one.

Martin's view is: "This is about charity, so it's the one time paying full price (if it's reasonable) is a good thing to do. Yet if you're on the breadline and this is your only route available, then offering to pay what you can afford isn't wrong."

I'm not sure I agree with this ^^^^.

There's been a few comments on the charity shop bargains thread and so far, the majority think haggling is inappropriate in charity shops.

Here's what I posted:

Pollycat wrote: »

I read Martin's final quote to be a comment on # 13 of the MSE charity shop bargain hunting tips:
My opinion is that it is unfair to put what is likely to be volunteer staff in the position of having to say 'no' to a lower offer on an item.
We've already had the discussion about prices often being set by regional managers.

Unless of course, there is some flaw/fault with the item but you still want it.

How are staff to know that a customer is 'on the breadline'?

To me, haggling in a charity shop is a big 'no-no'.

Just my opinion based on years of using charity shops.

System · 30 January 2019 at 7:28PM

I would like to add to the comment you made about getting first picks of new stock and maybe a discount if you are a charity shop volunteer.
It is my understanding that it is at the shop manager's discretion, and maybe even Head Office policy, as to whether you can buy an item or not before it has gone into the shop. When I worked as a volunteer at a charity shop a few years ago I always paid the price that would have been asked for in the shop itself with one exception and that was because the manager did not think that particular item would sell. And as it was a CHARITY shop I very seldom asked if I could buy an item under these conditions anyway.

Honeylife · 31 January 2019 at 10:26AM

Haggling or negotiating all depends. Looking at Jacket for 12.50, I have simply said 'look I only have a tenner on me what can you do?' the assistant has made a decision and let me have it for the tenner. If I had the other 2.50 I wouldn't have asked. If she wouldn't let me have it for a tenner I would have put it back. Charity is for both parties, the consumer and the seller.

I buy from Charity shops because I can't afford to go to M&S or John Lewis and pay full price. Not all buyers are bargain vintage clothes hunters. The products are given for free and the Charity shops have minimum overheads. They do make a profit whatever they sell the stuff for. I also give stuff at least once a year to Charity Shops spreading it out between four different ones on the High Street!

Charity shops are also found on eBay, have had some amazing bargains there! Much cheaper than the Charity shops on the High Street - from a consumer side.

Note of caution - had my purse pinched in a Charity Shop in Camden Town! The narrow stuffy shop with clothes rails rammed closely to each other, left little room to manoeuvre as I and others squeezed around the rails. Despite my bag being on my shoulder/armpit, someone lifted my purse and the manager simply shrugged said sorry we don't have CCTV cant help.

Former_MSE_Andrea · 4 February 2019 at 12:39PM

I bought a child's coat from a local charity shop. It had an old five pound note in the pocket!

laaah · 10 February 2019 at 9:38AM

I found a £10 note in the pocket of a coat I bought once! I went back and put the money in their collection tin.

Terargram59 · 11 September 2019 at 10:00AM

Please can you explain where the ‘barcode symbol’ is on the qwerty keyboard? On the latest MSE newsletter about charity shops it says...open the eBay app, tap the search bar followed by the barcode symbol. Thanks.

aitchmars · 11 September 2019 at 10:54AM

Terargram59 wrote: »

Please can you explain where the ‘barcode symbol’ is on the qwerty keyboard? On the latest MSE newsletter about charity shops it says...open the eBay app, tap the search bar followed by the barcode symbol. Thanks.

I believe you use the camera symbol in the search field and point it to the barcode...

General_Grant · 17 September 2019 at 11:32AM

Honeylife wrote: »

. . .

The products are given for free and the Charity shops have minimum overheads. They do make a profit whatever they sell the stuff for. . . . .

How "minimum" would it have to be for a charity shop to make a profit on donated goods? They have to cover the cost of rent, business rates, water, heating, lighting, cleaning (premises and goods), employee salaries (not all are volunteers), volunteer expenses, coffee/tea (don't suppose they charge workers for at work refreshments) . . .

Pollycat · 17 September 2019 at 12:01PM

General_Grant wrote: »

How "minimum" would it have to be for a charity shop to make a profit on donated goods? They have to cover the cost of rent, business rates, water, heating, lighting, cleaning (premises and goods), employee salaries (not all are volunteers), volunteer expenses, coffee/tea (don't suppose they charge workers for at work refreshments) . . .

I always wonder at the 'new goods' that some shops appear to sell - BHF & Oxfam spring to mind.

I wonder how much of the stuff that they've shelled out for actually sells.
I've never found anything remotely interesting.

sueleswar · 4 August 2020 at 9:44PM

I’d just like to give a shout out to Age Concern. We have currently 13 shops and have begun a phased reopening. Farnham road, Farnham common, twyford, wildridings, shifford crescent, bridge road, and wotton way Are all open now so come grab a bargain

13 charity-shop bargain hunting tricks blog discussion

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