Shopping

Queenie Montgomery is rightly concerned about the prices which charity shops charge for items which they receive free. However, their purpose is to sell as expensively as possible in order to raise as much money as possible for their charity or good cause. It is not their function to be charitable to anyone who comes in, and it would be a misuse of donors' intentions to sell donations cheaply. No-one (whether unemployed or elderly, etc.) should think that they are entitlted to expensive items at cheap prices, just because they want them. Unfortunately some people do not understand the difference between a charitable enterprise (raising money), and receiving charity (benefiting from the deeds of others).

The charity shops are very good, and if you havent got a lot of money to spare thats where you would go, to see if you can get a bargain... And the word charity means charity,, but I find that a lot of these charity shops are rather expensive for the unemployed or the elderly or the low income people. The charity shops are getting a lot of this stuff for nothing so I think they could be a bit more charitable, what does every one think ?

The Red Cross Charity shop in sloane square is incredible, only last weekend did i pick out a classic D&G little black dress for £40 (real bargain). . .would recommend it to anyone
xxx

In response to the lady who didn't see her items appear on the shop floor I would emphasise that many shops share stock between their different branches especially expensive items (the oxfam I work at certainly does this).
After all many shops now have specialist 'boutiques' or soley mensware stores or intentionally 'retro and vintage'. If your donations haven't appeared where you donated them it is possible they have been moved on to maximise their profit.
I believe oxfam have a policy where staff have to sign a book when they buy purchases (again this happens at Oxfam Newbury where I work). This gives some traceability and accountability for stock being underpriced or undersold. Leather jacket sold at 20p for example would raise suspicion.
If you are still worried however charity internet selling is a possibility. Log into ebay and search for Charity auction. It should be straight forward.

I would like to put everyones mind at rest that if you make a donation at any one of our charity shops the goods are sorted by a manager or assitant manager. We go on regular pricing and selection courses to get our pricing correct.
I would also like to point out that staff cannot buy goods untill they have been priced by a Manager and put out on the shop floor. They do not get all the best stuff!
Infact, as a manager I get very excited if we get something nice to put out for sale and aim to get a good price for quality goods.
As for my voluteers, well they are a great bunch, they work their socks off and like me strive to make Clapham Branch top shop on the region which we are most weeks.
So next time your thinking of donateing your goods or time to volunteering think of us. We do our best Maggie and me to make this charity work for the elderly.
And ...... Its a fun place to work, come and visit us at 58 Clapham High Street.

Many thanks for your rant Gabi,I agreed with all you said.The fact of the matter is that I am very reluctant to give clothes to charity shops now, but will sell them on e-bay for charity. Especially after I spoke to a friend the other day who said she knew someone who volunteered because they got the cream of the crop for next to nothing-she had a fantastic wardrobe, said my friend! But it is a shame as charity shops should serve a dual good purpose-not just to help the charity but to let those on lower incomes or on benefits have a chance to buy decent clothes cheaply.It is horrible that peoples good will is abused in this way.

The theory that volunteer workers in charity shops can pick and pay for items donated to raise money for the cause is not necessarily problematic in itself, as long as it's fairly and adequately aministered, but from the people I know that do that work it appears that they are NOT expected to pay the going rate for the goods, if anything at all, thus shrinking or eliminating the benefit to the charity for which the goods were dontaed in the first place! Surely that is blatantly flouting the donor's agreement with the organisation concerned? If they choose to operate this way it might be a good idea to be open about it;- at least it would get rid of the "sneaky" element created by the omission, and limit speculation. I can't help wondering if the reason they have not been "up front" so far is because they know perfectly well better informed donors may well choose NOT to give under those circs.
As for it being a "perk of the job"... most people understand 'voluntary work' to be unpaid. Payment in kind, or material gain discredits that definition. Just ask the taxman!
Volunteers expenses should be covered, or, radical I know, pay them! (After all, the charities pay "chuggers" on the street to raise funds for them). Maybe a "per diem" allowance would be a good compromise?
I don't think the problem is that everyone is against charity shop workers being valued or rewarded, but that the present "hidden element" of operating appears a tad dishonest.
End of rant!

'Fraid it's a perk of the job with the volunteers getting first pick. They do pay for it though so the money is still going to the charity. I actually beleive this is a fair perk as well, after all, the vols are giving up their time for nothing, why shouldn't they get to buy the items if they want them. All the vols I have ever worked with would always pay a fair price for the item as well.

You don't seem to mention the other branch of the Heart Foundation's furniiture and electrical store. This is in Wandsworth High Street, and is full of really nice things at very reasonable prices.

I used to work in an oxfam shop and most of the time would get the first pic of the good pieces but would always pay for them. Also we would send a lot of items to other stores so its quite common for stuff not to reach the shop floor. To be honest the type of people who volunteer in charity shops are unlikely to steal the best stuff!

Diana - the cancer research on marylebone high street is usually full of designer labels..so i don't think they're nabbing them - your donations would be welcome I'm sure.

Does anybody know whether assistants nab the best donations? I gave two nicole farhi coats, a max mara coat, and a new and expensive necklace all to my local Oxfam, and I never saw them up for sale.This really makes me angry-I could have sold them on e-bay but thought I was doing the right thing!
Is there one charity shop anyone can recommend who are definitely not corrupt, so I can give knowing that I am actually making a difference?

we want to say the british red cross shop has not the above opening times [too bad for us as worked our visit out to go there sunday and they open now on saturday!!] they are also not ay number 67 they are in the same road but forgot the number sorry. the phone number is not known either so best to check before you head off with the main british red cross office.

Charity shops in London are always going to be more expensive, and to be honest, if I managed a charity shop in Marlybone I would jump on the vintage bandwagon and up the prices of certain items (there are so many students in that area who are well aware that the same item in a vintage shop in the East end would be at least twice the price.) so why not up your profits?? It is for charity after all.
If you want super cheap old school charity shops where all the best stuff isn't snapped up straight away by fashionistas then get out of London! As for people who barter over a £2 skirt...it's not a bloody market, if you don't want to pay the price then come back in a month, if its still there then you could maybe barter. If it isn't there, at least you will sleep well knowing that someone has contributed to the charity! (Although I do admit some of the old biddies do over price some absolute crud)

Unless I've missed it, TO has forgotten to include the Save The Children charity shop on Clapham High street just down from PAWS (Nearest tube Clapham North)....this place is wicked- it even has its own vintage section and it's all fairly priced (unlike the Trinity Hospice near Clapham Junction which charges £1 for used hotel shampoos)
Clapham is wicked for charity shops, there are about 30 (Clapham Common/North, Clapham Junction/heading towards battersea and Balham) so if you have a spare day, a travel card and an A-Z I'd recommend a visit!
Oh and definitely check out the bootsale in Battersea on Sundays. If it's sunny the place is rammed and it's only 50p to get in after 1pm. We got a vintage coffee table for £8.