Charity shops

[Over The Hill]

I got in the habit of going to charity shops after I was made redundant after 2008 crash and although now back in reasonable work I still go to them.

I really don't have much in the way of old clothes as I hang on to "best" for quite a few years and then it gets relegated to "old" for use in the garden or garage. Not much left of it by the time I have finished. I probably still buy half my clothes second hand but jeans are on ebay as I am an odd size and cannot find much (Levis do 33/30).
I try to pass on any suits, nice jackets or office gear as they are often needed by people for job interviews. I lost some weight and so had some I could not use.

We have bought some great curtains, lamps and all sorts over the years. Good for a little store of old DVDs for when nothing much is on and then take them back.
Local hospice has a good furniture shop and they took about 80% of my Mums house contents when she died.

So a fair bit in and a fair bit out.

Also, my daughter wanted a Saturday job but it was the usual story of shops wanting experience. So she volunteered at the local BHF shop on Saturdays for about six months. I paid her £20 a day to encourage her. On the back of this she managed to get a good job in Boots. So would recommend that for anyone with teens trying to get weekend work.

 

[*Dusty*]

There are so many charity shops in our town it's becoming disgraceful. A lot of them are "charity" to avoid paying rates and Vat etc yet still sell brand new items, often at more than brand new prices. There are obviously legitimate ones too, Cancer research, Help the Aged, Barnardos etc but I rarely go into them.

 

[rvw]

I'll always look at the books (mind you, I will always look at books at any time, new or second-hand) but my best bargain so far was paying £14.99 for a smart TM Lewin black dress, unworn and with the £250 price label still attached!

 

[Over The Hill]

There are so many charity shops in our town it's becoming disgraceful. A lot of them are "charity" to avoid paying rates and Vat etc yet still sell brand new items, often at more than brand new prices. There are obviously legitimate ones too, Cancer research, Help the Aged, Barnardos etc but I rarely go into them.

Wow!
Not sure how giving to the needy in whatever way is "disgraceful".
As I see it, the charity shop is not pushing out any other business. Retailing is suffering greatly and so many areas have lots of empty shops around. This is detrimental to the remaining shops in the street. The charity shops are stepping in and keeping the area going.
They provide a service that may not be otherwise viable if they had to pay full staff and premises costs and so are able to raise cash for their cause and also provide for people buying essentials at a low cost.
Some may stock new stuff but that is often produced by a charitable organisation somewhere and I really have not seen any new stuff that is competing with any shops around them.
In the world of disposable consumer greed and profit it is rather refreshing to see people make good out of something that would otherwise just have been thrown out.

 

[*Dusty*]

Wow!
Not sure how giving to the needy in whatever way is "disgraceful".
As I see it, the charity shop is not pushing out any other business. Retailing is suffering greatly and so many areas have lots of empty shops around. This is detrimental to the remaining shops in the street. The charity shops are stepping in and keeping the area going.
They provide a service that may not be otherwise viable if they had to pay full staff and premises costs and so are able to raise cash for their cause and also provide for people buying essentials at a low cost.
Some may stock new stuff but that is often produced by a charitable organisation somewhere and I really have not seen any new stuff that is competing with any shops around them.
In the world of disposable consumer greed and profit it is rather refreshing to see people make good out of something that would otherwise just have been thrown out.

I have to disagree, when a charity shop is retailing mainly brand new items from pretty well known suppliers then it is no longer a charity shop. I have no problem with genuine charities. "Charity" shops who lift second hand furniture and other items for nothing in order to sell it at massively inflated prices whcih are comparable to new items, are not charity shops. The amount of these outfits which have sprung up in recent years is disgraceful because they're taking stuff which GENUINE charity shops would be selling or donating to people who need it.

 

[ozboz]

I have seen a shop in Hammersmith that is just selling clothing under the guise of a charity , but the relevant authorities should monitor the activities of such buisnesses that are profiteering , and 'nab em ' !!

 

[vickster]

I have to disagree, when a charity shop is retailing mainly brand new items from pretty well known suppliers then it is no longer a charity shop. I have no problem with genuine charities. "Charity" shops who lift second hand furniture and other items for nothing in order to sell it at massively inflated prices whcih are comparable to new items, are not charity shops. The amount of these outfits which have sprung up in recent years is disgraceful because they're taking stuff which GENUINE charity shops would be selling or donating to people who need it.

I've never seen such a thing myself. Maybe it's unique to Northern Ireland? What are the names of these? Have you checked them out and reported if not legitimate?

Oxfam et al might sell a few greetings cards or the odd ornament made by a charitable organisation but the vast majority of stock is second hand

 

[Jefferson Meriwether]

I like going into charity shops for books. Today I bought a couple of pairs of jeans and a couple of pairs of trousers; cheaper than going to Peacocks.

 

[*Dusty*]

I've never seen such a thing myself. Maybe it's unique to Northern Ireland? What are the names of these? Have you checked them out and reported if not legitimate?

Oxfam et al might sell a few greetings cards or the odd ornament made by a charitable organisation but the vast majority of stock is second hand

Oxfam, Help the Aged, Cancer Research and all those well known ones are grand and their legitimacy is beyond reproach. All the local businessmen know the people behind the so called "charity" shops. I won't name names, they'd be the same charitable people who would have a solicitor on you quicker than you could blink for slander but a quick google for "charity shops" in any major town in Northern Ireland will bring up names you've never heard of

 

[*Dusty*]

And just to clarify, I have nothing against genuine charity shops. As I said, I rarely go into them but when or if I do I always make sure to buy something even if it is only a few books. I'm not a cold hearted anti charity type

 

[ozboz]

Is they money going to a charity, for a charitable purpose? If so, what does it matter?

That is why if they appear to be a bit dodgy need to be checked out , they should have a regd charity number , if one cannot be produced ,nab em '
If they have , and it's legit ,good on em '
But all in all most of the shops I go in around west London are legit , providing much needed funds and recycling of good quality items usually at a very good price

 

[Dave7]

I picked up 2 nice Ben Sherman shirts from a charity shop... £4 each. I often pop in and have a gander... have got some really decent jeans, various T-shirts and a jumper this year so far. The kids think I'm mad... until... one of their 'coolest' friends started getting nice retro clothes from a charity shop... now they're interested in charity shop chic. Most of my clothes during my time as a student in the 1980s came from such shops... and I didn't look too much of a div.
Do YOU charity shop?

By coincidence I took 2 Ben Sherman shirts to the charity shop. They looked OK but I just couldn't get rid of the infestation.

 

[ufkacbln]

I'm a bricabrac and toy fan myself - I've got loads of little things for my nephews from charity shops, especially kiddie clothes, which are sometimes virtually unworn. And you can usually find a t shirt with whatever their current craze is - dinosaurs, tractors, Thomas the Tank Engine....

And books of course.

I shan't say which one

I had a massive clear out when we needed some space for the MiL

I ended up filling the front of the Christiania with books

They were all in series, and in good repair

Two shops couldn't take them, and one asked if I could take them to their "Book Shop", some ten miles away

In the end it was a community library that took them