Charity Shop Trawl

[Petrushka]

Astounding! And please please don`t take this the wrong way, but don`t you feel guilty about getting such a phenomenal bargain from a charity shop? (Although having said that I often feel that the Oxfam specialist music/book shops over-price things remarkably, to what one may imagine is a detriment on their takings.)

An interesting question, but why should one feel guilty? The charity are gaining a few pounds on something that they neither produced nor bought themselves. Moreover, the charities who operate these shops (pretty well all of them these days) are acting as a commercial enterprise and are thus marketing their stock for a price they think it will reasonably fetch. This all seems to be fair enough but don't forget that some of us use charity shops from both ends: we both give our unwanted goods and buy others so everyone is a winner!

As to whether charities should be operating as commercial enterprises in the first place is a debate for another day. The fact that they appear to have plush head offices and CEO's on six figure salaries might form part of such a debate. I wonder if they feel any guilt?

[Conchis]

Astounding! And please please don`t take this the wrong way, but don`t you feel guilty about getting such a phenomenal bargain from a charity shop? (Although having said that I often feel that the Oxfam specialist music/book shops over-price things remarkably, to what one may imagine is a detriment on their takings.)

I know what you mean. I think of myself as providing a loving home for these bright little orphans, one where they'll be loved and appreciated and not left on a dusty shelf or chucked in a skip.

[Don Petter]

I know what you mean. I think of myself as providing a loving home for these bright little orphans, one where they'll be loved and appreciated and not left on a dusty shelf or chucked in a skip.

And not under-valued.

[ARBurton]

An interesting question, but why should one feel guilty? The charity are gaining a few pounds on something that they neither produced nor bought themselves. Moreover, the charities who operate these shops (pretty well all of them these days) are acting as a commercial enterprise and are thus marketing their stock for a price they think it will reasonably fetch. This all seems to be fair enough but don't forget that some of us use charity shops from both ends: we both give our unwanted goods and buy others so everyone is a winner!

As to whether charities should be operating as commercial enterprises in the first place is a debate for another day. The fact that they appear to have plush head offices and CEO's on six figure salaries might form part of such a debate. I wonder if they feel any guilt?

True, and well put! I wasn`t intending to cause offence, but if a charity is effectively doing itself out of an extra £ or two here or there, then is it actually getting the best value for its donations? Against that of course it`s fair to say that it`s better to sell for at least something than have things languishing unsold on shelves generating no income at all.

[frankwm]

Doubt the Oxfam's of this world ever knowingly miss an opportunity to screw the last few coppers out of donations:
Here's one interesting example:

http://www.oxfam.org.uk/shop/music-films-video-games/music/vienna-octet-mozart-divertimenti-k334-136-sxl-2290-hd_100161663

Sheer mindless greed as to the claimed 'online value'.
All I can say is that I got this from my yokel branch in July 2010 for the 99pee part of that price-tag: a 'new original' copy; but a few weeks back they were demanding £7.99 for a Guarneri Qt RCA LP (barely worth 99pee!!)..

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

If anything, I feel more "guilty" when buying second-hand books and CDs that none of my money goes to the artists and writers who made the thing in the first place.

[Petrushka]

If anything, I feel more "guilty" when buying second-hand books and CDs that none of my money goes to the artists and writers who made the thing in the first place.

Yes, this is true and I can identify with that 'guilt'. As a matter of interest, how have charity shops got round the legal status of the re-sale of items or is a blind eye turned to the practise? Or was it never prohibited to re-sell items such as books and recordings?

[Nick Armstrong]

Yes, this is true and I can identify with that 'guilt'. As a matter of interest, how have charity shops got round the legal status of the re-sale of items or is a blind eye turned to the practise? Or was it never prohibited to re-sell items such as books and recordings?

Interesting, that - presumably it's because in re-selling, you're not copying anything - the owners of intellectual property had their bite of the cherry on the initial sale and thereafter, as long as there's no illegal duplication, the object becomes the purchaser's to resell as he or she wants.

I feel a little glow each time I get an update from the very efficient Dr Barnado's about the amount raised by the overflow books and CDs I donated to them during the summer redecorations. They tagged the items and linked them with my 'account', and occasionally email to let me have a statement. Including Gift Aid, it's a three-figure amount now.

[vinteuil]

Astounding! And please please don`t take this the wrong way, but don`t you feel guilty about getting such a phenomenal bargain from a charity shop? (Although having aid that I often feel that the Oxfam specialist music/book shops over-price things remarkably, to what one may imagine is a detriment on their takings.)

... another aspect : charity shops get their stock for free, and can charge what they like. I know various professional second-hand booksellers, who usually have to purchase their stock, who have been put out of business by the 'unfair competition' provided by the oxfam and amnesty shops.

It is the charity shops who shd be feeling guilty for their unfair practices....

[teamsaint]

If anything, I feel more "guilty" when buying second-hand books and CDs that none of my money goes to the artists and writers who made the thing in the first place.

I feel some of that too,but get over it by attending as much live music as I can, which likely puts rather more bread on the musicians' tables.

[frankwm]

Another aspect is that (esp. applying to widows) those who are quite unaware of the value of Hubbies Hobby - and who could be more in need of some recompense (instead of assisting the creation of yet more masses of 3rd World Sprogs) - are simply fleeced by such 'charities' who pay nothing: whereas a professional business has a reputation to safeguard.
I'd be very circumspect as to what/any charity to 'assist' (Barnardo's has a sleezy reputation for child-abuse in the recent past - so wouldn't likely get Mr Blue-Type's 'little glow') - and that they can appear to be awash with cash in any event (a local 'animal charity' has just taken on a £40,000 p/a shop which other businesses could not afford...

[edashtav]

I find your comments on this matter to be sexist and full of prejudice, frankwm.

[frankwm]

Doubtless due to your being ' a music lover' and being unable to see the wood for the trees ??

[teamsaint]

the" masses of 3rd world sprogs" are not the ones consuming far more than their share of the world's resources.

[frankwm]

Estimated population of Nigeria in 2100: 900million