charity shops

I wouldn't buy one if it was marked 'incomplete' because I really couldn't bear to do a jigsaw if I knew from the outset that there were pieces missing. What on earth are people thinking, to give them to a charity shop in the first place if there are so many missing pieces?

If I like the subject matter I will buy it. To help the charity. I usually give more than the marked price. Precisely indinana what were they thinking.

Even though it's a charity shop you should be able to assume they're selling you a complete jigsaw puzzle. No one would accept that it was OK to sell a thriller or mystery book with the last chapter torn out.

I knew of somebody in a responsible public sector job who volunteered to check jigsaws donated to a charity shop, by taking them home and doing them, and was told that she would have to go through what was then called Disclosure checking to make sure she was suitable!

Makes you wonder what they think you would be doing with a jigsaw in the privacy of your own home

If we receive donated jigsaws, in our local charity shop, we do try to remember to ask whether they are complete. Most people will say that they are, so we have to take their word for it. Our volunteers will check the number of pieces in a child's puzzle, but we do not have time to count puzzle pieces of 1000, or more.

I've given up buying DVDs from charity shops because only work 50% of them work if it is a box set (which obviously cost a bit more) there is always at least one that doesn't work.
Why do people give things that are of no use? It is just meanness as it will ultimately lose the charity shop money.

That came out slightly garbled (but you know what I mean).

Jaycee5
If you have a DVD which 'skips' or 'freezes' try this....
Put a spot of toothpaste on a soft cloth and wipe over the playing surface of the DVD, always going from the centre outwards. Use 'bog standard' toothpaste, as cheap as you like.
Rinse the DVD well under cold running water, dry carefully and thoroughly, and try it again.
Toothpaste is only slightly abrasive, but just enough to get rid of minor scratches and 'dinks' without damaging the surface of the DVD.
It works, I promise

Thanks for that advice, I will certainly give it a try.

I used to work in a charity shop. One of my jobs was to count the jigsaw pieces. Also we would check books were in good order. I guess a lot depends on the manager. Ours was very diligent and I guess that is what makes customers return.

I'll try that Juggernaut if I haven't thrown them away.

The jigsaws I used to give charity shops not only were complete, but had the edges and middle sorted into two separate bags!
No, i think it is a shame that people give real rubbish to charity shops on the assumption that someone will like it - no they don't, not broken jugs, jigsaws with bits missing, DVDs that don't work...

I work in a charity shop. We have 3 or 4 people working each shift but get large numbers of donations. When jigsaws are donated we check the no. of pieces up to 100. (These are usually children's' ones.) It is so time consuming that it is impossible to check the larger puzzles so we have to hope that the person donating them has been careful. We receive lots of good things - so if you aren't sure they are complete please don't take them to a charity shop.

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Well if you get a jigsaw with pieces missing there's lots of craft ideas on Pinterest using them so still worth buying. Here's 2 examples and great with summer hols coming to do with kids/grandkids or just cos they look great!

I worked for 11years in a local charity shop, I think everyone should spend a day in one of the many charity shops, if only to understand the difficulties we have to face on a daily basis. Some of the donations left for us to sort through are so discussting I couldn't begin to tell you, some people just clear out a draw, a cupboard or a wardrobe, and put it all in a bag, obviously not sorted into good or rubbish, but leave it for the kind people to sort for them. The amount of rubbish charity shops get and for which they have to pay to be collected and disposed of all has to come out of the profit made on the very good items donated by careing people. I urge you to please think twice before donating, ask yourselves "would I buy this from a charity shop" if your answer is no then bin it yourself.

A member of my family worked in charity shops a few years ago. I was astounded to hear about the amount of shoplifting that went on from a charity shop !!

nannybev that's an excellent comment. I have worked in a charity shop for 16 years and we find that although many people only donate sellable items many also regard it as 'easier than taking their rubbish to the tip'. If you wouldn't consider buying it, don't donate it. With regard to jigsaws, if you could see what goes on in a workroom, you wouldn't ask if the jigsaws were checked to see if they are complete. It's a risk you take, but it is great when the words 'Checked and Complete' and the date are written on the back. The manager in my shop works extremely hard over and above her hours and the volunteers are all committed to making the shop a success. I would suggest to anyone who is feeling a bit down and has a few hours to spare, go and volunteer. It will do more for you than you can imagine, so rewarding.

Just because there are no pieces missing doesn't mean they actually belong together. DH and I once spent a long Sunday afternoon sorting Disney Princess jigsaws that got mixed up because GC had tipped several boxes on to the lounge floor.
I do online jigsaws, even if you are not finished when you switch off it automatically saves it. No lost pieces, no storage problem

I used to manage a residential home for people with a learning disability. Many people brought incomplete puzzles to us saying " these will be alright for the handicapped won't they "
Grrrrrrrr

Some people are just looking for somewhere to dump stuff after they've had a clearout. I know, I've done it myself with loads of books. I tried various places and was refused, and finally put them all in the village paper bin, which was a shame.

I volunteer in a charity shop. We get given HUGE piles of tatty old books and tatty old jigsaws, which are immediately dumped. We cannot possibly store stuff which will not be sold quickly.
As others said, please don't give grubby, damaged, out of date items. Nobody is going to buy them.

My adult stepson has learning difficulties and lives in a house with other residents and friends. They are so fen given DVDs, CDs and videos that don't work properly - very mean or careless of the people who donate.

I volunteer now in a charity shop if you saw the back room I work in you wouldn't expect the puzzles to be checked It is floor to ceiling with donations and as fast as you clear a couple of bags another load comes in

We check all kids puzzles and games and all the battery toys We also only write complete if people have told us or if they look sealed in a plastic bag We would always give money back if someone brought it back

A lot of people do give rubbish as a means to get rid, some dirty, torn, broken things but others give unused stuff, designer label, it can be quite amazing