Charity shops.

petalpete

And neither do they pay business rate's so its quite an unfair advantage compared to other business's trying to make a living.

Yes, it puts little businesses at a disadvantage when big charities buy from the same wholesalers as independent shops, but can sell the same goods at a reduced price because the charity shop doesn’t have to pay staff or other overheads.

I do think charity shops are great for recycling but they can make life very difficult for a small shopkeeper and even put them out of business.

Charity shops have -or had, a symbiotic relationship with customers, they exist because people, for a variety of reasons buy second hand stuff and this raises money for the charity.

If there is no advantage to buying from a charity shop eg poor quality, too high prices, uninteresting finds well then that shop will cease to be a viable business.

Low footfall in our hollowed out high street though has been to the detriment of many of these shops as it has hastened the inevitable.

Meanwhile on a tangent here- in this increasingly online world of shopping I am unable to buy a bra or trousers that fit me how I like even in big chain stores because they only stock once it seems and are not in any hurry to restock leaving only very small or very very big sizes on their rails.

Go online and their stuff too is “out of stock” in your size. Say 14,16,18.
Choice and variety is becoming a rarety irrespective of price point and there is no sign either that manufacturers care enough to make the online shopping experience as good as it needs to be to enable me to see and buy confidently like I did years and years ago.
The answer?…learn to make your own!
Or flood every store with emails demanding a better service?
Rant over.🙂

Lathyrus3 do many charity shops buy stuff from wholesalers?
I thought most of their stock consisted of public donations.
If I see a load of “new stuff” or even so called “top brand” stuff I absolutely avoid it.

Anything new will almost always have been bought in. From wholesalers or sometimes from shops going out of business.

My son has an independent gift shop and has been caught out buying from wholesalers only to find the same goods selling much more cheaply in a charity shop down the road. Their overheads are so much less so they can afford to cut the price.

He’s learned now to ask wholesalers if they supply any charities. And to write it into the contract with them.

The national charity shops are big business, run as businesses. They support charities but they are not part of them.

Just not true, tho I doesn't deny it might happen.

Our St Lukes Hospice Charity has brand new (but "last years" garments from good name brands) Local outlets (as opposed online) of brands like Seasalt regularly appear and are priced suitably.
I got a brand new Regatta red outer garment- superb - for £12.
St Lukes have a specialised "high value brand outlet" as one of their shops. It has half its previous price in their sale.

St Lukes os of course totally local, but they do employ 3 people for fundraising, but so many volunteers grateful people.

I have no problems with their paid organisers, its necessary to hold it all together.

Yes it is true.

I spoke about my sons experience as an independent shop owner.

And you call us both liars about that experience.

Your experience is only an experience of one shop.

But it’s yours so of course it will be right 🙄🤔🙄🙄🙄

I heard that big charities are moving to out of town shopping centres, as high streets are dying. Online shopping has closed traditional shops.
In our market town there was a useful kitchen shop on a very desirable site which closed when the business rates and rent doubled. In moved a Cancer Research shop, one of seven charity shops on our high street.