A dedicated charity shop lover has shared why she thinks people are put off buying second-hand items. According to Britt, a key factor is causing people to turn away
Lots of people want to support charity shops, but it’s been claimed some have been put off using them due to a key factor. Charity shop lover Britt, who’s known for sharing her finds with thousands of people, said she noticed a big change when shopping for deals recently.
Britt, known as briffinthegaff on TikTok, recently stopped by a charity shop that’s reported to be located in Bingley, Yorkshire, and she was left a little taken aback. Even though it looked “promising” from the outside, she admitted she was surprised after she started to look around the shop as what she saw totally blew her mind.
She’s not the first person to have raised the problem either. Just days ago, another shopper admitted one thing is putting them off using charity shops.
Alongside the video, she wrote: “Looked so promising from the outside. I’ve been in this charity shop a few times, but [have] never really taken notice of the prices. Do you think they’re unreasonable or am I being stingy?”
In the video, she continued: “This charity shop probably has some of the craziest prices I have ever seen, and not crazy in a good way. From the outside, it looks really promising, like chaotic and unorganised.
“Like a jumble sale and, honestly, you usually find the best stuff in those kind of charity shops. There was a lot of stock in here, like piles of stock.
“The first thing I saw was this bag. It was from Primark, it was pretty used and it was a fiver. I don’t even think it would have been a fiver to start with.
“These Converse had definitely had their day. Their soles were like paper, and they were £12.”
However, she did admit some clothing items and records were reasonably priced. There were also some “really good kids’ books”, which came in at around £1 each, so that wasn’t too bad.
There was also a brand new M&S coat that was only £10, so this was a much more affordable offering. The difference in prices seemed to leave Britt a little confused.
There was one item she deemed very expensive though, as she added: “This is probably one of the most expensive things I’ve ever seen in a charity shop ever. This coat was £95.
“It was from Next, and it says it was £386 new but, honestly, I don’t think I believe that. Regardless, £95 for a second-hand coat from Next is just extortionate to me.
“Now, please let me know, am I being stingy or was this just out of this world expensive? I get that this shop has overheads, but let me know what you think.”
Thousands of people have viewed the video since it was shared, and several were quick to share their opinions too. It seems they were quite divided.
One person said: “Oof…expensive. Unrealistic prices and I work in a charity shop!” Another added: “Nothing in a charity shop should be more than like three quid.”
A third replied: “The charity shop I work, at all the clothes are £2. Interesting to see what prices other charity shops are doing.”
Meanwhile, a fourth also commented: “Stopped using them. Complete waste of time.” However, others were keen to support charity shops too, with one adding: “Can’t beat the one in Sowerby Bridge. They sell everything cheap as chips.”
Someone else also wrote: “They are all upping prices because of resellers.” One more also shared a positive experience, adding: “Got a film camera for £10 in there last year. It was worth £30.”
What is happening to charity shops?
While the shop in the video has been asked to further comment, there is a reason why some charity shops have become so expensive. It’s reported to be for a number of reasons, but is generally a result of increased business savvy, rising overheads (rent, staff) and the higher demand for “thrifting” trends.
When resellers “flip” items, it can lead to charity shop prices being pushed up to ensure they raise funds for their dedicated cause. Valuation methods have also become more sophisticated, such as using eBay data, identifying and pricing valuable items higher.
Even though the shops aim to achieve charitable fundraising, the operational realities and increased market demand have changed a lot of charity shops and some are now more commercially focused retail outlets. Some people believe this has impacted their original purpose.
In the video, the shopper made it clear that she thinks some prices are too much for people; however, she is a dedicated charity shopper and uses her platform to share her tips and finds with others.
