Following complaints the excessive road and native charity retailers have turn out to be ‘filled with tat’ with ‘obnoxious’ volunteers, a charity store supervisor has opened up on the explanations for the second-hand market’s decline in recognition
A charity store supervisor felt compelled to defend the “saddening state” of second-hand shops after their “unkempt” state in 2026 got here below fireplace. Her evaluation got here after one buyer took to social media to slam a number of facets of the excessive road expertise, which included coping with “obnoxious” charity store workers.
Talking on Reddit, the supervisor put damaging adjustments in recent times all the way down to various components. First, they identified how the standard of donations has “dropped”, with individuals throughout the UK now selecting to promote objects themselves amid monetary pressures of the price of residing disaster.
“We will solely promote what individuals donate,” she mentioned. “We have to put the upper worth objects that we do get on eBay to take advantage of cash for the charity that we are able to.”
She went on to stipulate the extra challenges charity retailers are presently grappling with. “It is getting more durable to draw volunteers, purposes at my nationwide chain are significantly down and judging by the ‘Volunteers Wished’ posters in each charity store we’re all in the identical boat,” the supervisor defined.
“With out volunteers the lone paid member of workers is fairly screwed. All in all, it is a robust time for charity retailing for everybody, prospects included.”
It got here after a consumer hit out on the “state” of charity retailers after discovering simply two objects value shopping for a visiting “5 – 6” shops on one excessive road.
“Walked alongside a neighborhood excessive road at this time and went into 5 – 6 charity retailers, some large names and a few native charities,” they started in a Reddit put up. “I managed to solely come out with two objects that took my fancy. The state of them inside, most of them have been so unkempt. Impolite workers, different individuals barging round being obnoxious.”
The annoyed shopper went on to vent concerning the retailers’ “tat”, claiming that high quality donated objects usually find yourself listed on eBay as a substitute of showing on the store ground.
“Gone are the times of discovering one thing attention-grabbing to purchase and maintain, it is simply all terrible DVDs, half-broken children’ toys, incomplete puzzles and low cost garments they’re promoting for as a lot as is it at RRP on George, Shein and so forth,” they continued.
The consumer concluded: “Or, the opposite facet of the coin, retailers the place they’re promoting issues for £50, £80, £100+ utilizing Google Lens/eBay listings to place up the primary costly itemizing value they see. Really ignoring bought costs and simply placing itemizing costs is mad too.”
They weren’t the one to complain, as others shared their current experiences.
“I am presently doing a challenge the place I want buttons, beads, something clicky clacky ya know?” one Reddit consumer replied. “Was once a treasure trove of hideous and delightful costume jewelry, bins of buttons, all that great things for very low cost.
“Now I am seeing I s*** you not, 50p per button from large jars. Beads from damaged necklaces being bought at quite a lot of of the necklaces.”
A second individual raged: “I have been charity searching for 30 years and it is the worst I’ve ever recognized it. Gadgets that ought to have been binned on the cabinets, all over the place filled with Shein tat, retailers wanting unloved and half empty and costs increased than ever. The times of discovering something a bit uncommon or respectable have lengthy gone.”
Whereas a 3rd agreed with the store supervisor and declared: “Google Lens has killed charity retailers. As a substitute of an outdated woman out the again making up the worth, they’re all informed to scan each single merchandise that is available in and if its sure issues like video video games, vinyl, jewelry or large model garments it needs to be despatched out to the eBay workforce right away.
“Clients solely see the crap on the store ground thats not ok for eBay.”
