Buying pre-loved clothing is a brilliant way to cut down on waste while also coming across some one-of-a-kind bargain finds. Nit a growing number of thrifting fans have noticed that charity shops selling second-hand goods have steadily been pushing up their prices.
Charity shops have exploded in popularity in recent years, particularly among dedicated bargain hunters who enjoy trawling the rails for hidden gems to resell at a profit. Their core purpose, however, remains raising vital funds for their chosen causes.
Despite this, many people have hit out at charity shops for allegedly cashing in on the booming thrifting trend by hiking up the prices of their stock.
Jordan Lee, a second-hand reseller who regularly posts content on social media as @thecarbootguy, documenting his various finds while out and about shopping, is among those who have clocked these price changes.
In an Instagram post, Jordan revealed he barely sets foot in charity shops anymore, citing the apparent price hikes that many of them have introduced.
“I honestly don’t go into charity shops as much anymore, especially the big, well-known chains, simply because of the prices,” he wrote on his post.
He went on: “Whether you’re popping in to try and resell items online or just hoping to find yourself a bargain, it sometimes feels like the whole point has been lost.”
Jordan went on to suggest that through reselling platforms such as Vinted, savvy shoppers can often find the very same brands in great condition across a range of sizes, all for a fraction of what they’d be charged in a charity shop.
“I’ve even seen things in charity shops priced higher than they would be brand new in the actual high street store!” Jordan stated.
“I completely understand charities need to raise funds, but surely out pricing your customers isn’t the way?” he added.
But not all of his followers were in agreement, with many chipping in with their own take on the matter.
“I think you’re missing the point of charity shops tbh mate,” one user commented. “I really like your content, but they have simply clocked onto resellers and started to learn the worth of what they are selling.
“More money to charity and less resellers buying means people who actually might need it get it for a cheaper price.”
Another remarked: “I will never get mad at the price of something in a charity shop. If it’s not in my budget I simply just don’t buy it.”
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A third chimed in: “£24 for an H&M jacket is robbery, although I would pay, seeing that the money goes to an Hospice.”
Others, however, sided with Jordan, arguing that charity shops across the board were hiking their prices too high. One user commented: “They are definitely more expensive. I use to buy a lot from charity shops for myself but now I don’t really get anything from them.”