‘I loved charity shops but no longer go thrifting due to 1 sad change’

A second-hand reseller says he has stopped visiting charity shops due to several ‘sad’ changes they claim have been made in recent years that makes them ‘not worth visiting’

Purchasing pre-owned clothes is a brilliant way to help reduce waste, while simultaneously allowing you to uncover some unique budget-friendly finds. However, countless second-hand enthusiasts have noticed charity retailers selling donated goods have steadily started increasing prices on their stock.

Charity retailers have experienced a boom in recent years, especially among devoted vintage hunters who love browsing rails for potential treasures to then flip for profit. But the main objective of these charity shops is to raise money for their respective causes.

However, numerous people have accused charity retailers of supposedly capitalising on the expanding resale trend by pushing up the costs of goods they are offering. Jordan Lee, a pre-loved re-seller who regularly posts videos on social media as @thecarbootguy, documenting his assorted finds while out browsing, is one person who has called out these pricing changes.

In an Instagram post, Jordan revealed he rarely enters charity shops nowadays due to the evident cost hikes that many charity shops are implementing.

“I honestly don’t go into charity shops as much anymore – especially the big, well-known chains – simply because of the prices,” he stated in his post.

He added: “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 argue that via resale platforms such as Vinted, consumers can often find identical brands in superb condition across different sizes, all for significantly less than they’d spend 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 declared.

“I completely understand charities need to raise funds, but surely out pricing your customers isn’t the way?” he questioned.

Yet, his supporters didn’t unanimously share his opinion, with several offering their own viewpoints on the matter.

“I think you’re missing the point of charity shops tbh mate,” one user responded. “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 individual observed: “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.”

A third contributed: “£24 for an Ha&M jacket is robbery, although I would pay, seeing that the money goes to an Hospice.”

Nevertheless, some backed Jordan’s position, contending that charity shops broadly were pricing merchandise too steeply. One user stated: “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.”