Oxfam Ireland 'no discount' policy

zipzoc · 14-02-2013 09:54PM #1

Hi all.

I was in the Oxfam shop just off Parnell Street in Dublin yesterday. Having rifled through some books and music I went up to pay for a few things and asked for a euro off the total price. They told me they couldn't do that and pointed at a sign above the counter that read 'no discounts-please don't ask' or something like that.

Now, I know some of the proceeds of each sale go to charity, but I think it's a bit insulting to have a sign stating that it's not ok to ask for a discount when you buy a few things. Shoppers ask for a few quid off their total in lots of other shops around town but I haven't ever seen a sign like this one anywhere else.

Also, I thought it was a big part of the fun of shopping in charity shops that you can haggle with the staff, have a bit of banter and come out with a bargain and a good feeling having supported your local charity.

I know lots of you will disagree but I just think it's a bit, eh.. rich

I'll send my old clothes, music and books elsewhere in the future.

the_syco · 14-02-2013 09:57PM

Probably because people have taken the piss, and have asked for massive discounts. If you let one person have a discount, but not the other person who is part of a special minority, you get sued for discrimination...

strandroad · 14-02-2013 10:00PM

Their stuff is so cheap that it's a discount in itself TBH...

MadsL · 14-02-2013 10:06PM

zipzoc wrote: »

haggle with the staff, have a bit of banter and come out with a bargain and a good feeling having supported your local charity.

Haggling, banter = pain in the ass for the staff.
Wouldn't you get a better feeling paying the prices asked?

Perhaps car boot sales are more your thing?

And why the hell is this in the Construction forum?????????

engineermike · 14-02-2013 10:09PM

MadsL wrote: »

Haggling, banter = pain in the ass for the staff.
Wouldn't you get a better feeling paying the prices asked?

Perhaps car boot sales are more your thing?

And why the hell is this in the Construction forum?????????

Why the hell indeed ??

zipzoc · 14-02-2013 10:29PM

MadsL wrote: »

And why the hell is this in the Construction forum?????????

Sorry about that! I saw 'prices/costs' and thought it was a section of Boards for general price/cost of 'things'. Hope someone can move it to somewhere more suitable.

zipzoc · 14-02-2013 10:39PM

MadsL wrote: »

Haggling, banter = pain in the ass for the staff.
Wouldn't you get a better feeling paying the prices asked?

Perhaps car boot sales are more your thing?

Have you ever tried to sell any cds or books? I imagine it's pretty hard to get rid of lots of Now That's What I call Music cds, Des O' Connor LPs and Reader's Digest magazines! If it were me I'd be happy to give discounts on multiple purchases. I don't work in a shop but if I did and I got all my stock for free I definitely wouldn't have a sign on the counter saying 'no discounts'.

zipzoc · 14-02-2013 10:44PM

mhge wrote: »

Their stuff is so cheap that it's a discount in itself TBH...

Yeah, most of the time.

muffler · 14-02-2013 10:48PM

In the name of Jesus, Mary and their wee donkey. What is this doing in my patch? Begone with thee.

Im moving this to where all sorts of shit is discussed continually....After Hours

phasers · 14-02-2013 10:52PM

oh my god OP you are a stingy auld git

awec · 14-02-2013 10:54PM

You asked for 1 euro off?

Why?!

mackg · 14-02-2013 10:54PM

Next time for all your stuff in pennies OP, that'll show that mangy charity who's boss.

zipzoc · 14-02-2013 10:58PM

phasers wrote: »

oh my god OP you are a stingy auld git

Ha ha I can see from reading this why you'd think that but I'm not. Honest! I've donated loads of stuff to charity and bought twice as much. I think an official No Discounts policy is stingy TBH.

zipzoc · 14-02-2013 10:58PM

mackg wrote: »

Next time for all your stuff in pennies OP, that'll show that mangy charity who's boss.

Never!

zipzoc · 14-02-2013 10:59PM

awec wrote: »

You asked for 1 euro off?

Why?!

Because it's 2nd hand.

Gongoozler · 14-02-2013 11:01PM

I admire your cojones OP, but by christ you're some cheap yoke

homemadecider · 14-02-2013 11:03PM

This belongs in the stinge thread. You know all the proceeds go to Oxfam and all the staff are volunteers (ie no pay whatsoever)? You sir are the most awful stinge of them all.

ColeTrain · 14-02-2013 11:03PM

A charity shop trying to maximize it's profit? How DARE they.

Where To · 14-02-2013 11:07PM

This is precisely the reason why I don't shop in Oxfam.

Capt'n Midnight · 14-02-2013 11:10PM

Are the staff professional retailers ?

Is the stuff priced to sell ?

Do they drop prices when stuff doesn't sell ?

Oxfam don't sell grubby books like other places do and so they charge more for them.

Away to the Stingy thread with you !

ravima · 14-02-2013 11:15PM

Are all staff giving of their all for free, or are they on CE scheme or something similar?

ejmaztec · 14-02-2013 11:18PM

It's safe to say that "charity" is lost on the OP.

paddy147 · 14-02-2013 11:19PM

SVP and Oxfam wouldnt take a lovely 3 piece cloth sitting room suite off me 2 years ago.

5 years old,Spotlessly clean and in great condition.I offered it for free to both of them,for anyone who was a victim of the flooding or was in dire need of a suite of furniture due to the recession.

The reason neither wanted it was because...IT WAS NOT LEATHER.

I kid you not.......

So I couldnt give a flying fcuk now about charity shops...with their attitude like that.

Capt'n Midnight · 14-02-2013 11:22PM

paddy147 wrote: »

SVP and Oxfam wouldnt take a lovely 3 piece cloth sitting room suite off me 2 years ago.

Leather is easy clean

storage is a bitch

How much did you get for it when you sold it in the end ?

paddy147 · 14-02-2013 11:24PM

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

Leather is easy clean

storage is a bitch

How much did you get for it when you sold it in the end ?

Ah but both charities are supposed to be there in emergencies to help out the needy and people who have been left with nothing when the likes of flooding happens.

Ungreatfull b^stards both of them,so I dont bother giving anything to either of them any more.

southsiderosie · 14-02-2013 11:25PM

paddy147 wrote: »

SVP and Oxfam wouldnt take a lovely 3 piece cloth sitting room suite off me 2 years ago.

5 years old,Spotlessly clean and in great condition.I offered it for free to both of them,for anyone who was a victim of the flooding or was in dire need of a suite of furniture due to the recession.

The reason neither wanted it was because...IT WAS NOT LEATHER.

I kid you not.......

So I couldnt give a flying fcuk now about charity shops...with their attitude like that.

Did they give you a reason why?

A family friend clears out furniture from houses where the owner has died or there is a quick sale, and she says there are some things (like upright pianos) that you couldn't sell for as little as $20 these days, so no secondhand shops will take them as they take up too much space. So it may be an issue of demand or storage.

Andy-Pandy · 14-02-2013 11:25PM

This should be added to that stingy things that stingy people do thread. It's a charity shop ffs.

southsiderosie · 14-02-2013 11:26PM

paddy147 wrote: »

Ah but both charities are supposed to be there in emergencies to help out the needy and people who have been left with nothing when the likes of flooding happens.

Ungreatfull b^stards both of them,so I dont bother giving anything to either of them any more.

No, Oxfam is there to take what they can SELL. If they can't sell fabric couches, they won't take them.

SB2013 · 14-02-2013 11:26PM

zipzoc wrote: »

Also, I thought it was a big part of the fun of shopping in charity shops that you can haggle with the staff, have a bit of banter and come out with a bargain and a good feeling having supported your local charity.

i don't think you understand the purpose of charity shops.

iguana · 14-02-2013 11:26PM

paddy147 wrote: »

SVP and Oxfam wouldnt take a lovely 3 piece cloth sitting room suite off me 2 years ago.

5 years old,Spotlessly clean and in great condition.I offered it for free to both of them,for anyone who was a victim of the flooding or was in dire need of a suite of furniture due to the recession.

The reason neither wanted it was because...IT WAS NOT LEATHER.

I kid you not.......

So I couldnt give a flying fcuk now about charity shops...with their attitude like that.

I don't know how SVP work but if Oxfam take a donation that they can't sell they have to bear the cost of it's disposal. At commercial rates, which are higher than household rates. So it would cost them a hell of a lot more to get rid of it than it would you. They are also legally barred from selling, or even giving things away for free, if they don't meet and have proof of meeting exacting safety standards and could be fined a considerable amount for trying.

The one and only purpose of their shops is to make money for their development projects. That's it. Not to get rid of things people don't want. If they don't think they can sell an item they won't take it and nor should they.

MadsL · 14-02-2013 11:28PM

...and the crucifixion has begun...

Oxfam Ireland 'no discount' policy

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