Shopper slams $2,000 op shop find: ‘It’s cheaper to go to Kmart’
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The thrill of the hunt in op shops has long been a beloved pastime for bargain hunters and vintage lovers alike.
However, a recent discovery at a Vinnies Op Shop in Tamworth has shocked many Australians and sparked a heated debate about charity stores' pricing strategies.
A luxury Balenciaga handbag with a retail value of approximately $4,000 was found with a $2,000 price tag, a sum that has divided the community.
The op shop find quickly became a hot topic on social media, with one local woman expressing her disbelief: 'How in the world would a normal everyday person be able to afford that? At the stage now it’s cheaper to go to Kmart.'
Her sentiment was echoed by others who felt that such pricing was a 'slap in the face,' especially considering that all items were donated.
This isn't the first time high prices at charity stores have caused a stir.
A pair of secondhand RM Williams boots were sold at Salvos in Tamworth for $400, a $45 floral dress at a Sydney Vinnues store, and a secondhand Burberry jacket priced at $850 also raised eyebrows.
‘It’s ridiculous these days, all the op shops are so overpriced. Very much so in the suburb I live in because it’s a wealthy area, they think everyone who walks in is loaded,’ one said.
In defence of the $2,000 handbag, Vinnies North West area manager Julie Crosby reminded critics of the charity's mission: 'We're raising funds. We can spend that money on helping out homeless people, domestic violence issues where we're relocating families.'
Store manager Megan Moffat said, ‘It’s a beautiful little handbag,’ justifying the $2,000 price tag.
The debate has even reached industry experts. Andrew Hughes, a business and economics lecturer, suggested that charity stores might be 'taking advantage of people’, given that ‘they’re getting a lot of their stock for no cost, or very little cost, because people donate to charity bins... or give directly into their stores’.
On the other hand, Omer Soker, CEO of Charitable Recycling Australia, pointed the finger at 'resellers' who buy from charity shops to sell at marked-up prices on commercial platform.
‘These resellers buy from charity shops and then put on huge mark-ups to sell on commercial platforms like Depop, and other commercial markets,’ he argued.
‘In these cases, charity shops are acting like wholesalers, so the charity shop prices are still great value.’
Have you come across similar pricing in your local charity stores? Do you think these prices are justified if the proceeds go to a good cause, or should charity shops keep their prices low to serve the community better? Share your experiences and opinions in the comments below!
However, a recent discovery at a Vinnies Op Shop in Tamworth has shocked many Australians and sparked a heated debate about charity stores' pricing strategies.
A luxury Balenciaga handbag with a retail value of approximately $4,000 was found with a $2,000 price tag, a sum that has divided the community.
The op shop find quickly became a hot topic on social media, with one local woman expressing her disbelief: 'How in the world would a normal everyday person be able to afford that? At the stage now it’s cheaper to go to Kmart.'
A shopper slammed the price of a Balenciaga bag sold at $2,000 at a Vinnies op shop. Credit: Linda Ashbrook / Facebook
Her sentiment was echoed by others who felt that such pricing was a 'slap in the face,' especially considering that all items were donated.
This isn't the first time high prices at charity stores have caused a stir.
A pair of secondhand RM Williams boots were sold at Salvos in Tamworth for $400, a $45 floral dress at a Sydney Vinnues store, and a secondhand Burberry jacket priced at $850 also raised eyebrows.
‘It’s ridiculous these days, all the op shops are so overpriced. Very much so in the suburb I live in because it’s a wealthy area, they think everyone who walks in is loaded,’ one said.
In defence of the $2,000 handbag, Vinnies North West area manager Julie Crosby reminded critics of the charity's mission: 'We're raising funds. We can spend that money on helping out homeless people, domestic violence issues where we're relocating families.'
Store manager Megan Moffat said, ‘It’s a beautiful little handbag,’ justifying the $2,000 price tag.
The debate has even reached industry experts. Andrew Hughes, a business and economics lecturer, suggested that charity stores might be 'taking advantage of people’, given that ‘they’re getting a lot of their stock for no cost, or very little cost, because people donate to charity bins... or give directly into their stores’.
On the other hand, Omer Soker, CEO of Charitable Recycling Australia, pointed the finger at 'resellers' who buy from charity shops to sell at marked-up prices on commercial platform.
‘These resellers buy from charity shops and then put on huge mark-ups to sell on commercial platforms like Depop, and other commercial markets,’ he argued.
‘In these cases, charity shops are acting like wholesalers, so the charity shop prices are still great value.’
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