Now here is a massive one for debate ... and I mean massive!!
You need to read this article, above, carefully!
Firstly, it begs these
questions:
1.Are charity shops there to make as much money as they can for their
charities?
2.Are charity shops there to help the local poor and needy in that particular
area?
3.Are charity shops there to aid ebayers/vintage
sellers etc to make as much profit as possible?
Secondly, just look at that headline!!
If that’s not persuasive journalism, I don’t know what is!!
Bearing in mind the original
idea of a charity shop, I don’t see that the charity shop
is any more greedy
than the customer! Why should someone come along, grab a bargain
and then
make a massive profit when they go away and resell it?
Why shouldn’t the
charity shop benefit too? Have we forgotten the meaning
of the word ‘charity’?!
It makes me laugh because any
of us who do vintage fairs can often be heard
complaining when customers try to
get something at a lower price...
yet here we are, on the other side of the fence,
grumbling about charity shop prices.
Charity shops are a business, fighting for
profits, just as we do.
The fact is, that it all
comes down to greed; greed on both sides, I think!
However, the ‘vintage thing’
has a lot to answer for, doesn’t it?!
I wonder how many of us, who frequent
charity shops, actually look at the name
above the door as we enter or leave
the shop and think about which charity
we have just helped?
I bet there are
many of us who never stop to look because we are quickly considering
what a bargain
we’ve just found and what profit we can make on it!
Rubbing our hands in glee, so to speak!!!
I think the debate re charity
shops is a huge one!
Many say that they are way too many shops in our towns. (Newton Abbot has plenty!)
Many say that they fill a space that would otherwise
remain an empty shop space.
Many say that enough of the money doesn’t filter
through to the charity concerned
and that managing directors of charities are
vastly overpaid.
Me? What do I think? Well, exactly as I have said above. I can see both sides
of the argument but meanwhile, as I am contemplating further....
I reckon there’s nothing
like a good old fashioned jumble sale!!
When I was teaching in Exeter, the jumble sale was a feature of the school calendar!! Every term!
Way hay!! I will never forget it!!
Our classrooms were in pairs and we had the choice...
to 'man' the jumble sale OR teach TWO classes for the afternoon!
I'll leave you to decide what I did! ;-)
The jumble sale! Bring it back! Umbrellas at the ready, let
the battle commence!!
;-)