You get all sorts in charity shops O_o

[blood_winged]

I've been working in the British Heart Foundation store in my town as a volunteer for two weeks now, three days a week, and aside from mucking up the till this Wednesday and losing £19 I've been doing pretty good. The people are friendly and I feel like I'm really fitting in.

Already, I have some tales to tell about the customers. I'm glad we have such supportive managers and we all look out for each other or I would have crumbled more than once.

There's a lot of people who try to rip us off. These are the people who seem to have the wrong idea of what a charity shop is, and try to get us to lower prices on goods that are already a low price, because we are a charity shop, and almost everything is second hand. One fine example is a woman who came in today. Well dressed, probably around retirement age. She picked up an orange sweater, which was a decent label and priced at £4.99, and brought it to the counter. She then asked if she could have it for £4. I don't know where people get the idea they can come into a charity shop and haggle. That top is at £4.99 because we know that's what it will sell for. I went and grabbed the manager, and she came down and said no, she wouldn't lower the price, and she went back upstairs. I moved off to tidy up a rack of clothes, and out of the corner of my eye saw the woman leave.

Without buying the sweater.

Because she couldn't get 99p off it.

Yup.

=~=

Comments

[sir-pinkleton.livejournal.com]

Oh just be glad she didn't pitch a huge fit! D=

[blood-winged.livejournal.com]

We've had someone do that. They brought a damaged item in but they didn't have the tag on it anymore so it couldn't be proven it was from that store (they had the tag, but it wasn't attached to the garment), and the best we could offer was an exchange. She got really uppity about it and nearly had a full-on row with the manager.

[sir-pinkleton.livejournal.com]

On my first job, I had people come in close to every night threatening to break in/hurt us because the pharmacy was already closed and they couldn't get their drugs. T_T So I hope you don't get any scary people like that!

[blood-winged.livejournal.com]

It's not a big store and we always have a manager on hand, and usually a couple of big-strong-men to chase off any no-gooders.

We did have a crack-head in today, but the most you have to watch for is them nicking stuff.

[nasty-show.livejournal.com]

Sadly this does not surprise me.

One of my friends was the manager of a charity shop in Bolton and he used to have stand directly outside of the fitting rooms as so many people used to try stealing things. Disgusting.

*snug snug*

[blood-winged.livejournal.com]

Well thankfully the one in Leigh is quite small and the changing room is in full view of the counter, so you can see who goes in and out. People still manage to steal though.

[canadaphile.livejournal.com]

Some people just don't get it. Seriously. Does there need to be a sign? "We are not a Mexican market. Prices are final." BC

=^..^=~

[blood-winged.livejournal.com]

She's not the first person who's tried to get money off. Yes, we are a charity shop. No, we are not so desperate that we will knock money off all our stock.

[lovelycudy.livejournal.com]

I know I should not be surprised, but still, I can't get why people do stuff like that.

[blood-winged.livejournal.com]

Nor me! D<;