And Another Thing...: "Can I Try That Dress On In The Window?'' ... "Certainly Madam, Unless You'd Prefer To Use The Changing Room.''
...Charity begins at home, it is said, and the junk taking up space in one home is often just what another person needs, wants or will buy on impulse, and the true value of anything is what someone is prepared to pay on the day...
Arthur Loosley tells of the bargains to be found in charity shops.
Do please visit Arthur's entertaining Web site http://www.wordsweb.co.uk
Working as a volunteer helper in a charity shop can be fun and provides an opportunity to meet and chat with friendly people from all backgrounds and in all walks of life. Although it was once frowned upon to wear second-hand clothes, even the 'best people' can now be seen sorting through the racks in these treasure-houses which turn recycling into a multi-million pound fund-raising enterprise for good causes. The clothing on sale is, with very few exceptions, of excellent quality, in good condition and unsoiled.
Not only clothing but also household goods and leisure and hobby items pass through these shops. Things such as cooking pots and pans and everyday tableware are in plentiful supply, as well as occasional surprises such as good quality collectable china, glass and silverware. Then there are books, toys, electronic games, video tapes, compact discs, camping gear and sports goods . . . you name it, and you'll find it somewhere in a charity shop in many of our main shopping streets.
Health and safety legislation governs the sale of certain items such as electrical goods, noxious liquids, knives or anything else which might be used as a weapon or cause accidental injury, and some surprising items sometimes confront the unwary helper opening a bag or box of donated items, such as the pack of playing cards I found this week, clearly marked 'For Adults Only' which on inspection were found to be definitely 'not for the children!' Sad to say, we also find black bags left on our doorstep containing unwashed clothing, damaged crockery and broken plastic toys, which we have to pay the council to take away as 'trade waste'.
Pricing items for sale can be problematical and some mistakes are made: over-pricing means that the item will not find a buyer, and under-pricing is immediately evident when an item is snapped up as soon as it hits the shelves.
Single tea cups rarely find a customer, even at a very modest price, because nobody ever buys a cup without a matching saucer . . . until a customer comes in looking for a particular piece to complete a valuable set no longer on the market or only available on special order at a premium rate. It does happen occasionally.
It is very much a guessing game, like those TV shows so popular nowadays, with renowned experts in all areas of antiques offering advice and valuations to the uninitiated and finding their estimates to be either absolutely correct or wrong by a very large factor when the item comes up for auction.
Charity begins at home, it is said, and the junk taking up space in one home is often just what another person needs, wants or will buy on impulse, and the true value of anything is what someone is prepared to pay on the day.
