"Thrift Stores" and Charities

[Cookie]

Maybe we need to author a Thrifters Manifesto?

You had us at hello, Jerry. 

[fifihex]

In the Netherlands the thrift culture is a hipe. So we have loads and loads of commercial thrift stores, the "hip" stores. They probably buy stuff in bulk from trash companies around Europe or maybe even charity organisations.
My favourite thrift store is a real thrift store. It's run by Rotterdam trash company and is part of their recycling plan. In my neighbourhood there's also a charity thrift store at a center for people with sindrome of down. I think relatives of those people and volunteers seek donations for the store. Besides that I go to flea markets, which is like a garage sale only people hire a stand and sell their junk. People treat that more like entertainment than for profit activity, though there are those who seek profit only.
We also have the salvation army stores which I never been to. They sell clothes per kilo, that's all I know.

[nicejewishgirl]

Even thrift stores that are affiliated with charities often only donate a small percentage to the charity (sometimes as little as 3%).  People don't realize this and it is shady.  For a charity to qualify for 501 C3 status (which makes them a nonprofit) they are supposed to provide information about the organization to anyone that asks, but good luck getting it.  I argued about this topic with a professor of mine recently (I'm in grad school for Public Administration).  She argued that the amount of money thrift stores make is minimal and therefore state govts. would not be interested in investigating.  Essentially since everything is donated their overhead is very little.  She had no idea that thrift stores made so much money.  Having said that, I must admit that even I continue to shop at the ones that I know are just moneymaking fronts.

[Good Buddy]

Even thrift stores that are affiliated with charities often only donate a small percentage to the charity (sometimes as little as 3%).

The state of California has a law that if you "claim" to be a charity thrift store, you have to give a certain percentage each month regardless of what you make. I'm not sure of how much, but ThriftStoreGuru knows, I'll ask her..

GB

[Magpie18]

Well, the website of the California state attorney general has a lot of information regarding charities registered in California.

http://ag.ca.gov/charities/index.php

[nicejewishgirl]

I'm not sure if Ohio and Kentucky (where I live) have laws like these.  We have many fly by night thrift stores that have a vague connection to a charity yet they never seem to promote that charity anywhere in the store and none of the employees know anything about it.  From a marketing standpoint it's really brilliant:  affiliate yourself with a charity, have your entire inventory donated, and have people shop at your store because they think they are giving money to a good cause.

[tsmanager]

As the manager of a thrift store. I can tell you ours is probably an exception. Because our organization funds homeless shelters. We are 30-35% of their operating capital for those shelters. And that doesn't included all the things we give to our shelters and the clients we help. We also give about $10000 away in the form of free goods to those in legitimate need in the community.
It is up to the individual to ask who does this thrift store support. I am very proud when asked this question because I feel good about the money we give back to our organization.
So you be the judge.
Mary

[adapt]

there are a couple "thrift stores" out in these parts that have an amazing array of goods on the mega-cheap but don't benefit charities in any way. there's a gospel mission thrift around here that is awful in pricing -- wanted 300 for a table once, that wasnt worth half that. i'll admit, i'm in it mostly for fashion, and i don't spend too much since i live near an abundance of thrift stores. i think the charities can make do without my six bucks when i choose a for-profit thrift.

[alexandra]

I don't worry too much about where the proceeds from sales go -- unless it was for an organization that was really radical in regard to a practice or belief I find repugnant.  I'm not religious, but know that the Salvation Army does good deeds -- even if they might be considered faith-based (and I am religiously ambivalent).  And since they are a large charity, their extra visibility means that they are held a bit more accountable.

IMO, the 501(c)(3) status provided charitable organizations is ripe for abuse.  It is possible that there are more unethical charities than there are ethical ones.  And they are small beans, so there is no regulatory oversight to stop or deal with the unethical ones.  The IRS and state AGs have bigger fish to fry.

For me, the bottom line is price and merchandise.  I don't worry too much about the ethics as most places I shop are bigger names with more easily identifiable agendas.  Since I am also always going for the half-price or clearance stuff, compared to a lot of buyers, I don't think anyone's making a killer profit on the items I purchase.

If you let the "shady" component of everyone and everything grate on your nerves, you'll end up miserable.  I think it's important to just not be morally affected by everything around us.  That is a sure recipe for misery!

Thriftily,
Alexandra
www.livingwithoutmoney.blogspot.com

[lizardsally]

I don't worry too much about where the proceeds from sales go -- unless it was for an organization that was really radical in regard to a practice or belief I find repugnant.  I'm not religious, but know that the Salvation Army does good deeds -- even if they might be considered faith-based (and I am religiously ambivalent).  And since they are a large charity, their extra visibility means that they are held a bit more accountable.

I hate the SA because they are are REALLY anti-gay, which I find totally repugnant!  I do shop there sometimes but not very often.  Out of the 2 big ones I prefer Goodwill. 

Does anyone know anything about Savers?  Do they actually help a charity or are they a for profit?

Anyway my favorite thrifts are the small, church based ones because their prices are usually way better, and I know for a fact that they actually do help people!

[dukek9]

Salvation Army is anti-gay?  Do tell more please because I haven't heard of this.

Well, I feel like Alexandra--no one is making a killer profit off me. (Hey Alexandra--we're cheap, er I mean frugal!)

But I do tryto shop at places with projects that I believe in. Hate to give even my tiny amount spent to someone I don't believe in.


Dee

[LadyinRed]

Does anyone know anything about Savers?  Do they actually help a charity or are they a for profit?

I, too, would like to know more about Savers.  Also if there is anything to the fact that they call themselves a "Thrift Department Store".  In the past I haven't had pleasant experiences with them, so I don't go very often, but recently I've been stopping in more often (I have a rule that I must occasionally reevaluate things that I think I don't like; I can only continue to not like it if upon revisit I still do not like it.  But I digress...).  The one nearest me seems totally variable on any given day.  On one trip it will be very dirty, and the next time it is quite clean.  Sometimes they are well organized, others not so much.  On the bright side, their employees are consistant: always a bit rude.  I have yet to find any nice clothing, but they have a very good selection of high end shoes and purses. 

Specifically, on one of my recent trips their purse collection included a half dozen Nine West leather bags, a newer Guess bag, THREE Dooney and Bourke all-weather leather bags, a knockoff Prada, a handful Liz, etc.  And while I wouldn't be shocked to find any one of these on any given day, I was still surprised to see all at one location at one time!

The shoes were a similar...Three pairs of ALDO, lots of Steve Madden, a couple pairs of Franco Sarto, two pair of Danskos (in size 42, alas, much too big), etc.  The majority of their shoes were better brands.  Hardly any Wal-mart brand shoes.  Again, nothing all that impressive one at a time but all together?

Does anyone know if they selectively keep or reject donations?  Maybe they keep the good stuff and give the rest to the Goodwill down the street?  Their prices are highly variable, too.  They definitely have the "Oooh a Prada purse, mark it at $20" syndrome (despite the fact that it was a blatant knockoff).

I would love to know how their charitability stacks up.

[Krisathome]

I actually work in a thrift store.  Everything is donated and the profits go to keep our local battered woman's shelter running.  So I don't think that we are "shady", are we?  There are only 2 paid employees, myself and another lady.  We do have some great volunteers.

We do have silent auctions on some of our better donations.  Last month it was a home built Victorian dollhouse.  Cute!

We only have a couple of other actual thrift stores in my area.  One is Goodwill and the other benefits a home for pregnant teens.   Oh well, I guess it's less competition for us.  But I should wouldn't mind some other places to shop.

[Big Daddy Audio]

In Arizona, SAVERS supports Big Brothers/Big Sisters.  I don't know if this is the national policy.  I generally don't shop there, as they state that their electronics are tested, when they're generally just plugged in to see if the power comes on (that's not testing, folks).  They have a return policy, but it's a same day/same time value exchange for something else, so if they don't have anything else that you're interested in, then you're skunked.  GW offers store credit that's good for 6 months.  Savers also has to collect sales tax in AZ, so I'm not sure if they donate enough $$$ to their charity to qualify as a non-profit or a not-for-profit.  This is all tiny nuts and bolts, and I'm sure that if I consistently found good stuff there, I'd shop there more.   

I hadn't heard that SA was anti-gay.  That's something I would consider gossip.  Of course, you'll always run into individuals who have these sort of hang-ups, but I'd be reticent to label an entire organization with something like that.

See you next time
bye for now

[alexandra]

I've met a few really nice cross-dressers in the SA -- apparently, it's a very good place to go to find women's shoes in large sizes along with a more interesting array of clothing in larger feminine sizes....

I guess I am not totally surprised if a religiously affiliated organization would frown upon certain practices -- but as far as the stores themselves go, I've not seen the staff at any SA express any particular belief.

Thriftily,
Alexandra
www.livingwithoutmoney.blogspot.com