When Not To Bargain
December 5, 2008 | Filed under Life, Money
I’ve talked about the importance of bargaining the price down when shopping before, but there’s one type of shop where you should never bargain the price down. Opshops (or thrift shops, second hand stores, etc.) in Melbourne are generally run by unpaid blue-rinsed elderly volunteers, with all proceeds going to a charity of some description. There are few exceptions, with only a handful that are run for personal profit.
Therefore, you do not try to bargain the price down at op shops. Not only is it simply ridiculous when the prices are as low as they are (hello, Sass & Bide jeans for $5? a Mariana Hardwick gown for $15?), but you’re effectively taking food out of the mouths of others, or removing the roof over people’s heads. The money earned by opshops go directly towards supporting those who need charity most.
Whether it be the services offered by the Salvation Army, the aid from St. Vincent de Paul, the lifesaving efforts of the Australian Red Cross, or the efforts of the smaller opshops (e.g. the Victorian Mental Health opshop, the opshop run by the local church, etc.), Australian opshop proceeds go towards helping those in our country who are worse off than those of us lucky enough to live in our own homes with a steady income.
When you try to bargain a $5 top down to $4, you’re effectively being a inconsiderate tightwad who’s unwilling to spare $1 for the less fortunate. Even I don’t do that, and I’m the cheapest person around! Middle-aged ladies that I encounter in my opshop travails – keep that in mind. Yes, I do judge you. And I will continue to judge you until you realise that the extra $1 goes towards the people in this country who need that money to survive.
12 Responses to When Not To Bargain
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I love thie entry! I agree 100%
Witnessed a middle aged woman trying to bargain down a pair of authentic Valentino snakeskin heels last week…
‘I don;t want to pay $20 for these, they’re the only thing in the whole shop over $5! How about $7?’
I did lol. She bought that in the end, for $20 :P
Alexandra on December 5, 2008 #
I will feel embarrassed to haggle at a shop that I know is operating for charity reason. I also try not to bargain when I go into a shop that is having a sale at the moment. It just seems weird to ask for discount when the prices are already..discounted.
Wendy on December 6, 2008 #
There are only a couple of shops that I’d attempt to bargain with, though in those I’m generally given a discount without asking anyway.
Bargaining with charity shops is just wrong. I’ve never come across it and am surprised that some people do it.
Charlie on December 6, 2008 #
Some people just have no shame.
Stephanie on December 6, 2008 #
Most of the op shops I’ve been to in the States don’t allow that sort of bargaining anyway. (Some are really neurotic about pricing, even, to the point where they won’t let you buy anything whose price tag has fallen off.)
Jack on December 6, 2008 #
I love thrift stores… I usually get my books from there and even though I love bargaining, I can’t bring myself to ask them to lower the prices when the deals are already so great! Besides, I don’t think they’d late you bargain anyway…
Felisa on December 6, 2008 #
I can’t imagine trying to haggle over how much you’re giving to charity D:
Kaylee on December 6, 2008 #
I totally agree with you. :)
Caity on December 6, 2008 #
*sighs* I volunteer at the Salvos op-shop… This lady was looking at a stamp book from China and the manager had put a price of $45 on it.
Then she had tried to haggle and complained that it was too expensive and said “I thought this store was a shop for poor people.”
… If she was that poor, would she be looking at a book of stamps?
Mish on December 7, 2008 #
lol at caring about the poor.
epic lol.
Reply: Care to elaborate, or are you content with not explaining your position properly and thus rendering it ineligible to be taken seriously?
Mushy on December 8, 2008 #
Uh, it was obviously a joke
Reply: Failed.
Mushy on December 9, 2008 #
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