Latest news with #opshops
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Aussie blasts frustrating change at op shops as droves of customers officially ditch the charity stores for Kmart and Target: 'It's upsetting'
An outraged Aussie has lashed out at the expensive prices at op shops, with many claiming they have ditched the charity stores for good and gone to Kmart or Target. Bekkah showed off some of the ridiculous prices for tables, dolls and cups at her local Sydney Salvation Army store in a TikTok video on Wednesday. The mother could not believe how expensive things had gotten as the op shop seemingly abandoned its legacy as an affordable safe haven for struggling Aussies. Bekkah claimed the thrift stores were now taking advantage of 'vulnerable' Australians. 'Australia's most expensive op-shop/thrift shop goes to the Salvation Army,' she wrote in the caption. Throughout the store many tables were around the $550 mark, all the dolls $120 and even the drinking mugs were $75. Most of the items Bekkah filmed had been discounted, meaning they had been even more expensive to start with. The tables in particular had each been discounted by $100, but despite the fact they were second-hand they were still going for half-a-thousand-dollars each. Social media users said these types of prices were why they would just rather go to Kmart or Target. 'Funny how the Big W clothing in the salvo shops is more expensive than buying new from Big W itself,' one wrote. 'Op shops are actually so lame with the prices right now. I can get stuff brand new at Kmart that they would sell for twice the price used,' another agreed. 'This is why I now post heaps for free on marketplace!' a third said. 'Because I'm not donating so the heads of these "charities" can drive around in luxury cars and live in luxury homes.' Others questioned why these prices only ever seemed to be going up. 'Considering they get it for free, that's upsetting,' one commented. 'And their staff are mostly volunteers. And the charities don't pay tax,' a second said. 'There needs to be a Four Corners into why op shops are more expensive, and where that money is actually going,' a third suggested. An expert in the not-for-profit sector, Dr Bronwen Dalton, said cheap op shop items - from clothing to furniture - seem to be a thing of the past partially due to the rise of fast fashion and the housing crisis. 'Because of fast fashion like Shein, massive amounts of really, really poor-quality clothing that is not fit for sale is dumped, and (charities) have to cover the costs of getting rid of it,' he told Daily Mail Australia. '(And) charities are used as a way to get rid of stuff, people just don't want it and don't particularly care what happens to it.' Dr Dalton also suggested charities move to a 'less commercial' ethos. Some overheads have risen as charities look to 'professionalise' and run their operations in a more 'business-minded' fashion. 'There's been a bit of, "charities are badly run; we should get CEOs from business because they really know how to run things",' Dr Dalton said. 'CEOs from the business sector bring their ideas which don't take into account the mission and community. 'Not-for-profits have had to evolve our approach and model to remain relevant and appeal to the changing competitive market.'
Daily Telegraph
23-07-2025
- Lifestyle
- Daily Telegraph
Reality behind ‘insane' op shop trend
Don't miss out on the headlines from Designers. Followed categories will be added to My News. OPINION Every week, it seems like someone new has posted a TikTok or Reddit rant about a 'wildly overpriced' op shop item – an $80 jumper, a $50 platter, a $300 dress – and it instantly blows up. The general consensus is that charity shops are meant to be cheap, and this feels like a betrayal. Given the cost-of-living crunch, I get why people are fired up. But here's the thing. As someone who's been turning to op shops for as long as I can remember to help keep my insatiable shopping habit in check, I have to say, I don't actually see the issue. Not only is the outrage often misdirected, but the story behind the expensive price tags is often much more nuanced than TikTok wants it to be. And frankly, if we're going to talk about op shop prices in 2025, let's do it with some facts. Here's why I'm standing in defence of 'expensive' items in charity shops. I stand by high prices at op shops, here's why. Picture: 1. The issue has been massively overblown The idea that op shop prices are spiralling out of control is just a huge misrepresentation. There are currently 3000 op shops in Australia, selling 160 million household and clothing items per year at an average price of $5.81 per item. Yes, $5.81. This average includes clothes, toys, books, furniture and homewares … so, no, the average price has not gone up, and there are millions of very low-priced products available. In other words, the vast majority of items are genuinely affordable for everyday Aussies, and offer a decent cost-of-living relief. According to Charitable Reuse Australia, a national network of charitable reuse enterprises, shopping second-hand saves Australians $2 billion a year. Drilling down by state, where there are government-funded studies, shopping second-hand saves the NSW community a whopping $432 million in cost-of-living relief a year, with an average item price of $5.33 across 107 million items resold locally. In Tasmania, shopping second-hand saves the community $147 million in cost-of-living relief, with an average price of $4.91 across 13 million items resold locally. In South Australia, the savings range from $147 million to $432 million. The average price of an item is still extremely low. Picture: 2. Shopping second-hand is still the more sustainable option By aligning quality and prices with current retail trends, op shops discourage mindless consumerism and fast fashion. 'Charity Shops will assess and sell suitable items,' Omer Soker, CEO of Charitable Reuse Australia told 'Staff and volunteers will price them accordingly to what they feel is a fair price, and saleable to Australian consumers. 'Charity shops can't resell lower-quality items that aren't designed to last as they don't have the quality or durability for people to want them. A durable second-hand item in a charity shop will last much longer than a cheap new one of inferior quality, so it gets worn again and again, providing better value and sustainability over time.' According to the organisation's National Reuse Impact Report 2025, 190,000 tonnes of waste were diverted from landfill to reuse, and op shops saved 1.4 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. Charity shops assess each item to price it fairly. Picture: Jason Sammon 3. There is a market for higher-priced items, and it all goes to a good cause Of course, thrifting has become increasingly trendy over the years, thanks to the renewed movement towards sustainability and slow fashion, as well as the influence of social media platforms like Pinterest and TikTok. Because of this, some op shops in certain areas will sell items for $100 to $200, or even $300 or above for designer pieces. According to a spokesperson for St Vincent de Paul Society, Vinnies stores are 'stocked and priced according to location and demographic'. For example, city stores will stock differently from regional centres. 'There are also boutique-style vintage stores in the suburbs where they resonate with style-conscious consumers,' they added. And it's important to remember that these pricier items are still a huge bargain when you consider the value the item is worth. The other day, I was visiting one of my favourite local op shops, Op for Change in Manly, and I came across a $290 dress, which I initially baulked at. However, after a quick Google Reverse Search, I found that the Agua dress retailed for $1143, which was a 75 per cent markdown. Another dress from the brand Alexis was priced at $240, but retailed for $1288, an 80 per cent reduction. This is objectively good value, and although these sorts of items 'may not be within budget for every customer,' as the Vinnies spokesperson notes, they do cater to the large number of higher-income buyers who enjoy and value shopping second-hand. There is a huge market for quality, designer goods at op shops and the money goes to a good cause. Picture: Interestingly, when these media reports come out about expensive items, op shops say they actually sell them almost straight away because there are many buyers eager to snap up these bargains. 'Op shop buyers are happy to pay a high price for a preloved item that would have cost them in the thousands, especially when they know the proceeds go towards social good,' Mr Soker explains. 'Most importantly, selling items at fair prices to buyers that want them has a social impact in helping those in need, and op shops raise $1 billion every year and generate a net profit of $180 million for social welfare programs across the country.' The Vinnies spokesperson explains: 'Your purchase could be used to help people experiencing homelessness, women escaping domestic and family violence, or families who are struggling to put food on the table. 'Every purchase should be considered a donation.' This $45 top retails usually for around $200. Picture: On the other side, donors also want to see charity shops receive a fair price for their high-quality or designer items, and will stop donating these items if they are sold too cheaply. 'For example, someone who has generously donated a designer handbag would expect that we would price that bag at a higher value in order to raise more funds for charity,' the Vinnies spokesperson pointed out. Mr Soker says charity shops have noticed that when donors return to see how much their preloved designer items are selling for, they are often disappointed to see that the prices charged are lower than they would have expected. Donors expect their items to be priced according to their value. Picture: Facebook 4. Initiatives are in place to help lower-income shoppers While these higher priced items still make up a small minority of items for sale, and most items are considered affordable – those who are doing it tough can always access initiatives at op shops to help them shop. 'There are often people who turn to our shops who are facing financial constraints or disadvantage,' the spokesperson said. 'We will provide people in need with vouchers to go into our shops and have dignity to shop like any other customer. For anyone who requires further assistance, the St Vincent de Paul Society has Vinnies Support Centres (VSC) across Australia.' This Kathmandu puffer jacket in a Vinnies in Sydney was $50 but retails for $200-$300. Picture: Supplied 5. Who really benefits from complaining about high prices? While there might be a lot of outrage online about op-shop prices these days, it's important to think about who might actually be behind these sorts of posts. There's a trend for 'resellers' to go around to different op shops and buy in bulk at low prices, to then resell with higher prices on platforms like Depop, Facebook Marketplace, car boot sales and clothing markets. Resellers represent a large proportion of op shop buyers, so it makes sense that they have a commercial interest in driving down prices at op shops for their own personal gain. It's also worth noting that not many people complain about the high prices on resell platforms, even though a lot of their stock is originally bought from an op shop. If thrift shoppers were to see something for $300 on Depop (which is not uncommon), they might automatically assume it's a high-value item. Whereas if the same thing was seen at an op shop, that same person might take a video for TikTok, labelling it a 'rip off' – despite it being the exact same thing. Who actually benefits from videos like these? Picture: TikTok Often resellers will attempt to drive down op shop prices for their own financial gain. Picture: TikTok 6. Running a op shop comes at a cost There is a misconception that running op shops is free or low-cost, because items are donated. But like any organisation, op shops also have budgets from an organisational perspective that link back to planning, resourcing, priorities and sustainability. They are also privy to the commercial realities of running a brick-and-mortar store, which means leases, utilities, sorting facilities, and recycling costs. So, before we rush to call out that hundred-dollar dress, let's try and think about who is really losing when we expect charity shops to sell everything, even designer items, for next to nothing. Continue the conversation. Follow me on Instagram @el_katelaris Originally published as Reality behind 'insane' op shop trend
News.com.au
23-07-2025
- General
- News.com.au
Reality behind ‘insane' op shop trend
OPINION Every week, it seems like someone new has posted a TikTok or Reddit rant about a 'wildly overpriced' op shop item – an $80 jumper, a $50 platter, a $300 dress – and it instantly blows up. The general consensus is that charity shops are meant to be cheap, and this feels like a betrayal. Given the cost-of-living crunch, I get why people are fired up. But here's the thing. As someone who's been turning to op shops for as long as I can remember to help keep my insatiable shopping habit in check, I have to say, I don't actually see the issue. Not only is the outrage often misdirected, but the story behind the expensive price tags is often much more nuanced than TikTok wants it to be. And frankly, if we're going to talk about op shop prices in 2025, let's do it with some facts. Here's why I'm standing in defence of 'expensive' items in charity shops. 1. The issue has been massively overblown The idea that op shop prices are spiralling out of control is just a huge misrepresentation. There are currently 3000 op shops in Australia, selling 160 million household and clothing items per year at an average price of $5.81 per item. Yes, $5.81. This average includes clothes, toys, books, furniture and homewares … so, no, the average price has not gone up, and there are millions of very low-priced products available. In other words, the vast majority of items are genuinely affordable for everyday Aussies, and offer a decent cost-of-living relief. According to Charitable Reuse Australia, a national network of charitable reuse enterprises, shopping second-hand saves Australians $2 billion a year. Drilling down by state, where there are government-funded studies, shopping second-hand saves the NSW community a whopping $432 million in cost-of-living relief a year, with an average item price of $5.33 across 107 million items resold locally. In Tasmania, shopping second-hand saves the community $147 million in cost-of-living relief, with an average price of $4.91 across 13 million items resold locally. In South Australia, the savings range from $147 million to $432 million. 2. Shopping second-hand is still the more sustainable option By aligning quality and prices with current retail trends, op shops discourage mindless consumerism and fast fashion. 'Charity Shops will assess and sell suitable items,' Omer Soker, CEO of Charitable Reuse Australia told 'Staff and volunteers will price them accordingly to what they feel is a fair price, and saleable to Australian consumers. 'Charity shops can't resell lower-quality items that aren't designed to last as they don't have the quality or durability for people to want them. A durable second-hand item in a charity shop will last much longer than a cheap new one of inferior quality, so it gets worn again and again, providing better value and sustainability over time.' According to the organisation's National Reuse Impact Report 2025, 190,000 tonnes of waste were diverted from landfill to reuse, and op shops saved 1.4 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. 3. There is a market for higher-priced items, and it all goes to a good cause Of course, thrifting has become increasingly trendy over the years, thanks to the renewed movement towards sustainability and slow fashion, as well as the influence of social media platforms like Pinterest and TikTok. Because of this, some op shops in certain areas will sell items for $100 to $200, or even $300 or above for designer pieces. According to a spokesperson for St Vincent de Paul Society, Vinnies stores are 'stocked and priced according to location and demographic'. For example, city stores will stock differently from regional centres. 'There are also boutique-style vintage stores in the suburbs where they resonate with style-conscious consumers,' they added. And it's important to remember that these pricier items are still a huge bargain when you consider the value the item is worth. The other day, I was visiting one of my favourite local op shops, Op for Change in Manly, and I came across a $290 dress, which I initially baulked at. However, after a quick Google Reverse Search, I found that the Agua dress retailed for $1143, which was a 75 per cent markdown. Another dress from the brand Alexis was priced at $240, but retailed for $1288, an 80 per cent reduction. This is objectively good value, and although these sorts of items 'may not be within budget for every customer,' as the Vinnies spokesperson notes, they do cater to the large number of higher-income buyers who enjoy and value shopping second-hand. Interestingly, when these media reports come out about expensive items, op shops say they actually sell them almost straight away because there are many buyers eager to snap up these bargains. 'Op shop buyers are happy to pay a high price for a preloved item that would have cost them in the thousands, especially when they know the proceeds go towards social good,' Mr Soker explains. 'Most importantly, selling items at fair prices to buyers that want them has a social impact in helping those in need, and op shops raise $1 billion every year and generate a net profit of $180 million for social welfare programs across the country.' The Vinnies spokesperson explains: 'Your purchase could be used to help people experiencing homelessness, women escaping domestic and family violence, or families who are struggling to put food on the table. 'Every purchase should be considered a donation.' On the other side, donors also want to see charity shops receive a fair price for their high-quality or designer items, and will stop donating these items if they are sold too cheaply. 'For example, someone who has generously donated a designer handbag would expect that we would price that bag at a higher value in order to raise more funds for charity,' the Vinnies spokesperson pointed out. Mr Soker says charity shops have noticed that when donors return to see how much their preloved designer items are selling for, they are often disappointed to see that the prices charged are lower than they would have expected. 4. Initiatives are in place to help lower-income shoppers While these higher priced items still make up a small minority of items for sale, and most items are considered affordable – those who are doing it tough can always access initiatives at op shops to help them shop. 'There are often people who turn to our shops who are facing financial constraints or disadvantage,' the spokesperson said. 'We will provide people in need with vouchers to go into our shops and have dignity to shop like any other customer. For anyone who requires further assistance, the St Vincent de Paul Society has Vinnies Support Centres (VSC) across Australia.' 5. Who really benefits from complaining about high prices? While there might be a lot of outrage online about op-shop prices these days, it's important to think about who might actually be behind these sorts of posts. There's a trend for 'resellers' to go around to different op shops and buy in bulk at low prices, to then resell with higher prices on platforms like Depop, Facebook Marketplace, car boot sales and clothing markets. Resellers represent a large proportion of op shop buyers, so it makes sense that they have a commercial interest in driving down prices at op shops for their own personal gain. It's also worth noting that not many people complain about the high prices on resell platforms, even though a lot of their stock is originally bought from an op shop. If thrift shoppers were to see something for $300 on Depop (which is not uncommon), they might automatically assume it's a high-value item. Whereas if the same thing was seen at an op shop, that same person might take a video for TikTok, labelling it a 'rip off' – despite it being the exact same thing. 6. Running a op shop comes at a cost There is a misconception that running op shops is free or low-cost, because items are donated. But like any organisation, op shops also have budgets from an organisational perspective that link back to planning, resourcing, priorities and sustainability. They are also privy to the commercial realities of running a brick-and-mortar store, which means leases, utilities, sorting facilities, and recycling costs. So, before we rush to call out that hundred-dollar dress, let's try and think about who is really losing when we expect charity shops to sell everything, even designer items, for next to nothing.
The Guardian
25-05-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Savers is a thrift store - and we're in a cost-of-living crisis. So why is the US chain dividing Australian shoppers?
Thrifting was made for times like these. A prolonged period of high living costs and consumer pushback against the excesses of fast fashion has led to soaring interest in buying secondhand clothes and pre-owned homewares. Big business is tapping into the trend, drawing mixed reactions from thrifters accustomed to spending their money at charitable op shops. Late last year, the private equity-backed Savers, a firm listed in the US, opened a store on Oxford Street, one of Sydney's primary shopping precincts. Months earlier, it had unveiled a sprawling superstore in the city's west. In the next few months, it plans to open stores in Sydney's inner west on the bustling Parramatta Road, and in the city's outskirts in Marsden Park. The Sydney expansion builds on the outlet's long-term presence in Melbourne and Adelaide. Savers, the biggest for-profit thrift retailer in North America, has found financial favour in Australia, with quarterly sales jumping to US$30.7m in the March quarter, up almost 12% from a year earlier. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email Overall, the company generated US$1.54bn in sales in 2024 through its network of more than 350 stores, mainly located in the US and Canada. Caitie Pridmore, a longtime op shopping enthusiast, says she is more inclined to shop at charity-run op shops than Savers, but any arguments against for-profit thrift stores should be nuanced. 'It comes down to … the intention as the consumer, and then the intention as the retailer of the op shop,' she says. 'With Savers, it's an interesting one. I feel less compelled to shop there.' Pridmore says while there is a charitable element to the way Savers operates, she prefers to spend her money in op shops where she knows her contributions are going to have 'more of an impact on the community'. For-profit thrift retailers tend to do well in markets where customers are conscious about their spending, but not under so much financial pressure that they stop buying altogether. This is representative of conditions in Australia, where households are grappling with cost-of-living pressures, but most people have a job, with unemployment at a low level of 4.1%. Michael Fisher, the managing director at Savers Australia, said in a statement that secondhand shopping served as a meaningful and sustainable way for consumers to stretch their dollars in the current economic climate. 'We are competitively positioned in the retail sector with a hyperlocal model, an average price per item of less than $10, and a fresh assortment that provides exceptional value to consumers,' Fisher said. The Savers model relies on donations of clothes and small household items to its charitable partners, including Red Nose, Wounds Australia and Diabetes Victoria, which are either collected by the not-for-profits or through donation centres attached to the stores. Savers then pays the charities for those goods. The Wounds Australia chief executive, Jeff Antcliff, said the organisation had been 'thrilled with the exposure' the partnership had brought and that the relationship provided revenue to support the organisation's work in advocating for those living with chronic wounds. Savers' charitable partners, including Wounds Australia, said the rates paid by Savers were confidential. In the US, Savers has faced questions over the transparency of its relationships with nonprofit partners, and the rates it pays. Sign up to Breaking News Australia Get the most important news as it breaks after newsletter promotion The office of the Washington attorney general said in 2017 that Savers' parent company was paying one of its charitable partners as little as four pennies for every pound of clothing. Other goods, like housewares, earned the charities 2 US cents per pound. Savers did not respond to questions about the per-kilo rate it pays in Australia. Fisher said the company had paid its Australian not-for-profit partners about $20m for secondhand goods over the last five years. 'Last year alone, we found a reuse for over 9.1 million kilograms of secondhand items,' Fisher said in a statement. One of Savers' partners, Diabetes Victoria, disclosed in financial accounts that about 4.8m kgs of clothes and other products went to Savers in 2024, and that the charity had earned $2.98m from its collections business. While this would imply a rate of about 62c per kilo, the calculation could be complicated by donations of different types of goods attracting different rates. The Diabetes Victoria chief executive, Glen Noonan, said the Savers partnership had 'played a vital role in advancing our efforts to raise funds for much needed diabetes programs, advocacy and world-leading diabetes research'. The thrifting sector has changed significantly from the days of being almost exclusively run by charities. Another for-profit model, consignment stores, allows people to sell unwanted clothes for lower-than-retail prices if they don't want to give them away for free. Bec Brewin, a keen op-shopper who creates thrifting content for social media, says e-commerce platforms like Depop facilitate a more sustainable economy, even though 'you're not donating to a charity, you're donating to somebody's wallet'. 'As long as you're aware of the fact that you're shopping at a for-profit thrift shop or op shop, it's fine. You're still making a more sustainable choice,' she says. Vicky Weatherlake, who runs an online thrifting community I Love To Op Shop which includes a Facebook group with more than 122,000 members, says she supports the Savers business model. 'I'm not wasting time criticising Savers for not being not-for-profit when we have [fast fashion platforms] doing huge environmental damage,' she says, referring to mass market retailers selling ultra cheap clothing. 'Is [Savers] competitive with op shops? Yes, certainly – but from my personal point of view, it's more environmentally friendly.' 'We've got far bigger fish to fry than pulling Savers up on being a for-profit business, when it actually gets through so much goods that people are just not wanting any more,' she says.
