Op shop pricing is key, but not exact science

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Opinion

Re: Op shops need to price competitively, May 7 letter.

Shelagh, do you realise how much it costs to feed animals these days? It is bad enough trying to feed two cats let alone the many animals that have been treated cruelly or left abandoned.

A bag of cat or dog biscuits can cost from $6 upwards and I know my two cats can eat a lot, especially over winter. (A bag of biscuits can last for a week.) They also get wet food, which is expensive.

I have bought some really good items from the SPCA shop over the years.

We are fortunate to have the op shop, which not only supports the animals but also me when I need things I cannot afford to buy as I am a minimum-wage earner.

Rose

I agree with Shelagh regarding the pricing in the SPCA shop. My friend and I were in the shop last Saturday and were amazed at the ridiculous pricing. We are both op shop fanatics and also support the SPCA in many ways. We both left without purchasing a single item due to the pricing. While in the shop, several other customers also commented about this.

The way to fundraise for the SPCA from the donated goods would surely be to price the stock to target the market. SPCA Op Shop customers are there for reasonably-priced goods, as well as supporting a great cause. If we could afford a $300 pair of boots we would be buying new, not buying a second-hand pair.

Please remember that you will only raise money for the SPCA if the product sells. The best thing we saw while in there was a single curtain tie-back priced at $10. They are cheaper new at both The Warehouse and Briscoes, and you could probably purchase a matching pair.

We actually thought that the decimal place was in the wrong place on most items. This is very unfortunate, as the shop is fantastic and the volunteers are the best. Hopefully on the next visit we may be able to find something within our budget.

J. Austin

Footnote from SPCA Op Shop volunteer manager Anne Pardoe:

Yes, we all agree with the statement “Op shops need to price competitively”. Because pricing is not an exact science, we may not always agree on value.

If you wish to purchase an article that you believe is “ridiculously expensive” bring it to me and say so . . . politely of course!

We are working hard to set prices which are acceptable to the majority while still reflecting the value of the article.

We have good-value garments on the $1 rack and the “ famous” $300 boots (that are actually nearer $500) which I have been intimidated to reducing to $100! Bargain!

Our purpose for being is to raise funds for Gisborne SPCA and, by recycling donated goods, to provide affordable treasures for our local community.

I choose to refer to Fitz ’n Herbert SPCA as a charity shop rather than an op shop because the intention is to provide goods that may cost a little more, but are actually better quality also.

Please don’t give up on us, call in and have a chat. In your words . . . “the shop is fantastic and the volunteers are the best!”

As a strong supporter of the SPCA, I commend Anne Pardoe and the other volunteers who work so tirelessly for our unwanted and abused animals.

I found it unbelievable that someone could whinge about the prices in that fantastic new shop in Treble Court. If you can purchase something in The Warehouse cheaper, then buy it there! Pay for a bargain and support a charity at the same time!

Great work Anne Pardoe and your helpers.

Jenny Williams