With apologies to a couple of people who will already have seen this on Facebook
Taking stuff to charity shops.
How it should go.
Us: we've got a couple of boxes of stuff for you here.
Them: oh thank you so much. By the way there isn't anything electrical in there is there? because we can't take that.
Us: no, nothing electrical. We know you can't take them.
Them: oh great. I have to ask. Anyway again, thank you
We leave feeling good. We have given away some nice things they can use to fundraise and we have cleared some space in the house.
How it actually went.
Us: we've got a couple of boxes of stuff for you here.
Them: (aggressively) Nothing electrical I hope. We can't take electrical stuff.
Us: No, nothing electrical. We know we can't bring you electrical things.
Them: Only we have to spend time sorting it out and then getting rid of it ourselves. It's a waste of our time.
Us: yes we know. It must be very frustrating. That's why we never bring electrical items to charity shops.
Them: X takes them. And possibly Y. But we don't.
Us: Well we don't have any. Shall we just put these boxes on your counter?
Them: oh well yes
We leave feeling irritated and that we've been got at for no good reason, and determined that, however handy this shop is for a car park, we will never darken its door again. Also, that a thank you wouldn't have gone amiss.
I haven't named the guilty premises on FB because it would upset some of my local FB friends. But it was the Salvation Army shop.
Trust me, it's not alone in that!
ReplyDeletewhat gets me is that if you say anything you're invariably met with 'but they're volunteers. they are giving up their time'. I don't; really know where to start with that except that giving up your time and working for nothing doesn't mean you have to be rude. Also the expectation that you should put up with, or even give, less good service because it's all done in the name of 'charidee' seems ridiculous to me. If you want to help, do it with grace. Otherwise why bother?
ReplyDelete