Even the most casual visitor to charity shops will have noticed a steady increase in prices over the past year or so. Gaming enthusiast Richard Kosmala, who regularly tours charity shops in Ashbourne, Derbyshire, hunting for discounted video games to resell on platforms like Vinted, is more acutely aware of this trend than most.
Disappointing Finds in Ashbourne Charity Shops
During a recent visit to various charity shops in Ashbourne, Richard was immediately put off by some of the price tags he encountered. At one shop, staff appeared to have a firm grasp of the online market value for games and DVDs. "The first game that I picked up was Prince of Persia, but they wanted £4 for it, so I put it straight back," Richard explained.
A DVD of Detective Pikachu, the first live-action film based on the Pokémon franchise, was also deemed too expensive. "This is normally a good flip," he said, "but not for £3... crazy prices in Age UK."
Eye-Watering Markups on Donated Goods
However, a neighbouring charity shop revealed even more staggering markups on donated items. Richard noted, "I've been into this charity shop a few times before and I've always thought it was fairly priced until I saw this Build-a-Bear."
He was left gobsmacked to find a Build-a-Bear plush toy priced at £25, especially since a comparable item had recently sold on eBay for just £3. "£25 for a Build-a-Bear plush toy? That has got to be one of the craziest things I think I've seen in a charity shop," Richard exclaimed.
Another local charity shop had a Pikachu soft toy available, but at £5, Richard felt he would struggle to make much profit on resale. "Guys, I'm getting desperate," he admitted as he headed towards yet another shop. "I'm picking up 50p Blu-rays, which are selling for £2."
A Thoroughly Disappointing Day's Work
Richard browsed around Ashbourne's brand-new Air Ambulance charity shop, which offered DVD box sets for a reasonable £2.50, but nothing caught his eye. The assistant behind the counter explained that they had not yet received any donations of video games.
The day proved to be a major letdown for Richard. He revealed, "If you're ever in Ashbourne, don't go charity shop hunting. Eight charity shops, one one-pound game, which is worth £2.50, and a Blu-ray for 50p, which is worth two quid. All that way for pretty much nothing."
This experience highlights the growing challenge for resellers and bargain hunters as charity shop prices continue to climb, often mirroring online market values and leaving little room for profit.
