When you go to a charity shop, it can a bit overwhelming when you realise the layout of the store is unlike anything else you’re used to. Everything has its place to be sure, but with the amount of widely different items that people bring into the stores on a daily basis, it would be hard to find a unique and clear for absolutely everything.

What you may not know however is while charity shops are famed for their incredibly cheap prices, you can often find items that would normally cost ten times the amount priced buried in between several other bargain items – but, it’s for that exact reason you can easily miss such vintage and treasured items, as everything’s a bargain! 

We specialise in providing quality charity EPoS systems, so we know a thing or two about charity shops, and in this knowledge we have several tips to help you find the hidden gems in the charity shops near you.

Take a list.

The ultimate strategy when it comes to charity shop shopping is to take a list with you. Knowing what you want before you go in will hone your hunting ability, increasing the chances of you bagging exactly what you want and making your rummaging a much quicker affair. Also, with a plan of action in mind, you’ll be focussed on particular areas of the shop, which makes it highly more likely you’ll come across a hidden gem that you never intended to find, ultimately making your trip an exciting one too!

Talk to the staff.

You’d be surprised by the amounts of people who just go in to a shop, get asked if they need help, say no and then spend the next ten minutes completely lost in a pile of clothes. Well, asking the staff is exactly what they’re there for, and they might know of some golden ticket items that came in the same morning. All you have to do is ask!

Get digging.

More often than not, people are put off by the fact they may have to route to find what they’re looking for in a charity shop. So when they go in, if they can’t find the item they want immediately, they’ll just pack it up and leave. This is the ultimate charity shop taboo! Take your time, inspect every area, you might come across a very special item indeed!

Location, location, location.

Contrary to popular belief, the charity shops in the ricer part of your town are not going to be as good as one you might find hidden away on a back-street somewhere. This is because when people have talked about good charity shops in richer areas, the shop owners have wised up and begun charging higher prices. It has also meant more stock control in these shops, and any hidden gems are likely to be highly priced. Going into a relatively unknown shop will allow your shopping trip to be a complete mystery.

Now that you know how to find the best stuff in a charity shop, we wish you luck in your next trip as we’re sure it’s going to be a highly successful one!

If you run a charity shop yourself, then you might want to consider finding yourself your own bargain with one of our charity EPoS systems. For more information on what these systems can do for you, contact us on 01204 706 000 and book your demo today!