Vinnies caught trying to fleece muggles with dodgy book prices
Two Harry Potter books spotted in a glass display cabinet at a Vinnies store in Lane Cove, Sydney, caught the eye of TikToker Mat, who runs a website teaching Aussies how to flip undervalued products found in op shops earlier this month.
The books – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince – were listed for $500 and $1,000, respectively.
Both items were labelled as 'rare' first editions, but Mat – who shared his finding on @flipweekly – argues they're actually 'far from it'.
'$500 for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and $1000 for Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince – are you serious?', he told followers.
'The price tag claims it's because they are first editions but here's the thing. By the time these later books came out, print runs were massive.
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'Deathly Hallows alone sold over 15 million copies in the first 24 hours (of being released) and still holds the record for the largest initial print run in publishing history.
'So if you find Deathly Hallows in an op shop, odds are it's a first edition (but) that doesn't make it rare. It makes it common.'
Vinnies have since admitted they'd made a mistake and banished the overpriced Potter books from the shelves – but not before copping plenty of outrage online.
'Surely there's just a decimal point missing??,' one of Mat's followers mused.
Another commented: 'I'm wondering if these op shops are all part of a money laundering network.'
A third wrote: 'Keep in mind this stuff is DONATED.'
The backlash comes as charity shops increasingly cop flak for jacking up prices.
Shoppers have reported seeing Anko, a brand exclusive to Kmart and Target, selling in charity shops for a higher price than it was originally sold for.
Vinnies, however, insists they're just trying to raise dosh for those in need.
A spokesperson told Yahoo News that pricing is based on 'affordability for customers as well as the quality of the goods on sale,' using a 'simple pricing guide based on research on value in the general second-hand marketplace and the quality of the garment.'
Last year, they splashed out a whopping $96.4 million on vital services for the homeless, those battling mental health issues, and people with disabilities.
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