Latest news with #opshop
RNZ News
31-07-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
Private donation of thousands of Japanese kimonos sends op-shoppers into buying frenzy
A generous private donation of thousands of colourful Japanese kimonos has sent Christchurch City Mission op-shoppers into a buying frenzy. Bargain-hunters descended on the mission's Barbadoes Street and Sydenham stores, rifling through bins and boxes full of long, short, floral, checked, bright, pastel, metallic, patterned and plain kimonos. City Mission retail team leader Josie Cox said its Facebook post on Tuesday about a "treasure trove" of kimonos for sale for $2 each had spread far and wide, resulting in queues at the Barbadoes Street door. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon "It's a kimono frenzy. We've had a huge donation of kimonos, thousands. We haven't been able to keep up," she said. "We're selling them for $2 each and they've just gone mad. This morning there were probably 40 people waiting to come in. We've had two days of madness." Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon Staff said the kimonos had arrived at the op shops in three trucks and two vans and had been snapped up so fast that restocking had been difficult. No two kimonos were the same, with shoppers also buying the garments for fabric. Cox said all op shop proceeds went to the work of the City Mission so she was thrilled by the volume of sales. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon "We had a ground-breaking day yesterday, big sales for the shop, it's amazing," she said. The City Mission declined to comment further about the identity of the donor. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon Shopper Nicky Page said she was admiring the kimonos' texture and contemplating how she might be able to repurpose them. "I can't believe what I'm seeing. Having spent time in Japan I know the value of these things, so I'm quite blown away by what I'm seeing here," she said. "I was just coming for a look but I've already got a pile of about 10 and I think that pile keeps growing." Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon Michelle Boardman was looking for something special for her granddaughter. "My granddaughter loves anything Japanese and eventually wants to go to Japan. She's studying Japanese, what a great opportunity to get her something that's really special," she said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Daily Mail
25-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Expert reveals why it's so hard to find a bargain at op-shops - and the real reasons Aussies feel ripped off
It's a growing frustration voiced by struggling Aussies - they visit an op-shop hoping to snag a bargain, only to be hit with prices as high as those found in traditional retail stores. And an expert in the not-for-profit sector has now lifted the lid on why cheap op-shop items - from clothing to furniture - seem to be a thing of the past. Dr Bronwen Dalton said the main factors were the cost-of-living and property crises, which have driven up rent. 'We used to do (this thing) where councils had 'peppercorn' rents (low or nominal rents) for op-shops, so much reduced rents,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'That's slowly disappeared... local councils just don't offer cheap rent anymore.' The other 'big impact' has been the cost of dealing with garbage. 'You find less and less donation bins because if they're not emptied regularly - like in the east (of Sydney) - it becomes insane the amount of garbage that gets dumped,' she said. Although thrifting has gained popularity as a rejection of fast fashion, the rise of cheap online retailers is also making business more difficult for op-shops. 'Because of fast fashion like Shein, massive amounts of really, really poor-quality clothing that is not fit for sale is dumped, and (charities) have to cover the costs of getting rid of it,' Dr Dalton said. She said the housing crisis has also fuelled dumping of bigger items which cost charities thousands of dollars to get rid of. 'Charities are used as a way to get rid of stuff, people just don't want it and don't particularly care what happens to it,' she said. 'I know young people are having to move a lot, they keep on turning flats into Airbnbs, or making up some excuse that's just a ruse to raise the rent on people, so people are having to move around a lot in a housing crisis. 'We get a big increase in winter, and people have to move a lot and flats are getting smaller, so they're dumping it near the charity bins.' Councils have a 'big role to play' in addressing the situation for both charity stores and the people who rely on them, she said. 'That is really what I think - there's a big role for councils and also for the managers of shopping malls, because there is a lot of unused retail space.' On the other hand, Dr Dalton also suggested charities move to a 'less commercial' ethos. Partially, overheads have risen as charities look to 'professionalise' and run their operations in a more 'business-minded' fashion. They are looking to create branding opportunities and rely less on volunteers as they gain in popularity. 'Some of the charities have tried to really rebrand - Vinnies invested quite a bit, you know, it's got a kind of an identity, and it's (selling) new things as well as the donated stuff,' she said. 'There's been a bit of, "charities are badly run; we should get CEOs from business because they really know how to run things". 'CEOs from the business sector bring their ideas which don't take into account the mission and community.' Dr Dalton said Vinnies has revitalised the business-side of operations, but hasn't necessarily helped consumers. Vinnies commercial enterprise executive director Phil Coyte has a 25-year history with the society, and said second-hand resellers forced charities to change tack. 'Given the rising global awareness around waste in fashion, there is a renewed movement towards pre-loved and slow fashion, he said. 'On the back of this, the for-profit, second-hand market has entered the op shop market at scale and changed the game. 'Not-for-profits, like Vinnies, have had to evolve our approach and model to remain relevant and appeal to the changing competitive market. Branding is critical to this and it's important to build our presence amongst for-profit retailers and online resellers.' Consumers too have developed an expectation of cheaper clothes, based in part on cheap overseas imports and Australians' diminished purchasing power as other expenditures rise. 'Clothing, to be honest, as a percentage of people's budgets, has really been dwarfed by rent in particular. So people expect clothes to be cheaper as well,' Dr Dalton said. 'That said, I think there's a huge thrift refashioning. The millennials are really embracing the circular economy and rejecting fast fashion. 'I know my daughter's always in shops redoing things with her friends, which is really cool. If we just get that sweet spot right - there's definitely a market.' Mr Coyte said, despite consumers' hypotheses, Vinnies' own vision had not changed. 'The intent of our Vinnies Shops has not changed since (members) started operating op-shops over 100 years ago,' he said. 'An original driver for the development of Vinnies shops was the provision of a pipeline of stock that could be given for free to those who needed direct material assistance.' Vinnies NSW supported close to 105,000 people and dependents in the last financial year.
Daily Mail
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Australan Antiques Roadshow guest gasps as she learns the staggering value of a vase she purchased for $30 at an opshop
An Antiques Roadshow guest was blown away after learning a vase she purchased for $30 at an opshop was worth a huge sum of money. The Antiques Roadshow sees members of the public bring their treasured items to be valued by a team of experts. During a recent episode of the show streaming on 9Now, a Sydney woman brought a unique vase featuring painted Highland cattle. 'I found it actually in an opportunity shop,' she said. Waiting to value his items was John Sandon, along with a crowd of spectators gathered around him. 'Collectors go mad for these.' The vase turned out to be from famed ceramics artist Harry Stinton, and a code on the bottom confirmed it was made in 1958. 'Harry was a grand old man by that stage. He was already into his 90s then and still painting, still doing the scenes,' he said. 'His eyesight had gone a bit so his later work is a little bit impressionist, he couldn't see them so well. I think that's some of his nicest work.' Antiques expert laughs in disbelief as guest reveals she paid just $30 for two valuable vases Mr Sandonmentioned that the vases typically came as a set of two. The guest confirmed owning both, though one had a small chip at the top and wasn't as well-preserved. 'Two of them for $30? It shouldn't be allowed, oh dear,' John laughed. 'These are seriously expensive now. 'A pair with one chip, they're going to be $7000 to $8000,' he confirmed. The Aussie woman was left stunned. 'Ohhh far out,' she reacted, putting her face in her hand in shock. Mr Stinton, born in 1883, overcame a difficult childhood marked by frequent illnesses and long hospital stays. Despite these early challenges, he went on to become one of the most celebrated ceramic artists of the 20th century. Mr Stinton earned numerous awards for his work, which often depicted pastoral scenes featuring sheep, gamebirds, and sweeping landscapes, according to Roundabout Antiques. However, he became especially renowned for his paintings of Highland cattle. He spent 67 years working at the Royal Worcester factory, retiring in 1963. Even in his later years, as his eyesight began to fail, he continued to paint - producing more impressionistic pieces that many consider among his finest. Mr Stinton passed away in 1968, leaving behind a legacy of artistry that remains highly prized by collectors today.
Daily Mail
10-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Casey thought she had scored a bargain at an op-shop... but her argument with a staff member over the real price has exposed a huge issue across Australia
A frustrated shopper has lashed a Salvation Army store after she was charged nearly 10 times more than what she was expecting to pay for a second-hand notepad. Casey said she entered the op-shop and found the floral note-pad apparently labelled as 50c. But when she went to pay, she was told the price was actually $4.50. 'So I walk up to the charity shop counter with this and my 50c already in hand. Pop it down, hand the lady my 50c. She goes, "Oh no, that's $4.50",' she said in a TikTok. 'I said, "Oh, I thought it said 50 cents", and as I'm digging through my wallet, trying to grab the other coins – because I'm not going to argue with the charity shop – she goes, "I'm not going to argue with you. If you think it says 50 cents, then whatever".' Casey said it looked like the label featured a semi-colon followed by the number 50. 'I need to make sure I'm not going insane,' she said in the clip. 'Guys, does this say 50c or $4.50?' Casey said the problem went far beyond the overpriced notepad, and that second-hand items in op-shops were now 'exorbitant'. She ended the video by noting she had paid the additional $4 for the item. 'You're an elderly volunteer at a Salvation Army, and it is Tuesday. I didn't come here to be gas-lit,' Casey said. 'I'm thinking, s*** - is this b***h actually married to Saint Vincent de Paul himself? Like you're licking his boot, babe.' 'It's like (what) the f***? Price it up properly then. 'What if I was someone who was actually struggling, on my last 50 cents, and you treated me like that at a charity shop?' Dozens of Aussies admitted they were also being priced out of op-shops. 'With rising prices, you think op shops would've stayed cheap for that very reason so people that can't afford stuff can actually still buy stuff,' one person said. 'Is it even possible to find things that cheap in op-shops anymore?' another wrote. 'I refuse to shop in op-shops now,' a third commented. 'I'm low income with four kids, I was raised on op-shop clothes myself – my mum could dress six kids on a $12 fill-a-bag – and I actually loved the hunt, but I can't afford to shop there anymore. 'It's either Kmart or Shein or Facebook as it's cheaper. (Op-shops) aren't targeted towards struggling people anymore which is sad.' 'I love when you go to op shops and they have Anko shirts - shirts that you buy at Kmart for around $7 - for sale for $10 plus,' another said. However, one viewer credited the stores in more regional areas. 'I live in an undesirable low income rural town and the op shop ladies are the best. They constantly discount already cheap stuff and give out freebies,' they wrote.
RNZ News
26-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- RNZ News
The Nelson students behind a ballwear pop-up shop
The school ball season - with hair, make-up, shoes, accessories and of course the outfit for the occasion - it can be an expensive time. However a group of school students in the Nelson region have come up with a way to ease the financial load and make ball attire more sustainable. They have opened up a 'pop up' ball wear op-shop. For three weeks, they are taking over a vacant shop in Trafalgar Street in Nelson. Two of the students, Ryan Thelin, a student at Nelson College and Macey Harper from Nelson College for Girls join Kathryn Ryan. The pop-up shop in Nelson is selling second hand ball wear Photo: Sarah Wilson
