A Good Op Shop Sells 'Fun', Not Just Offcasts

Op shops can be SUCH fun. And they can also be handy.

They can serve any purpose from putting a spark in a boring weekend afternoon (a fun "op shop crawl" with the girls), to a great find in a new town, to a cheap place to get a couple of new saucepans (in the unlikely event that you, like me, are the worst cook on the block and need to regularly replace yours).

But have you noticed that some have SO much nicer, classier clothes and general stock, than others?

I have an observation to make as to why . . . . and I think it's fair to say it's more than just a random hypothesis.

It's this:

It's the quality, diligence, and care factor, of the staff (whether paid or volunteers) - most especially, the shop's manager.

Let me give you an example very much on the positive side of the equation.

I have lived - on and off, over the years - in many different suburbs of Wellington. And for a while, back in circa 2015, 2016 and 2017, there was a hospice op shop in Petone, down a side street between Jackson Street (the main street) and The Esplanade.

This particular hospice op shop outlet was spectactular (NB: It's shifted locations and I can't vouch for it now). An absolute Aladdin's cave . . . a veritable department store both of classy, fascinating, well-presented and also well-organised pre-loved merchandise. (It was also the sort of op shop where you'd never put your hand in the pocket of a garment you were trying on and find a used tissue in there.)

It's About the Jockey Not Always the Horse

The obvious question that would have had to have come to mind for any op shopper frequenting this outlet would have been: How come THIS particular op shop has such outstanding stock?

One very obvious answer is that the manager of the store managed it like her own. She was clearly passionate about the whole "op shop" concept and loved what she did. And it not only made browsing or buying there a nice experience, it's my observation that it's the very reason that store had such impressive quality stock.

Here's what I observed:

When someone came in with a bag of clothes or other forms of donation, she would graciously accept the bag or box, delve into it with the requisite level of interest and awe, and thank the donor profusely both for their generosity and for their interesting / quality (fill in the blank) donations.

I actually think it was just her gracious personality, but it was also a jolly smart business move.

Here's What NOT To Do

Because here's what else I've observed in some op shops, by contrast:

Someone will come in with a bag or box of clothes, and the stern and not-particularly-friendly person behind the counter will give an instructional nod to the donor, indicating where they are to leave it . . . before continuing with whatever they were doing.

So you tell me: If you're a bit of a clothes-a-holic and you have really nice stuff but it's time to part with some of it, which of the above recipient organisations would you prefer to donate it to?

And where would you prefer to browse and shop? With Fun Lady or Frosty Face?

You know, I'm betting that 90% of shoppers in charity outlets don't actually have any real tangible need to be in there shopping. It's the fun of the browse, the fun of the find, and even the fun of the interchange with the personnel behind the counter.

I think the customer-facing personnel of op shops can - over time - make or break the persona of the actual outlet itself.

Example:

There's a great Salvation Army op shop in Woodville, in the Tararua region. The store manager and one of her off-siders are a barrel of laughs. They really made the personality of the store. I went in there often when I passed through e.g. on my way to Napier - where, at the time, I used to travel to, often.

But the last time (or maybe two times) I went in there, the woman behind the counter was as frosty as a mid-winter day. I've never been back.

Another example:

There's a fabulous little Vinnies op shop in Carterton. Well, there's nothing that remarkable about it, I suppose, other than the actual people behind the counter.

I've been in there a few times for anything from a replacement saucepan lid, to a sun hat, to navigational directions. I teasingly refer to it as Carterton's "Harrod's", and I do so because of the "people factor" and the fact that, with their individual and collective sense of humour, they appear to appreciate the compliment.

So, anyway, you get the point. There are some businesses that are as much about friendliness and personality as they are about the actual merchandise. (And, in the case of op shops, arguably, the staff's / volunteers' respect and appreciation actually influences, if not dictates, the quality of the merchandise.)

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