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Lots of people love charity shops, but sometimes even regular users of the budget shops can be put off spending money. One woman recently admitted this is the case for her, as she's noticed something that's become a bit of a growing problem when she's shopping and looking for bargains.

Claire, known as Claire Resells it on TikTok, recently visited her local charity shop in Windsor, near London, to see what deals she could snap up at a cheap rate. However, she drew people's attention to a problem she's noticed developing, as she wanted to see if other dedicated shoppers have picked up on it too.

She's not the only person to have highlighted the topic either. Previously, another woman shared why she thinks so many charity shops are losing money.

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Alongside the video, Claire wrote: "I’m popping into one of my local charity shops in Windsor to see what the prices are like. Are they still affordable or getting a bit cheeky? Let’s have a look. Tell me what you think."

In the video, she then expanded: "I thought I'd take you into my local charity shop, Thames Hospice. Now, I do love this shop, but I find it's very expensive.

"You can get a couple of bargains, but you have to have a real good look. These trousers have been there since before Christmas, because I remember researching them, but they're in such bad condition that I just left them."

Claire also showed some other items off that she seemed to like, including a jumper and a top. She did think some items were expensive though.

The shopper added: "This Nobody's Child long-sleeve top was £22. I couldn't believe it.

"This is a beautiful, vintage Marks & Spencer blouse, and these shoes, they're Miss 60, and they're gorgeous. If they weren't so worn and so expensive, I would have bought these. They were £18.

"I know nothing about trainers, is £18 a good price? This top I picked up for £7 and I sold it on eBay for £16.99, so a nice little profit there. The bric-a-brac in here is quite reasonable to be fair."

One person replied, saying: "Love it." Another added: "This shop used to very reasonable, but after their big expensive refurb it became expensive so I stopped going."

A third also replied, claiming it was "too expensive". To this, Claire said: "Yep! I would spend a lot more in there if it was cheaper. I’m sure others would too."

If you're wondering why charity shops have become so expensive, it's reported to be for a number of reasons. It's generally a result of increased business savvy, rising overheads (rent, staff) and the higher demand for "thrifting" trends.

When resellers "flip" items, it can lead to charity shop prices being pushed up to ensure they raise funds for their dedicated cause, though this is not always the case. Valuation methods have also become more sophisticated, such as using eBay data, identifying and pricing valuable items higher.

Even though the shops aim to achieve charitable fundraising, the operational realities and increased market demand have changed a lot of charity shops and some are now more commercially focused retail outlets. Some people believe this has impacted their original purpose.

Thames Hospice is always hugely grateful to people who donate to and shop in its charity stores. The income it generates directly helps fund the vital care it offers.

At its charity shops, the retail team carefully review every item received to ensure they are priced fairly and competitively in the current market. They work to balance achieving the best income for the Hospice, while offering good value to customers too.

A spokesperson for the charity said: "We’re so grateful to everyone who donates and shops in our charity stores. Our retail colleagues work hard to make sure every item is fairly and competitively priced so we can raise as much as possible to support the vital care we provide to our community."

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