Op shops are vital in our community and rely on a variety of shoppers to stay afloat, but are all items fair game? Photo: Unsplash.
How do you feel when you leave an op shop clutching a bargain buy? Resourceful? Lucky? How about guilty – thinking someone else might have needed it more?
This was my experience when, caught out by Canberra’s indecisive weather, I found myself stuck in the city, facing an afternoon coaching under-7s soccer with no chance to duck home and not so much as a light cardigan to protect me from the biting wind.
A clever co-worker suggested the nearest op shop. I had visions of myself running drills in an ugly Christmas jumper or perhaps a fabulous faux fur coat. Not ideal perhaps, but warm – and a cheap solution.
Well, I was unprepared for the quality apparel one can find in an op shop these days!
Within minutes, I stumbled across a Kathmandu puffer jacket – with a hood, fitted cuffs and pockets galore.
Now, it may shock you, dear reader, to learn that – though Canberra born and bred – I do not actually own the requisite uniform puffer jacket. Rather than invest in quality winter wear, every year I dress in a concoction of random layers until I look like that chair in the corner of everyone’s bedroom.
Canberra’s alpine snap catches me off guard every year. By the time I make it to the shops, I’m scared away by the puffer price tag and resolve to struggle through another year because “It’ll start warming up soon anyway!”.
Suffice it to say, this was a big moment for me.
However, I was conflicted. While elated by my find, I also had a nagging sense that this jacket was not meant for me. Was I helping myself at someone else’s expense?
With a price tag of $30 for something easily $150 brand-new, this op shop was making quality winter wear accessible for people doing it tough; potentially, people who struggle to pay their heating bills.
And here I was, opportunistically grabbing it on a whim to save myself an uncomfortable afternoon.
That sense of convenience is just one reason we Aussies love an op shop. In a single outing, we can support charity, be environmentally savvy, grab a bargain and leave looking spiffy! What’s not to love?
With around 2500 charity-operated stores across the country, these treasure troves aren’t just fun to rummage through – they also play a big role in our retail landscape and community support networks.
It’s such a beloved pastime that the term ‘op shop’ has morphed from noun to verb.
Short for ‘opportunity shop’, we find it exciting to circle the racks with eyes like a hawk, sifting through the mass of fabrics, looking for the diamond in the rough. We may also feel proud for making the ethical choice to buy secondhand, reducing waste and supporting charity while bagging a bargain.
According to Roy Morgan’s recent Future of Retail report, 67 per cent of secondhand shoppers say they’re motivated to shop secondhand by buying good quality items at much cheaper prices, while 29 per cent cited sustainability.
Notably, 10% of respondents reported buying secondhand due to affordability concerns.
With that demographic in mind, is the practice of ‘thrifting’ for quality goods, when you could afford to buy new, ethically questionable? Is it okay to snap up the best quality secondhand finds, or is that depriving someone in greater need?
For me, excited to finally have a reliable winter staple in my own wardrobe – and with the prospect of the afternoon ahead standing an unsheltered oval slowly turning into a living ice sculpture – I bought the jacket.
As I walked away, I resolved to donate my old hiking gear – high-quality, premium-branded, and in good condition, but which no longer fits me (due to lack of hiking, ironically).
But it left me wondering if we bargain hunters should be leaving certain essential items for those community members who rely on op shops out of genuine necessity. Or are op shops places for everyone to shop more sustainably, regardless of financial position? I needed a quality jacket, yes, but when opting for a secondhand find, was I taking away from someone with greater need?
Of course, it’s important to remember that op shops are an important source of revenue for charities that provide vital services for vulnerable members of our community, and they rely on attracting a wide range of shoppers to stay afloat.
Shopping secondhand is unquestionably a sustainable option, and supporting charity-owned retail also has an element of philanthropy and community-mindedness.
It’s little wonder – and a good sign for society – that op shopping appeals to people from diverse backgrounds, making op shops a marvellous place where people from all walks of life intersect.
But do we need to be conscious of giving with one hand while taking away with the other?
Should op shops be treated as fair game for all, or should those with options be leaving certain things behind?
