Australian thrift store under fire for charging entry fee: ‘This is so dumb!’

An different pricing argumentation astatine a small-town South Australian thrift shop has near bargain hunters scratching their heads.

A personnel of nan celebrated Facebook group Op Shopping Australia posted a photograph taken successful Burra, showing a model motion astatine a shop called Goosey Goosey Gander.

“$5 introduction refundable connected purchase, regular customers free,” nan motion read.

The anonymous poster wrote: “Well this is surely thing I’ve ne'er seen earlier – second-hand shop charging introduction fee. Daughter conscionable stopped by Burra, SA and came crossed a shop called Goosey Goosey Gander. Must beryllium making a tidy profit taking $5 per each personification who doesn’t bargain thing (imagine nan tourists).”

The exemplary efficaciously intends that anyone who spends money wrong won’t beryllium retired of pocket, but window-shoppers and visitors who time off empty-handed will suffer $5 (AUD) each.

Most commenters were up successful arms astatine nan news.

Goosey Goosey Gander is charging customers a $5 introduction interest “refundable connected purchase’.” Op Shopping Australia / Facebook

“This is truthful dumb!” 1 female named Claire wrote. “So you salary $5 to spell in. If you bargain thing for $3, do they conscionable springiness you $2 back? And if you don’t bargain anything, they conscionable support nan lot? That is simply a large fat hardcore NO from me.

“Op shops get their worldly for free and already waste it astatine ridiculous amounts. The audacity to CHARGE conscionable to measurement ft wrong … this has triggered maine much than it should.”

“I request your finest pardon????” different wrote.

But not each were against it.

One woman, who worked astatine an Angus and Coote store, said she wished she could do nan same. “Pretty bully thought really. Save them dealing pinch stupid clip wasters. Wish I could do this successful our store,” she wrote.

The proprietor of Goosey Goosey Gander, Russell, told news.com.au nan backlash from “keyboard warriors” doesn’t bespeak nan opinions of his customers aliases nan community.

“They’ve had their entitlement nervus hit,” he said.

Social media had a mixed guidance to nan uncommon expense. REUTERS

“You’ve sewage to respond to what’s happening your ain business, truthful this was conscionable a guidance to what was happening to our business and what was coming successful nan door.”

“We’ve sewage a batch of theft and besides a batch of group moving worldly around.

Russell said visitors who are browsing nan shop to “kill time” pinch nary volition to bargain really “involves a costs because it’s cautiously laid retired and curated”.

“They want to travel successful for nothing, walk half an hr aliases get retired of nan rainfall aliases get retired of heat. We’re conscionable not providing that work anymore, that free entertainment,” he said.

“We’re not Ikea aliases Woolworths, we person 200 quadrate meters successful here.”

Russell said while it’s uncommon for nan interest to not beryllium refunded, each proceeds from it are directed to a section volunteer-run humanities site, Burra Railway Station.

“Customers don’t person a problem pinch it, that’s why nan shop is doing somewhat better,” he said.

“We get a batch of bully feedback from our halfway customer base, but because they’re happy astir group don’t spell connected to social.”

The Burra Community Management Committee awarded nan shop for their customer work and position astatine nan organisation’s 2024 business awards.