A savvy thrifter was disgusted with ‘shock and horror’ to see the price of a jacket in Vinnies during their latest shopping spree.
Mitch Churi, 29, visited his local St Vincent de Paul Society thrift shop in Caringbah, NSW, where he found a blue biker jacket for $200 last week.Â
The former radio host said he was ‘gutted’ by the price tag and despite his attempts to haggle Mr Churi was forced to leave the store empty-handed.Â
As a policy Vinnies stores do not engage in haggling and have a ‘no wiggle room’ policy for their prices.Â
Mr Churi conceded that the suburb he found the jacket in was propped up by ‘old white money’ but was still unable to comprehend the price of a second-hand jacket.
Many other Aussies have recently voiced their outrage at the increasing prices found in thrift stores across the country.Â
TikTok user Bekkah said thrift stores were taking advantage of ‘vulnerable’ people after spotting similarly ridiculous prices at her local Sydney Salvation Army
Mitch Churi, 29, was confronted with ‘shock and horror’ when he saw a jacket (pictured) which costed $200 in a NSW Vinnies store this week
Mr Churi tried to haggle with the thrift shop in Caringbah, NSW, but was told there was ‘no wiggle room’ as far as the price was concerned so he left empty handed
Mr Churi said he never buys anything full price but was ‘gutted’ to let the jacket in question go.
‘I only shop things on sale and it has to be upwards of 50 per cent off, if it is 30 per cent off, I don’t even bother,’ he told news.com.au.
‘I love to shop but in the cost of living crisis I’ve reverted back to Vinnies which is normally really good.
‘I know the Shire is old white money, but the biker that died in that jacket wouldn’t have paid $200 for it.’
On a separate occasion Mr Churi revealed he was able to score a pair of designer Gucci sunglasses for under $100.
This highlighted the inconsistency of op-shop finds and the frustration thrifters like himself have to go through in order to find a good bargain.
More Australian families than ever are turning to thrifting, according to research from financial comparison website Finder.
One third of Australians are turning to charity outlets due to cost of living pressures and one-in-five are sourcing second-hand clothes, according to the latest data.
The former radio host said he still lives with his parents because living alone was simply too expensive
Up to 20 per cent of the country are now thrifting to afford clothes while more than 30 per cent are relying on charity for other means of getting by.
The St Vincent de Paul Society caters to these people in need by offering second-hand clothing and furniture at a discounted price.
There are more than 650 Vinnies stores across the country which tailor themselves towards these needs.Â
A spokesperson for the Vincent de Paul Society told the publication its mission statement was to help people experiencing disadvantage in any way it can.
‘These include homelessness services, domestic and family violence shelters, health services, and the work of our members in communities all over NSW by supplying food, clothes, and everyday essentials to people in need,’ it said.Â
The society supported more than 200,000 people in NSW alone in 2024.
Amidst the cost-of-living crisis Mr Churi admitted he still lived with his parents as a means of getting by.
Mr Churi lives in Sydney where the median rent is roughly $800 per week for anyone wanting to live alone.Â
Buying a house in the city will on average cost someone close to $1.5 million.
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Eyewatering price of Vinnies’ jacket perfectly sums up everything wrong with modern Aussie op shops