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Charity shops in the UK

Suzanne Horne (Lecturer, Department of Marketing, at the University of Stirling, Stirling, Scotland, UK)

International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management

ISSN: 0959-0552

Article publication date: 1 May 1998

6498

Abstract

Charity retailing has been a successful sector of the retail market since the late 1980s. Charity shops have blossomed on the streets of towns and cities in the UK to become a feature of interest for retail academics and concern for the conventional retailer. They have the potential to serve four purposes in that they offer a social service, enable the recycling of goods, help to raise awareness of the charity and provide a fundraising medium. With increased professionalism in their operations, competition has escalated for customers, goods and volunteers, both with other charities and with established retailers in terms of business rates relief. The increased competition from within and without poses the problem of retail strategy for the future. Suggestions for future development include developing a strong brand image in order to attract and secure customer loyalty, and joint ventures with other retailers and charities. There is no doubt that the charity shop can provide a very successful means of raising funds.

Keywords

Citation

Horne, S. (1998), "Charity shops in the UK", International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, Vol. 26 No. 4, pp. 155-161. https://doi.org/10.1108/09590559810214921

Publisher

:

MCB UP Ltd

Copyright © 1998, MCB UP Limited

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