Vinnies Mitchell 32 Hoskins Street, Mitchell, Australian Capital Territory 2911

"This place is terrible for people on a budget. Almost all items are more expensive than buying new from Kmart (eg spoons are $12 for four at Vinnies opposed to $2.50 for four from Kmart). When this location was a Salvos I was able to afford all the essential items I needed for my family. Now I'm lucky finding one or two items that I can afford."

"If you thought Dickson Vinnies prices were audacious, you haven't seen Mitchell Vinnies (see pictures and read the end of my review to see some specific prices)! Quite a few months ago, I had a friendly conversation with the manager (maybe it's changed, but at the time, it was Simeon), who was amiable, but unfortunately, very business-minded. I expressed frustration as a pensioner, now unable to afford the vast majority of items from an op shop. I then asked about the rationale behind pricing Kmart and Big W-branded items greater than their NEW price - and his reply was as follows: "Poorer folk can go shop at Big W or Kmart if they don't want to pay Vinnies prices". This is a really heartbreaking sentiment to hear from Vinnies. The beauty of op shops is that they serve the community in so many wonderful ways: - Raising funds for charity - Providing an opportunity for poor people to have something special; something that they otherwise would not get - Helping declutter - Community outreach with volunteer involvement - Contributing to a circular economy; a huge environmental plus. And it's really for shame that an op shop is encouraging me to go to a fast fashion retailer if I don't want to pay Vinnies' absurd prices. Op shops are the only opportunity that poorer people (such as myself) have to get something special, and when prices are gatekept at consistently upwards of $60 (see my photos), it's just very demoralising. Being forced to shop fast fashion out of necessity is wrong. The manager made the point that "it usually does sell for that price!" This is a business mindset, not a charity mindset. If you get something expensive in, you very-well *should* be selling it for less than it's worth. That's what an op shop is for. There is a balance between acquiring funds for charity programs, and blessing the poorer community with affordable, nice items, which are already second-hand. And Vinnies Mitchell has chosen the side that strips dignity away from those who need it most. I will be donating my goods to Anglicare from now on, and I will be making sure to snip any new tags off of items (so op shops don't up the prices for shoppers who don't care about new tags). And now, today's awful finds! 1. Random blue glasses for $25 and $35. 2. Semi-nice zipped-up coat for $80. 3. Typewriter for $110 (there was another for $80). 4. Motorcycle jacket for TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS??? There were actually two of them for $250, and a few more for $200. Literally insane. 5. A not-particularly-special coat for $70. 6. A soft toy for $15. This was a recurring theme here - I didn't see a single soft toy for below $3. These aren't upmarket items; they're plushies. Someone who buys a soft toy from an op shop is buying it for their child, and is not about to resell it or anything. Overall, extremely-unimpressed with Mitchell Vinnies, and I pray that a healthy pricing balance is restored. (edited for typo)"

"Thought I'd go op shopping today......turns out I'll go op looking. I cannot justify the prices thier charging for rubbish. Toys literally do not work and they had a Fijian drum for $45 with a retail rrp sticker on the bottom that had $65 on it, i dunno who they have working out pricing but they need to go.... I thought the money went to charity, not the staffs pockets."