Salvos Online – a review

Now that Salvos have an online shop, I figured it was worth a visit.

The online shop is easy enough to find from the Salvos main page. A poke around shows that several of their stores are putting their better bits and designer clothing up online.

I suppose this means that those items will be available to a wider audience and Salvos can then charge a higher price for them. This can be a good thing as I can now check for my china patten in all participating Salvos stores. The down side is I doubt they will have my teapot for $7 again.

The Salvos Stores are a business, and while we may regret paying a higher prices, this may be a fact of things in the future.

Salvos launches its first online store

Ripped from 7 news online:

Tom Morgan, AAP January 19, 2011, 12:17 pm

Australians can go charity shopping at the click of a button with the Salvos launching its first online store.

The website will give people the opportunity to shop online with a conscience, the charity hopes.
With retailers complaining that websites such as eBay are hurting local stores, the Salvation Army believes its idea will help shoppers find an online bargain while giving a helping hand.

"We believe that this is the first website of its kind in Australia," Salvos general manager Neville Barrett told reporters on Wednesday.

"This is fantastic and means that Australians will be able to access hundreds of unique items from Salvos stores across the country. This is a great initiative."

The website was the brainchild of several community members who told the Salvation Army they would like to have access online, saving them the hassle of trawling through clothing rails.

Hundreds of items - mainly clothes - has already been uploaded onto the website. They'll be replaced as stock is sold.

Mr Barrett said the website was another step toward ensuring the charity remained relevant and to prevent funds diminishing with the Salvos' especially work cut out providing aid during Australia's flood crisis.

"It's important that Salvos Stores is relevant and accessible within all communities across Australia, which we do through our local presence and now actively in social media and our new online store," he added.

The public will be able to make their first purchases from 9am (AEDT) on Thursday.

The launch coincides with the start of Shopping with a Conscience month, aimed at inspiring Australians to shop with the environment and community in mind at Salvos Stores online and in the local community.

Salvos Stores has increased its product range to include new household items such as toiletries and cleaning products

The first Salvos Stores online site can be accessed at www.salvos.org.au/stores and delivery will be free for online purchases made before April 19

New (old) shoes!

Hello everyone,

This is my first post to I op therefore I am - ACT and I feel very special to be part of the group!

My most recent purchase was a pair of Kumfs sandals for $7 from the Salvo's in Jamison. Strangely enough, I put on one of my favourite sundresses on Saturday and thought that thongs just didn't cut it with the dress and I really needed some nice sandals to go with it. I walked into the op shop and they were the perfect colour and size.

I always thought Kumfs were a bit Nana in their style, but this pair are perfect and I can ride my bicycle in them too!

A regional jaunt

Just back from a week getting to know part of our region (the Upper Lachlan Valley) while it's green and lovely.

I visited the Vinnies in Boorowa (on the way to Cowra) and Crookwell. Not much doing in Boorowa, but very friendly. I found a very quaint hand-made tea cosy there.

Crookwell had some choice vintage linens, and after the extortionate prices of Dickson Vinnies, how pleasant was it to buy a stack of vintage teatowels and tablecloths for $2.50, with a free 'Real Living' mag thrown in with a smile! They also had lovely knitted quilts and crockery.

Overall Crookwell is well worth a trip. We stopped in at the Lindner Sock Factory, which, while not an op shop, had reasonably priced wool socks. The owners will let you go into the back and observe the vintage German machinery making the socks ('strumpfen'). Fantastisch!

Time for bed?

Extremely cute black and white PJ bloomers (much cuter now I've removed the revolting pink bows and replaced the hard scratchy lace with vintage ric rac): $3.

Bedtime reading: $5

Thank you Vinnies Tuggeranong for being open on Sunday!