Oxfam shops: Frequently asked questions

If I buy something at an Oxfam shop and find it's faulty can I bring it back for a refund?

If I buy something at an Oxfam shop and later decide I don't want it, can I bring it back for a refund?

I would like to tell Oxfam about my experience in an Oxfam shop. How can I contact you?

How does Oxfam set prices?

You get your stock donated for free, so why are you charging £10 and more for some items?

What does Oxfam do with unsold stock?

Help! I put my favourite jumper in an Oxfam donation bank by mistake. Can I get it back?

Can Oxfam collect my donation?

If I buy something at an Oxfam shop and find it’s faulty can I bring it back for a refund?

Yes. We will refund you for any item that is found to be faulty, as described by the Sale of Goods Act (except where marked and sold as faulty). Please return your faulty purchase to the shop from which it was purchased, with proof of purchase.

If you bought your item from the Oxfam Online Shop and wish to return it, please follow the instructions supplied with your item (your local shop will not be able to help you). More on Oxfam Online Shop Returns.

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If I buy something at an Oxfam shop and later decide I don’t want it, can I bring it back for a refund?

Yes. We will refund you for clothes, linens and Oxfam’s New Products range. Please understand that we cannot refund for items sold without an individual price ticket.

Please return your purchase to the shop where you purchased it:

• with a valid price ticket attached
• with your receipt
• within four weeks of purchase
• in the same condition in which it was bought

These refunds are at the Manager’s discretion. This does not affect your statutory rights.

If you buy an item that is not clothing, linen, or part of Oxfam’s New Products range and later decide you do not want it, any refund will be at the Manager’s discretion.

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I would like to tell Oxfam about my experience in an Oxfam shop. How can I contact you?

Compliments
If you have been pleased with our service or if you have a suggestion to improve our shops, we would like to hear from you. Please speak to the Shop Manager or contact the Shop Support Team (details below).

Complaints
We aim to offer you the best possible service. Our Supporter Charter, which is displayed in all our shops, sets out the standards you can expect. However we accept that sometimes things go wrong.

If you make a complaint we will:

• investigate fully
• do our best to explain what went wrong
• try to put things right

How to complain

You can complain to the Shop Manager in person, by phone, or by letter. If the Shop Manager is unable to help you, or you are not happy with the Shop Manager’s response, you can contact the Shop Support Team using the contact details below. The Shop Support Team may refer your complaint to other staff as appropriate.

Replying to your complaint

We aim to respond to your complaint within ten working days. If we need longer, we will keep you informed. If you are not happy with our response, you can appeal. The Shop Support Team will advise you how to do this on request.

Oxfam Shop Support Team (Monday-Friday 9-5; Saturday 10-5)
John Smith Drive
Cowley
Oxford
OX4 2JY
Tel. 0845 3000 311
Email:support@oxfam.org.uk

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How does Oxfam set prices? You get your stock donated for free, so why are you charging £10 and more for some items?

Oxfam does not set prices centrally. Our shop teams create their own price list, using their local knowledge to decide what prices suit their customers and the kind of donations they receive.

Oxfam is very lucky to receive so many good quality donations from the public. We believe the best way to thank our donors for their generosity is to get the best price we can for their donation which in turn raises as much money as possible for Oxfam’s work.

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What does Oxfam do with unsold stock?

The best way for Oxfam to raise money from your donations is to sell them in our shops. Sometimes items are not suitable for sale, perhaps because they do not meet legal requirements or they are damaged. Unsaleable clothing, shoes and other textiles are sent up to our recycling plant in Huddersfield, Wastesaver (we are the only UK charity to have such a plant).

We pay for waste disposal so we are keen to reduce our costs by recycling where possible. You can help us by checking that your donated items are in good saleable condition. See our information on donating.

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Help! I put my favourite jumper in an Oxfam donation bank by mistake. Can I get it back?

We will do our best to return any item that you have donated to Oxfam by mistake. Please call Shop Support on 0845 3000 311 for advice.

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Can Oxfam collect my donation?

Collections are arranged locally, so it's best to phone your local shop to ask. Please be aware that it is not commercially viable for most shop teams to collect donations from your home. Our furniture shops do offer a local collection service. If you have something of particular value to donate, please mention this when you call, or contact our Valued team.

If you are moving house, you may be able to use our Oxboxx scheme, run in co-operation with the British Association of Removers (BAR). If your removal firm is taking part, they will provide details on this simple way to donate, which leaves you with fewer boxes to unpack in your new home.

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