How long does Oxfam keep books on their shelves, and what happens if they don't sell?

I've noticed in a lot of charity shops that I frequent that some books seem to mysteriously disappear after a few weeks, even though they shouldn't sell.

What happens to them?

Reply 1

rumana101

because the pass the books on to another oxfam store in a different area to see if they sell there instead.

Reply 2

jason12345

Original post by rumana101

because the pass the books on to another oxfam store in a different area to see if they sell there instead.

Aha!

It seems a strange thing to do though, because I'm under the impression that Oxfam shops have more than enough books being donated, and won't have room for these books from other shops.

Reply 3

Juno

Sometimes they send them for recycling. They get paid per kilo.

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Reply 4

rumana101

Original post by Juno

Sometimes they send them for recycling. They get paid per kilo.

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i doubt that

Reply 5

Juno

Original post by rumana101

i doubt that

I don't. I used to volunteer for Cancer Research. So I can't guarantee Oxfam do, but some charities do.

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Reply 6

minimarshmallow

Original post by Juno

Sometimes they send them for recycling. They get paid per kilo.

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Original post by rumana101

i doubt that

World of Books take them.

I don't work in Oxfam, but I do work in a charity bookstore and books that are in really poor condition or have been around for a very long time get packed away into black boxes and sent off to them, and we do get paid by the kilo.

Reply 7

rumana101

Original post by Juno

I don't. I used to volunteer for Cancer Research. So I can't guarantee Oxfam do, but some charities do.

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same i did at Barnardo's and they used to send them to other Barnardo's shops to see if they sold there

Reply 8

rumana101

Original post by Juno

I don't. I used to volunteer for Cancer Research. So I can't guarantee Oxfam do, but some charities do.

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shame though

Reply 9

rumana101

they could send them to a library i guess

Reply 10

the bear

there is a special lorry which comes round once a month to cart off all the unloved books. Just like at the end of Animal Farm

:cry:

Reply 11

Juno

Original post by rumana101

they could send them to a library i guess

Libraries are really fussy. The books have to go out on loan loads so need to be in excellent condition.

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Reply 12

rumana101

Original post by Juno

Libraries are really fussy. The books have to go out on loan loads so need to be in excellent condition.

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ahh, thats quite annoying

Reply 13

minimarshmallow

Original post by the bear

there is a special lorry which comes round once a month to cart off all the unloved books. Just like at the end of Animal Farm

:cry:

Twice a week they come to us.

Reply 14

the bear

Original post by minimarshmallow

Twice a week they come to us.

Noooooo .... say it ain't so...

And the books are taken to orphanages to help the poor children there ?

Reply 15

minimarshmallow

Original post by the bear

Noooooo .... say it ain't so...

And the books are taken to orphanages to help the poor children there ?

We actually use the money we get from World of Books twice a week for the tatty and barely readable ones (recycled or sold to someone who really wants that book and isn't bothered about the quality of it) to send approximately once a month a crate to orphanages around the world. And also we send some of the duplicates of good books to old people's homes.
But that's just us, and I don't volunteer for Oxfam.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 16

the bear

Original post by minimarshmallow

good work minimm !!

i took a bag of books to Oxfam the other day. i was delighted to see one of them in the top spot in the front window when i went back :borat:

Reply 17

cave-man-fred

Original post by jason12345

I've noticed in a lot of charity shops that I frequent that some books seem to mysteriously disappear after a few weeks, even though they shouldn't sell.

What happens to them?

They keep them for a certain number of weeks depending on the shop, the type of book and the amount of that type of book they have. If they have barcodes they're sent to one of those trade in websites, some of the more expensive ones are put on the website, others are distributed to other shops and some are collected by a company that gives you money for them regardless of the condition. :smile: