An unusual pricing policy at a small-town South Australian thrift store has left bargain hunters scratching their heads.
A member of the popular Facebook group Op Shopping Australia posted a photo taken in Burra, showing a window sign at a store called Goosey Goosey Gander.
“$5 entry refundable on purchase, regular customers free,” the sign read.
The anonymous poster wrote: “Well this is certainly something I’ve never seen before – second-hand store charging entry fee. Daughter just stopped by Burra, SA and came across a store called Goosey Goosey Gander. Must be making a tidy profit taking $5 per each person who doesn’t buy anything (imagine the tourists).”
The model effectively means that anyone who spends money inside won’t be out of pocket, but window-shoppers and tourists who leave empty-handed will lose $5 (AUD) each.
Most commenters were up in arms at the news.
“This is so dumb!” one woman named Claire wrote. “So you pay $5 to go in. If you buy something for $3, do they just give you $2 back? And if you don’t buy anything, they just keep the lot? That is a big fat hardcore NO from me.
“Op shops get their stuff for free and already sell it at ridiculous amounts. The audacity to CHARGE just to step foot inside … this has triggered me more than it should.”
“I beg your finest pardon????” another wrote.
But not all were against it.
One woman, who worked at an Angus and Coote store, said she wished she could do the same. “Pretty good idea really. Save them dealing with stupid time wasters. Wish I could do this in our store,” she wrote.
The owner of Goosey Goosey Gander, Russell, told news.com.au the backlash from “keyboard warriors” doesn’t reflect the opinions of his customers or the community.
“They’ve had their entitlement nerve hit,” he said.
“You’ve got to react to what’s happening your own business, so this was just a reaction to what was happening to our business and what was coming in the door.”
“We’ve got a lot of theft and also a lot of people moving stuff around.
Russell said visitors who are browsing the store to “kill time” with no intention to buy actually “involves a cost because it’s carefully laid out and curated”.
“They want to come in for nothing, spend half an hour or get out of the rain or get out of heat. We’re just not providing that service anymore, that free entertainment,” he said.
“We’re not Ikea or Woolworths, we have 200 square meters in here.”
Russell said while it’s rare for the fee to not be refunded, all proceeds from it are directed to a local volunteer-run historical site, Burra Railway Station.
“Customers don’t have a problem with it, that’s why the shop is doing slightly better,” he said.
“We get a lot of good feedback from our core customer base, but because they’re happy most people don’t go on to social.”
The Burra Community Management Committee awarded the store for their customer service and presentation at the organisation’s 2024 business awards.
