Economy
Second-hand shops come to the rescue
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-04-02 13:28
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BEIJING - A down coat is priced at 20 yuan ($2.9), a pair of jeans at 5 yuan -- a second-hand shop in a Beijing suburb offers surprisingly cheap goods while soaring prices for household products are keeping people on their toes.
The Tongxin Huhui second-hand store,located in the village of Picun about 30 km east of downtown Beijing, has attracted large numbers of customers from neighboring communities with its low prices.
A brand-new cotton coat typically costs about 300 to 400 yuan, but at Tongxin Huhui, the same coat can be had for less than 20 yuan.
"In the late afternoon when people come home from work, our shop is packed," said Zhao Gongzheng, one of the shop's clerks.
Yue Qingqun, 42, a migrant worker from North China's Hebei province, always shops here for "decent" clothes.
"Here I find clothes I can wear to work and also wear at home. They are cheap, but good. By no means can I buy such clothes from normal department stores at this price," said Yue.
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"I come here almost every two weeks. Some of my friends and neighbors also come here occasionally," said Gao, who refused to give her full name.
The full-time mother of two boys looks chic in a shirt, tight-fitting jeans and tennis shoes, all of which were bought from this shop.
The second-hand business is relatively new to Beijing. Some people exchange second-hand clothes and home appliances on e-commerce websites, while several shops in Beijing's downtown area now offer vintage clothing.
However, Tongxin Huhui is different from other stores in that it is run by a charity organization -- the Beijing Migrant Workers' Home.
"All the goods we sell at the shop are donated," said Wang Dezhi, one of the store's managers.
The store sells clothing for adults and children, as well as shoes, toys and home appliances. Six similar shops have popped up in Beijing's low-income suburban communities.
About 90 percent of the 20,000 people living in Picun are migrant workers. "They earn between 700 and 3,000 yuan a month, on average," Wang said. "A 300 yuan jacket will cost them a large portion of their income."
Wang, along with 14 other staff and thousands of volunteers, hope to help these migrant workers by providing them with an inexpensive clothing solution.
Those who wish to donate can take clothes to the store's donation centers, send clothes by mail or call volunteers to come pick up donated items.
Clothes and other donations are cleaned, sanitized and sorted before being sold, Zhao said.
The store's workers also promote the shop on popular websites, such as Douban, to help bring in donations.
"We distributed the clothes for free at first, but some people would grab as much as they could, even if they didn't need certain items. Also, some of the more needy families felt ashamed to accept donations," Wang said.
"We decided to sell our items at very low prices so that people can select what they like and retain their dignity."
With the exception of money used to cover operational expenses, all of the shop's revenue will be donated to a local primary school for migrant workers' children or donated to other programs for low-income workers, he said.
Last year, the organization provided a program for educating migrant workers about legal issues, as well as free guitar lessons.
According to Zhao, colleges and universities are the most stable source of donations, while more companies and individuals are starting to join in.
"One company donated two washing machines, and an electronics company gave us 20 computers," Zhao said.
Some companies also allow the organization to set up donation boxes at their offices.
"The boxes cause donors less trouble and help us reduce expenses, which is key for the sustainable development of our shop," Zhao said.
Wang Feng, a security company employee, recently donated clothing, a TV set, a refrigerator, a sofa and several other pieces of furniture to the shop, since he will be moving to a new apartment soon.
"He gave us almost everything except the apartment," joked Zhao.
"The furniture and appliances are quite new, but are only worth a little money if I sell them to scrap dealers. I hope to give them to someone who really needs them," Wang said.
Liu Qingzhu, a researcher from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told Xinhua News Agency that second-hand shops not only help needy people, but also contribute to a sustainable and environmentally friendly lifestyle.
"Chinese are wealthier now than before. Unlike the older generation, they throw away things that are still useful because they want new and better things," Liu said. "These shops at least provide an alternative so that resources can be recycled."
The organization plans to add three or four more shops this year to help more low-income people, Wang said.
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