Op shops and charity stores have become more expensive in recent years.
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Bowral Red Cross volunteer Anne Wood said op shops were a shopping destination similar to other more conventional clothing stores.
Op shops have become a place for savvy shoppers to bag a bargain rather than a store for the financially disadvantaged.
The Southern Highland News visited a variety of charity stores to compare prices.
Prices for the cheapest ladies winter coats ranged from $5 at Father Riley's Youth Off the Streets to $25 at the Red Cross shop in Bowral.
Prices were similar in opportunity shops from further afield.
Red Cross took out the top price in both Goulburn, NSW and Newtown, Sydney.
Ms Wood said there was a varied demographic of shoppers at the Bowral Red Cross store.
"There a quite a few students coming through who are trying to find fashion items for formals and such," Ms Wood said.
"The older people who come in find huge satisfaction in helping clothing of high quality to be recycled.
"They say it gives them great pleasure to know they are helping in some way."
Ms Wood said the store was a wonderful venue for new clothing which had been donated from fashion houses such as Country Road.
She said the excess stock would have otherwise been burnt or discarded into landfill.
"Many of the goods are highly ranked brands and new, there is nothing wrong with them they are in perfect condition," Ms Wood said.
"The fashion houses give us an idea of how much they recommend we charge."
The dedicated volunteer said leather handbags, which retail at more than $300, are available in the store for a drastically reduced price.
Red Cross operates 65 stores across Sydney and 165 across Australia.
"The fact [op shops] are such popular venues indicates that people have changed their attitudes in the past few years," she said.
Ms Wood said the success of op shops demonstrated a wonderful microcosm of peoples views on the planet.
"Your purchase has helped many more people than you could ever realise," she said.
"The scope of Red Cross is much larger than that of a local charity."
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