I resold a charity shop dress for profit – should I give the money back?

In our weekly series, readers can email in with any financial dilemma and enter the Money Moral Maze.

Are your friends racking up big drinks tabs and then trying to split the bill equally; is your partner overspending on your joint account? No matter your dilemma, email in anonymously, and the The i Paper’s money and business team will do our best to answer.

This week’s dilemma can be found below – email us at [email protected] with yours.

I recently picked up a lovely dress in a charity shop. It was brand new with tags, and I couldn’t believe my luck – it was a well-known designer brand, and the price was a fraction of what it would have been in a regular shop.

At the time, I bought it because I loved it, but when I got home, I realised it wasn’t quite right for me.

Instead of letting it sit unworn in my wardrobe, I decided to list it on Vinted.

Within a few days, it sold for more than double what I had paid. At first, I was thrilled to have made a profit, but then I started feeling guilty.

The dress had come from a charity shop, and by reselling it, I had benefited financially while the charity had only received my original purchase price.

I can’t stop wondering whether I should send the extra money I made back to the charity. It feels wrong to have profited from something that was originally donated to help a good cause.

At the same time, I know that once I bought the dress, it became mine to do with as I pleased. If I had found it in a regular shop and resold it, I wouldn’t have thought twice.

So, am I overthinking this? Or should I donate the money to clear my conscience?

First and foremost, it’s important to remember that the charity shop benefited from your purchase.

Once you bought the dress, it was yours to keep, wear, or sell.

Charity shops often price items lower than their full market value to ensure quick sales, maximizing turnover and allowing them to raise more funds over time.

That said, your feelings of guilt show you care about where your money goes.

If you feel uncomfortable keeping the profit, donating it (or a portion of it) back to the charity is a generous and thoughtful gesture, but it is not an obligation.

You might also consider supporting the charity in another way – by making regular donations, volunteering, or shopping there more often.

From a financial perspective, what you did is not unethical.

Many people make money by spotting bargains and reselling items for profit, whether through charity shops, vintage stores, or online marketplaces.

The key difference here is the emotional aspect – you feel a responsibility because the money was meant to go to a good cause.

A balanced approach could be to treat this as an opportunity to be more mindful of how you engage with charity shopping in the future.

Perhaps you decide to resell ethically by donating a small percentage of any profit back, or you could continue supporting charities in other meaningful ways.

Ultimately, though, this is a personal choice, and there is no right or wrong answer – only what sits comfortably with you.