5 tips when buying secondhand

I’m a secondhand geek. There’s a running joke in our family that if you want something, anything…i’l be able to find it second hand for an absolute bargain price. Like the Kayak we got from facebook marketplace for my father in law’s Christmas present, the le creuset frying pan my dad really wanted but was way out of budget new and the cashmere ‘Caramel coat’ that I got from ebay for £5 but was on their website for £200- oh and let’s not forget the double medela pump I needed whilst in New Zealand because mine had stopped working and after scouring multiple used sites found a lady on the other side of Tarunga selling one barely used.

I love second hand; I love the stories the items tell, I love that it’s already in circulation so I’m not contributing to the MORE, and I love the joy of sourcing things for myself!

I started buying secondhand when I was about 16- I remember being at school and vintage clothing really coming into it’s own- grannie jumpers and old school printed sweatshirts with wolves and mystical scenes (so random). I started buying from stores like ROKIT and Oxfam but soon discovered ebay and fully caught the bug.

Since then I’ve spent a fair amount with high street brands and on Anthropologie mugs, but about three years ago I decided I wouldn't shop with a fast fashion brand again and instead choose to carefully consider where my clothes came from, what they cost the earth and the people in it. I’ve since discovered countless brands I love to buy from who create responsibly, but 80% of our wardrobe and purchases are secondhand.

I’ve learnt alot on the way so wanted to share 5 tips with you below:

1) Second-hand does not mean second best.

I remember when secondhand was definitely not ‘trendy’ unless it could be classed as ‘vintage’ or antique. Shopping secondhand it seemed at that time, was more for those who didn’t have a choice.

Things have definitely changed with more people buying secondhand than ever before and I love that my family didn’t even question the fact that most of their Christmas gifts were secondhand this year. I love that ebay and charity shops are our toy shops. There has been a 404 percent year-on-year increase in pre-loved sales since 2018, and in 2020, as many pre-loved items as there are people in the UK (66 million), went to a new home and extended their lifecycle (Via Fashion United)

Maybe you’re still navigating the world of secondhand, maybe it feels freaky or a bit dirty or weird. Truth is, in all my 100’s of ebay purchases, apart from totally getting conned with a fake coat over Christmas (URGH), I’ve never had a negative experience, nothing broken or stinky. If you do find it a little bit weird buying a second-hand bra (can’t say i do find it odd) or second hand at all there is a feature on eBay where you can select to buy new rather than used- maybe someones been gifted it and it’s not to taste, outgrown it or it’s just never been worn; it’s already in circulation but it’s unused. This is a great place to start. Often when selecting new on Ebay you can be inundated with a ton of sellers selling imported goods from China which is such a shame, so watch out for this. You can avoid this by typing key words like: BNIB (brand new in box) or BNWT (brand new with tags) or worn once, if you don’t mind a slight bit of wear into the search bar.

Maybe this will help you warm up to the second-hand life!

2) Discover the right platform for you and the one that has what you need.

The great news is there is SO many platforms out there to search second hand, some I enjoy working with more than others so find your sweet spot.

Platforms I have used and know:

Ebay- Pretty much ANYTHING you want or need can be found here and if you’re up for a search and a dig you can find some absolute GEMS. It’s my most frequented page and the majority of items in our wardrobe and home furnishing come from here. It’s true that it can feel super overwhelming if you’re new to it- there’s a wealth of blogs and youtube videos about where to start if you need some extra help though! If you are new a good place to start may be the ‘buy it now’ function as opposed to the auction function. Like I said before, avoid ordering imported goods from China as the platform now does seem to be heavily inundated with cheap electricals and clothing and make sure to read seller reviews to make sure they’re trustworthy.

Depop- A shopping app suited to millennial and GEN z shoppers- I haven’t done a ton of shopping with this app- make sure you read the reviews of sellers and follow @depopdrama on Instagram for giggles- even though it may put you off shopping there altogether!

Gumtree- Some of our favourite housewears have come from gumtree such as lamps and sofas. It’s not as much for clothes but ads, cars, furniture and many other things. I feel Gumtree has taken a step back since facebook marketplace launched and so while far less people are using it to sell, you can sometimes find a gem because of that!

Preloved- Like Gumtree this one is far less for clothing and more for furniture and electronics- it’s not the easiest to navigate but if I am in search of something specific eg. chesterfield sofa, I will always have a quick check here to see if anything is going on!

Facebook marketplace- Probably the most accessible secondhand selling site that is largely addictive. You search by area and pick up the items yourself although you can ask sellers to send items. This is my go-to for used toys for the kids and furniture.

Vestaire Collective- A leading online marketplace to buy and sell authenticated pre-owned luxury fashion perfect for a special event or something that lil’ bit fancy. Sadly i’ve got no plans to go anywhere fancy anytime soon- but when the time is right i’l be stopping by here!

Dotte- A fully circular marketplace for kids clothing. You can buy and sell or donate clothes to be recycled! Such an incredible concept with lots of beautiful items!

Pawsey Preloved- Another online marketplace for kids clothing. These sites work via a ‘drop’ of clothes each week. I like this idea because what is being sold is high quality and more managed because it’s a consignment service.

Re-Fashion- 1000’s of preloved clothing items for women

Oxfam- just like the shop but all online! I love using this platform and knowing my money is going to a great cause especially as I can’t visit oxfam charity shops in person right now!

Instagram selling sites- These are popping up everywhere- I buy a lot of clothes for the kids this way and it’s also a super simple way to sell kids clothes or other things. You can find a post on my Instagram that highlights a few of my favourite Instagram selling accounts.

3) Know the tips and tricks

There are some little hacks you can know for places like eBay and FB that make finding specific things and finding bargains that little bit easier.

Sites like Fatfingers allow you to search for items that have been misspelt- this usually means these items are unfound and therefore you can grab an easy bargain this way!

Baycrazy - through entering your postcode you can find bargains local to you that would otherwise go unsold.

Lastminute Auction: hunts for eBay auctions due to finish within an hour, but which still cost £1 or less.

On ebay and facebook marketplace if you’re looking for something specific you can turn alerts on. Around Christmas time I was looking for a wooden toy fire engine for Heppy. When a seller added something new on either site that fit that description I would get an alert on my phone. The same works on Instagram and turning on notifications for specific sellers if you want to stay up to date when they may be having a sale. Set alarms on your phone if you don’t want to miss out on bidding on a specific item and need a reminder.

You can also save favourite sellers on ebay so everytime they add something new you are the first to know, you can also do this with brands of clothes you may be looking for. Use the sidebar/search tool on ebay to get specific with your needs too- I love wool clothes for the kids and so you can specify that to cut down trawling through a ton of clothes you aren’t looking for made from different fibres.

4) Ask the seller

Work with the seller. Ask them questions, find out measurements, asks for extra photos if needed, ask them to prove something is genuine. I’ve often made an offer on something via private message even if they’ve not made that option available on the listing itself. If you’ve found something on facebook marketplace but it’s far away, see if the seller is willing to send it or you could organise a courier.

5) Work with it.

If something does arrive and it’s not quite right and you’re unable to return, is there a way you can work with it? Dye it, tailor it? Turn the cuffs up, repurpose it? make it in to something? Sell it on, gift it?

Do you shop secondhand? What are your favourite online platforms to find a bargain?