Buying Second Hand Items

[bjl584]

Does anyone look at Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, Ebay, or other online resell sites when looking for items?
I'm currently looking for a wood burning stove. New, they can be $1000 or more. I've found lots of used units in my area for a few hundred dollars.

Curious if anyone turns to used private party sales before buying new from a retailer.

[Fishindude77]

Yep, bought my last boat off Craigslist, saved a ton of money buying it from some poor guy going through a messy divorce.

[kork13]

I definitely check used sources first, especially for anything expensive (electronics are a fairly obvious exception, as most used electronics become quickly outdated). We buy almost everything for our boys used (clothes, toys, furniture, etc.). I don't really do alot of shopping for non-grocery or household type items, but on the occasions that we do, I will almost always look online (or in the few second-hand stores nearby) to see if we can save a decent amount of money by going with a used or previous-model version.

[Mjenn]

I do a lot of shopping second hand, but I tend to use sites where I can easily return and that come with guarantees. I have gotten most of my work wardrobe from ThredUp where I can buy high end designer stuff for the same price as mall clothes. Furniture can be a bit trickier to 'guarantee', I tend to use a few brokers I know in town to buy nicer pieces. I prefer buying second hand because I can usually get nicer things within my budget. But I tend to avoid Craigslist & eBay, I want to be able to return the item if it isn't as specified. With ThredUp, for example, if the clothes don't fit you just send them back. I know I pay a bit more than if I use other auction sites, but I also save a lot of time having to resell stuff.

ETA we did recently buy an electric piano off of Facebook Marketplace for about 1/5th of the price of a new one and it is great.

[disneysteve]

We have bought used items hundreds of times over the years. Flea markets, yard sales, auctions, thrift shops, ebay, Amazon, craigslist, etc. I'm quite sure we have saved ourselves thousands of dollars over the course of time.

[riverwed070707]

Almost everything. Furniture, cars, clothes, household items, event supplies and decor, plants. Only things I can think of I wouldn't buy used are beds and undergarments.

[MonkeyMama]

Always. Looking to buy a used musical instrument right now. (We have bought several used instruments in the past; new prices are completely ridiculous).
Have bought several cars used (private party).
Baby stuff was the best because you could just buy it used and sell it for the same price when you were done. (I call it "renting for $0").

I am hard pressed to think of anything *new* we bought in our teens and 20s. If it cost more than $50, we probably bought it used. Furniture, appliances, clothing, etc.
I would agree on mattresses and undergarments being the exception.

[cypher1]

Cars, tools, electronics like cell/PC/home theater equipment, and certain furniture and appliances for used all on the CL and eBay. Otherwise I buy all my jeans used on eBay as well, for 1/3 to 1/2 savings depending on condition. No longer on FB, and felt using Marketplace was contributing to purchasing more items than I really needed or wanted.

[disneysteve]

Baby stuff was the best because you could just buy it used and sell it for the same price when you were done. (I call it "renting for $0").

Absolutely. We did a lot of that. We even made a profit on a number of items.

The great thing about quality used stuff is it holds its value so you can buy it, use it as long as you need it, then turn around and resell it for about what you paid.

[rob62521]

I haven't used Facebook marketplace or Craigslist, but have purchased lots of used items at estate sales, rummage sales, thrift stores.

[LivingAlmostLarge]

yes lots of stuff. bought dog crate. baby stuff like strollers. That was a huge one. I sell a lot too.

[scfr]

Yes, and I've also both given away and taken freebies (in the past on Freecycle, and in more recent years on neighborhood FB swap places).