I've started buying secondhand clothing online the way I'd buy from any other online shop and I love it! Sustainability is an obvious reason why but like the thrill of finding an absolute gem on the racks when thrifting, being able to make the seller lower offers on their price is the thrill of buying secondhand online.
I recently asked you guys on an Instagram poll whether or not you found yourself spending more money on clothes during this COVID-19 period compared to beforehand. A significant amount of you shockingly responded no. When I thought about it more I figured the strain on incomes might be playing a big part in that.
In another poll, 96% said they would consider buying secondhand in the future. With the current pandemic, I feel that buying secondhand clothes online might be the solution to being on a tight budget but having an interest in becoming more sustainable. So, without further ado, here are my tips and things you should know for buying secondhand clothing online on seller-buyer platforms.
Platforms
Depop - it has a huge community of sellers and buyers and therefore a lot more items to choose from.
Vinted - it's a lot less populated compared to Depop so there's less pressure to buy immediately and less competition when selling too.
eBay - it has an inbuilt system that allows you to make offers, watch items you like which are being bid for and it alerts you when biddings are nearly over. Also,
Others worth mentioning:
Asos Marketplace
Your local charity shops - many of the charity shops you used to visit before the world went crazy are likely to have their own website and on them a section for buying items they have.
Searching
Use the filters when searching for items but also be very descriptive in your search. Depop, for instance, doesn't yet have a filter for colours or fabric so an example search might be "white 100% cotton wrap top" or "oversized vintage Adidas blue'.
If you know your style quite well, mentioning relative hashtags and style names e.g. "grunge velvet choker" or "Y2K bucket hat", will produce more relevant to you.
Haggling
If you see something you really want but the price is stopping you, haggle but do it politely (!!!!) - manners matter online too. I have sold and bought across different platforms and know how rude and frustrating it can be when people offer prices that just about covers postage and packaging costs. If you want to haggle, message them directly and be polite always.
My method for haggling:
- Ask what the lowest is that they are willing to sell it to you for including shipping.
If it's still too high for you then you have two options :
- Suggest a reasonably reduced price (bearing in mind that you did just ask for their lowest price). If they accept great! If not...
- Let them know it's still a little high but you'll have a think about it.
When you enquire about an item and receive a response, letting them know whether you're still interested or not is SO important! I've seen first how responding with a "thank you, I'll have a think about it x" can lead to them negotiating with you further, accepting your offer, keeping you in mind later on and is just generally much appreciated as opposed to ending the conversation there.
Be sure to say "including shipping" when asking for their lowest price as knowing the total cost will help you make a better judgement. Unknown to you, shipping for the item may actually be high due to their or your location, the weight of the item or the type of packaging needed to safely get it to you.
Everything I've mentioned above I have done myself and have seen work so if from reading this you are excited to buy secondhand online then that's great! But always remember to be slow, think before you buy and only buy what you need.
Shirt and Jeans thrifted
That is all I have to report for now, if you'd like more posts around this topic just comment below. Similarly, if you found this useful leave a comment and also share this with others.
Love,
Essy x
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