Buying used or buying new? This is often a difficult choice to make. This article presents some useful tips to guide you in your decision.

What are the benefits of buying used?

To start, obviously when buying used stuff you are aiming to get stuff for a better price than new goods. Used goods can be a lot cheaper, especially when you are searching for good deals and can act quickly. On top of this, finding good deals is just such a rewarding feeling that it makes the whole process worth it in my opinion.

Next to being cheaper, buying used is also better for the environment. In our current economy people have gotten so used to buying stuff and throwing it away once they don't need it anymore. This puts a lot of stress on our planet, which can be reduced by buying (and selling) used stuff. Another benefit is that some things just aren't made (the same way) anymore. This is another way the used market can come in handy.

What are the drawbacks of buying used?

Of course, buying used stuff isn't all good and there are a couple of things you should be aware of. First, buying used means buying without a warranty. If a used product fails, don't expect to get your money back. A second drawback is that buying used products might require interaction with some rather peculiar people, especially when buying online. This can definitely be a frustrating process of people not responding to your messages, being half an hour late or even straight up not showing up at all.

On top of this, you will likely not always find what you're looking for. If the item you want is in high demand, you will need to act quickly and the price might not even be that good. This problem is worse for niche items or in rural areas. Overall, the biggest drawback of buying used in my opinion is the extra time and effort needed rather than just having it delivered by Amazon the next day.

When is buying used a good idea?

I recommend buying used only for specific categories of products. A first requirement is that products are of high quality, or stuff you know will last a long time. You never know what the item you're buying has already gone through, so therefore you better look for quality stuff.

In general, this means looking for stuff where technical defects are uncommon or where you can very clearly spot any defects in a second. Also, look for stuff that is significantly cheaper than the new version. My rule of thumb is to look for stuff that is at least 50% off the original price when buying used. Of course this varies from category to category.

Overall, I can recommend a couple of categories where I would strongly encourage buying used rather than new. A first category is furniture. There are some truly great deals out there for used closets, chairs, and desks. Second, I would recommend taking a look at used clothing. This is definitely not for everyone, but you can save a lot of money and find some really cool stuff in local used clothing stores. Third, high quality cookware can be very expensive. The used market can offer some great options, for example if a restaurant closes down.

"A good rule of thumb is to look for stuff that is at least 50% off the original price."

Some more niche recommendations are gym equipment, used cars and high-end audio equipment. You should however be a bit more wary buying these things if you are not an expert. Thoroughly test everything or bring someone you know who can test everything.

When is buying used a bad idea?

Although buying used is often a great idea, there are some cases when you should avoid buying used. A first category of stuff to avoid is stuff which might have technical problems, especially if you don't know a lot about them. Also, I usually stay away from items that are not commonly sold used. They are too hard to find and if you do find them, they are often too expensive for what they are.

Things I would not recommend buying used are electronics like TV's, phones, or laptops. These all become outdated quickly and might have problems not easily spotted. These are also commonly used by scammers selling fake goods. Unless you know what you are doing, stay away from electronics.

A second category to stay away from is anything where hygiene is a concern. This includes things like mattresses, food blenders, and pillows. Finally, I would not recommend buying stuff that is not sold for a significant discount. As mentioned before, look for things that are at least 50% off the retail price.

Where to buy used goods?

The first place that comes to mind when looking for used goods nowadays is often online. There are tons of websites like Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace where thousands of used goods are sold everyday. These places are however also the most annoying in my opinion, because you have to deal with the sellers. It's important that you should never feel forced into a deal and that you can always walk away if something feels off.

If you want a more calming experience, a better place to look might be local stores. Stores like Goodwill exist with the purpose of selling used stuff for cheap. Similar stores can be found all over the world and are a great place to shop. The main downside of these stores is that you are limited to whatever the store has at that time.

Finally, organized garage sales and auctions of stores closing down are often overlooked. A quick Google search for either of these can lead you to a myriad of great deals.

Conclusion

Buying used is a great way to find awesome stuff for cheap. It can be both a very rewarding and a very frustrating experience, but I find the journey to be nearly as fun as the result. It is however time-consuming and not for everyone.

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Written by dazf3865
May 31, 2024