Whether it’s selling clothes online you don't wear anymore or picking up some pre-loved stuff for cheap, here are the best marketplaces.
On top of staggering university fees, many of us are feeling the effects of the cost of living crisis, so making a quick quid here and there can be a real lifesaver. Read this article to find out the best apps to use for buying and selling second-hand items, it has everything from second-hand clothes to computers.
Music Magpie (Technology)
Music Magpie has cemented itself as the go-to app for selling second-hand electronic devices, specifically mobile phones. It is officially the UK’s number-one app for recycling mobile phones. Buying and selling are easy through Music Magpie as you never deal directly with buyers.
This is because they’ll purchase your device and then deal with the selling through their site. This means that buyers can feel confident that they will receive a non-damaged good and that sellers don’t have to worry about the hassle of communicating with customers. So if you have an old laptop or phone lying around, then it's time to get on Music Magpie.
eBay (General)
eBay is probably the most prominent second-hand selling app that exists to date, due to its ease of use and reliability. Sellers are highly valued by eBay and due to the size of the business, eBay offers deals to sellers such as allowing users to sell a few items per month with no insertion fees.
For buyers eBay can be great due to the huge variety of products sold, with over 200 million users, you are sure to find what you are looking for. The great part about eBay is its auction-style marketplace, where customers bid against each other to purchase products. Every now and then you can get some amazing deals on products and save yourself a mini fortune,
Vinted (Clothes)
Vinted is amazing for finding cool vintage clothes that can no longer be bought from well-known retailers. Buyers are able to find unique and classic designs that are rare, but still well-priced. As for sellers, Vinted is great for selling nicer clothes as buyers are looking for a specific style when using Vinted, and so your items are more likely to be noticed and sold than on other second-hand clothing apps.
The main bonus for sellers is that Vinted allows you to list clothes for free, and will offer you £5 if you invite a friend to start selling clothes. Easy money!
Facebook Marketplace (Furniture)
Whilst you can use Facebook Marketplace to purchase many items, we’ve found that it's best to purchase second-hand household items. This is mainly because you can filter the location and see what products are being sold nearby, and with large items such as furniture, it can be a real hassle (and expensive) to move and sell furniture over longer distances. People also tend to sell other larger products, like cars or garden appliances, so Facebook Marketplace is the place to go for something big.
Depop (Clothes)
Depop is a trendy and user-friendly app for selling second-hand clothes. It combines a marketplace with an Instagram-like aesthetic and encourages users to acquire a large number of followers. Depop is great because of its community, with people constantly DMing each other to try and get reduced prices or simply commenting on sellers’ posts.
This is a great app for buyers who are looking to get cheap clothes from good brands as Depop charges a minimal fee for sellers and so many of the listings are extremely well-priced. As for sellers, Depop is great because once you have built up a good portfolio, the app will begin to reward you by putting you on more people's feeds, essentially promoting you for free and increasing your sales.
Gumtree (General)
Gumtree is easy to use and set up an account. It offers you a whole category of different goods that you can purchase and shows you nearby listings. Sellers can sell their goods at no extra charge, but what we love about Gumtree is that you can pay a small expense to increase the visibility of your product to potential buyers, increasing your chances of selling.
The app is good for buyers as Gumtree provides a rating system for sellers, meaning that you can easily see how other customers have found the person that you are about to buy from. This is often a useful indicator of how reliable the seller may be and will help to ensure that you receive a high-quality product.
Hardly Ever Worn It (Designer clothes and accessories)
HEWI is an online marketplace where people sell used clothes and accessories from high-end brands, like Gucci and Prada at up to 80% off the retail price. Whilst it may charge a hefty commission on each product sold, HEWI is one of the only apps where sellers have a real chance of offloading any designer clothing.
The real perk for sellers is that you can purchase a VIP membership which lets you offload the hassle of listing and selling products, as one of their team members will simply do it for you. Of course, there is an additional cost, but this is so worth it for people struggling to find the time to offload their most expensive clothing items.
What’s your go-to way of picking up a second-hand bargain? Join our Student Hut Community and let us know. You’ll get 1000 reward points for signing up.
