Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5

Original poster

AIBU refusing to buy second hand?

118 replies

soozit · 27/04/2020 09:26

With this nutty new situation we're in, my husband and I are slightly tight on cash but of course there are things we still need to buy aside from groceries! My husband is a big ebayer but I've always been adverse to buying second hand. The blender we use every day has broken and he's found one for £50 vs the £70 it is brand new but I've put my foot down. AIBU?

OP posts:

Wakaranaihito · 27/04/2020 10:32

Refurbished can often be 100% brand new - open box store returns etc. Why spent £20 extra when you can get something guaranteed? What can you do with that £20?

rattusrattus20 · 27/04/2020 10:32

second hand is better for all sorts of reasons, primarily the environment and your pocket, but as others have pointed out, a £20 saving on a £70 item isn't good enough if you're buying it online from a stranger.

saleorbouy · 27/04/2020 10:36

Had a similar discussion with my wife when we moved into a new house and didn't have many £ left for white goods. I got a Bosch washing machine for £50. 8 years on it's still going strong and has outlasted some of the things we bought brand new. Buying second hand can save a fortune, its worth a punt if you want to save £20. Alot of refurbished goods are shop returns that cannot be sold as new.

BarbaraofSeville · 27/04/2020 10:39

It doesn't sound like this item is actually 'second hand' in that it's been used by a member of the public for a prolonged period.

More that it's a return or damaged packaging or similar. If it's been sold by a business with a returns policy, it's probably worth buying and then if it's not like new, send it back, otherwise, you've saved £20.

RingtheBells · 27/04/2020 10:39

As PP have said refurbished is probably ok if it come from a reputable seller, Argos, Currys etc. it may have been a return, I have had refurbished from Apple and DS had a refurbished phone from Amazon, usually you would expect some sort of guarantee.

Whataloadofshite · 27/04/2020 10:41

Second hand is totally fine, even in the pandemic. I've always sterilised/washed second hand things when they arrive, you can do the same and it's fine.

gingersausage · 27/04/2020 10:41

I just can't bring myself to do it for a saving of £20!

I don’t know who said this originally, but I hope you realise how privileged you sound. It’s very nice for you that £20 is nothing, but for a lot of people it’s a heck of a lot.

Whenwillthisbeover · 27/04/2020 10:54

This is refurbished though not second hand, yes.

I buy lots of eBay refurbished grade A products. I never take new mobile phones on upgrade either, instead buying outright as refurbished, they are like brand new.

Most of the things I’ve had are just in an unbranded box.

saleorbouy · 27/04/2020 10:57

Don't forget the Help to buy ISA that is out there offered by the government for first time buyers where they add 25% to you contributions. This will accelerate your funds towards a deposit, wish this was around when I was saving up for a deposit.

saleorbouy · 27/04/2020 10:57

Oops wrong thread.

IHaveAMagicBean · 27/04/2020 10:59

Too expensive. Second hand should never be more than 50% of the cost of new in my book! Offer £30 or buy new.

CayrolBaaaskin · 27/04/2020 11:01

If it’s an approved refurbished one tho that’s not the same as being second hand. Many of those are just returns which have been checked

ladycarlotta · 27/04/2020 11:02

if it's refurbed with a warranty that's fine. We bought our blender that exact way and it's been going strong for years. I think you are BU to not buy second hand, especially refurbed. So many things are very lightly or never used!

UnderLockdown · 27/04/2020 11:05

That does not seem like much of a bargain - so I would not be buying that.

But in respect of buying secondhand, I am not sure why you consider it more of a risk - new things have been handled just as much.

Hoggleludo · 27/04/2020 11:06

I buy tons of stuff off eBay. I've never once been fooled.

It's usually really good. Same exact thing. Brad new that you'd get in the shop. But cheaper. Easy choice

cookiemonster5 · 27/04/2020 11:08

I would buy refurbished which is what your husband is looking at. It's not second hand. They are totally different and a refurb comes with a warranty. As long as it's a years warranty go for the refurb.

AlwaysCheddar · 27/04/2020 11:08

£69 too much for second hand or refurbished. Warranty from an ensure may not be worth much. Would get new.

Rosebel · 27/04/2020 11:13

I'd rather buy a new one. I have no issue using second hand but not for electrical stuff and not for that price.
I'm not convinced the guarantee will help if it's just some random person.

CathyorClaire · 27/04/2020 11:19

£20 isn't enough of a saving. The warranty will likely be for maybe three months if you can even track down the seller at that point.

I'm all for second hand but in this instance the risks of having to pay another £70 pretty quickly aren't worth taking. Ask dh if he's happy to take the chance of a £70 item turning into a £120 overall spend in a few months time.

RingtheBells · 27/04/2020 11:20

Is the seller someone like Argos or Curry’s EBay shop, if so it should be fine

milveycrohn · 27/04/2020 11:20

It really depends what it is.
In some instances a person may have been given one for Christmas, which is not the one they want, etc.
Or they have been given, say, a bread maker, which they only used once.
We sold a washing machine, which was still within the guarantee, (so I gave all the paperwork, and was able to transfer the guarantee to the new owner). - The reason being, that we had to buy the WM at the time because our old one broke, but then a year later had our kitchen re - modelled, and got a different one, that fitted into the kitchen better.
It also depends on the price. If it only marginally cheaper than a new one, then a new one is better.

YinMnBlue · 27/04/2020 11:22

PAT testing. I need to know that electrical items are safe. Boxed, unused and new, or PAT tested.

At least if you buy second hand from a reputable Charity shop it will have been PAT tested.

But you lose the guarantee.

But most new small electrical items function well.

rwalker · 27/04/2020 11:23

If it's from manufacturer direct fine i've bought dyson and karcher refrub with warranty .
Its it's from normal seller no as it won't be proper refurb
2nd hand from normal seller used tend to think about half price

Needtheadvice · 27/04/2020 11:28

Telling my "horror" story, we were looking for a convection microwave so we could save on using the oven for smaller items. While I was looking at new items my dh was searching ebay. He found a "Refurbished" one for half the price and convinced me we should buy this, adding to the fact it also matched the toaster and kettle I was convinced as the reviews looked fine. This microwave is great with grills and the likes but very rubbish with microwaving as it shuts down after 3 minutes if lucky, can shut down sooner. Add into the noise level and it is the worst buy we have ever made. Problem with is it that for very short usage you wouldn't notice the fault. it was later when using it for a longer cooking time we found the fault and it was too late. Wish we had spent the extra money and had the guarantee as would have returned it.

Itsabitmessy · 27/04/2020 11:34

For that amount of difference I’d rather pay more and have the comfort of a receipt and a years warranty. I’m not against second hand stuff but some items I’d be more cautious about especially electrical and electronic. I’d want a huge saving so it didn’t matter too much if it didn’t last long.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5

Swipe left for the next trending thread