Pre-Loved Clothing Where do you start?

[mdpierre]

I'm really interested in pre-loved clothing how do go about finding it and how do you know if it's good quality?

Charity shop, eBay, table top sale, vintage sale etc

mum2mum markets or nearly new sales or charity shops. You can check them over before buying

Facebook groups for brands you like

I use Facebook groups for specific brands, Facebook marketplace or eBay for bundles (marketplace is often best for bundles as you can collect whereas on eBay you can sometimes spend a fortune on postage). NCT nearly new sales, charity shops and mum2mum markets. Car boot sales if you've got any locally.

The key with buying second hand ("pre-loved" tends to be a term that is used when the prices are premium IME) is that you have to look often and buy in advance. If you wait until you need a winter coat to buy one then you will end up paying over the odds because everyone else buys coats in the winter and you will have to buy the first thing you find if you need it ASAP. I just bought a JoJo coat for my DD in the next size up for £5 including postage and it's in pristine condition. So you have to be willing to hunt bargains and stash for the future. I find it fun though! And then I sell stuff on once she's outgrown it.

Oh and you sometimes have to take a gamble with regards to quality. eBay is the place with most counterfeits or dishonest sellers I find. I have only had problems once or twice though and you can get a refund if the item isn't in as good condition as it was described. If you buy at second hand shops and markets though you can have a look at the quality yourself. Same with FB marketplace although it can be awkward if you agree to buy something and then go to pick it up and decide it's not nice enough quality...

I've had success mostly with facebook market place ( got some great bundles on this), mum 2 mum markets and nct newly new markets.

I use eBay for clothes on the whole plus mum2mun markets. For toys, Facebook marketplace everytime. I’ve got some cracking bargains on marketplace. So many toys are in great condition!

Shpock is quite handy for some bits & pieces ..

Also there are lots of pre-loved accounts on Instagram, just search the hashtag preloved & scout our the UK ones!

I get most of mine from facebook marketplace. I got a bundle of his next size up for £10 on Monday, it was huge and really good quality! Just keep looking and try and find a bundle that you like the look of most of the clothes in it.

In terms of quality, it's been amazing! I'm actually disappointed because I wanted some rubbish stuff for nursery.

eBay, I tend to search for something like "boys 2-3 bundle" or similar. I'm too scared of getting murdered to do Facebook marketplace or similar. At least with eBay it's delivered by my friendly neighbourhood postie.

A lot of people have mentioned clothing bundles is that a better way to buy things if it's pre-loved or not?

Bundles are usually second hand. Occasionally you get some bits which are new eg a gift that they haven't worn but it's rare to get an all new bundle. On eBay they do them but not really worth it, if you are going to buy all new you may as well just do it in the sales and get your pick of the whole shop.

Second hand bundles are very good value - basically people can't be bothered to list every item individually so you get a job lot for a good price. However it's unlikely that you'll like everything in it so you have to see if it's still worth while. I'm quite fussy and like certain brands and colours so usually only like about half of what I get in a bundle. But then I sell on the rest and I often make a good amount back. If you're less fussy then it's definitely worth it. Occasionally I have got such bargain bundles that I actually make a profit because I then sell on individual pieces that I don't like and sometimes make more than I paid for the whole bundle. But that takes ages to sort etc so depends if you can be bothered!

oh wow yes I am not sure if I could be bothered with selling the bits that I don't want.. any suggestions for places to buy good quality bundles apart from eBay?

Nearly everything I get for my son is second hand. I find for nice quality labels (Jojos, Baby Boden etc), mum2mum markets and NCT nearly new sales are good, as well as eBay and Jojos preloved Facebook group. But for loads of great cheap stuff, the bulk of my son's items have been from the local carboot sale!! I've got him winter coats for £1 apiece, and heaps of clothes at 20p per item! Sometimes you can even get expensive labels; I bought 6 Jojo Maman Bebe toddler rugby tops from the carboot at 3 for £1 a few months ago- bargain seeing as they sell for almost £20 EACH brand new! 🙈 Will be selling them on for a profit when my son has grown out of them... 😁