Not only can you save money by buying used items, but you can often get a better quality product that when you buy something new. There are two reasons for this, and I’ll give you the details below.
Buying used items may be hard to do at first because of any misallocations you might have about getting things second hand. So if you need to, start small, with bright items that are easy to clean, or items that are easy to consider used, such as books or DVDs. You’ll soon see that there is plenty of good quality merchandise to have for very little cost.
There are those two reasons for buying used. The first is if merchandise has made it to be resold and still looks good, then you know that the quality is high enough that it should last for a long time. There are exceptions, of course, but I am pretty confident of this rule. The second reason is that with buying used you can afford better quality than you can when buying used. For example, a small pine and particle board bookcase new might cost $75. A solid oak one used might cost $15. Do you see what I mean?
Imagine that you have a budget of $20 to buy children’s clothing. You can afford perhaps one outfit at that price, if you shop at Sears, Kohls, Walmart, or Target and if the outfit is past its season. But imagine being able to buy ten outfits at that same price, with brand name labels, such as Gymboree, Disney, Baby Phat, Osh Kosh, and Baby Gap? I do it all of the time.
So how can you evaluate quality?
Make sure you have enough light in the store to examine the merchandise. Bring a flashlight if needed.
For clothing, check for fading and shrinkage. Name brands generally hold up better than names you don’t recognize. Check the seams and evaluate the stitching.
For furniture, look for solid pieces that may carry a manufacture’s mark.
Bring an expert with you. If you are looking at stereo equipment, for example, find a friend who is an audiophile. No expert at hand? Research the merchandise online.
Try things out there in the store, such as opening and closing drawers, sitting on chairs, opening the clasp on jewelry, etc.
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