Save on second-hand stuff

There are plenty of bargains to be had if you buy pre-loved goods, writes Sophie Elsworth

CONSUMERS who are willing to forgo buying brand new items and instead opt for preloved goods can make huge savings to their budget.

Whether it is buying a mobile phone or tablet, a home appliance such as a fridge or washing machine or even a used car, purchasing second-hand goods can leave less of a dent in your hip pocket.

There’s no denying second-hand goods don’t appeal to everyone, but they are worth considering given many used items up for grabs are as good as new.

We’ve asked the experts what you can save purchasing pre-owned goods.

1VEHICLES

It’s no secret that brand-new cars plummet in value as soon as they are driven out of the car dealership’s fancy showroom.

Cars are one of the fastest depreciating assets many of us have, so if you’re looking to save significant cash it’s worth considering buying a secondhand set of wheels.

Motoring specialist Toby Hagon said “as soon as you drive a new car out of the dealership you lose thousands of dollars”.

“Depreciation during the first year is the single biggest cost of owning a new car,” he said. “A new car can easily lose one-third of its value in the first year of ownership.”

Mr Hagon urged motorists to consider buying secondhand because it avoided an initial depreciation hit.

He said motorists could save thousands of dollars or even tens of thousands of dollars on luxury vehicles.

Warranties on most newer vehicles are longer, too, providing the purchaser of a second-hand vehicle with cover if something goes wrong.

“Of all of the top 10 car makers they now offer at least a five-year warranty, with some stretching it to seven years, providing additional peace of mind,” Mr Hagon said.

“It means you can buy a four or five-year-old car and still have the protection of a factory warranty.”

2MOBILE PHONES/ TABLETS

Some of the fanciest devices on the market could set consumers back more than $2000.

For example, the Apple iPhone 11 Pro Max costs up to $2499. Older devices, such as the iPhone 8, set shoppers back $859.

Mobile phone recycling service Mazuma Mobile’s managing director, Aid Rawlins, said there were huge savings to be made by buying second-hand devices.

“We buy unwanted end-oflease working or faulty, damaged or perfect phones and we data wipe them, sterilise and repair them, and we bring them back up to the high quality that they should be,” he said.

“We resell them with a warranty of 12 months and with new accessories so they look and feel brand new.”

Consumers are also snapping up second-hand tablet devices at heavily

discounted prices. The rise of new brands, including Oppo and Huawei, has put increased competition in the market, giving customers more choice than ever before.

Similar to cars, some mobile phone sellers resell items that still are within the original manufacturer’s warranty, again giving the customer protection if something goes wrong with the device.

3CLOTHING

Popular fashion brands can be expensive but there are plenty of bargains to be had by looking online at sites that sell pre-loved garments.

Online selling site Gumtree’s

Second Hand Economy Report 2019 found, in the 12 months to July last year, almost 95 million used items changed hands across living rooms and front yards.

During this period 57 per cent of Australians sold secondhand items, up from 56 per cent the previous year.

It also found the average Australian household has about $5300 in unwanted or unused items lying around.

Gumtree spokeswoman Amanda Behre said buying preloved goods could save Australians about 43 per cent as opposed to buying the same items brand new.

“People often have items they have never worn, and with the tags on, and they are still brand new,” she said.

Ms Behre urged consumers to adopt the “one in, one out” approach. “If you are going to buy something brand new, why not sell something next to you or that you haven’t worn for a while that’s sitting in your wardrobe,” she said.

4HOUSEHOLD GOODS

There are so many items that can be snapped up at a discounted price, including fridges, washing machines, TVs, dining settings and couches. Data from the Gumtree report shows furniture is one of its most popular categories for second-hand items, behind clothing, shoes and accessories, and electrical goods. Ms Behre said before going down the road of buying used household goods, “know what things cost before you go and start negotiating things from a seller”. “That way you have a good concept of how much something costs,” she said. “A lot of people list things that are next-to-new and haven’t been used for very long.”

Regardless of what item you are chasing, Ms Behre urged people to “think secondhand first”.

“Think about what it’s doing to the environment,” she said.

“If we can save a few items out of landfill and extend their life, I think that’s a really good consideration.

“Think about what’s great on your hip pocket, too.”

As for the best time to post on its website, Gumtree figures show between 8pm to 9pm every night is the busiest time for searches.

Monday is the busiest day of the week so it pays to make sure your posts are already live on Sunday night or over the weekend.