Used goods get a thumbs-up in Oman

Youth tempted to get rid of their old gadgets

The used goods market in Oman has picked up in recent years largely on the strength of social media platforms, which give customers enough options to verify the quality of products.

According to sources, in Oman the main demand has been for used cars followed by home furniture, and home appliances such refrigerators and microwaves.

Products were sold traditionally through classified pages of newspapers and licensed shops.

While such shops still remain, classified sections have given way to online applications such as Olx, Facebook groups and Instagram.

According to industry experts, apart from the cost, one major reason for the growing demand for used goods is the “reduced shelf life” of consumer appliances, including cars.

“New products with new features are introduced every year. Because as of the peer pressure, the youth are tempted to sell the old appliances even if they are in top condition,” Hammod Hashmi, a public sector employee, said.

“I have been changing my smartphone every two years because there are new ones in the market with interest-free loans. The last two mobile phones fetched good price because there were customers who couldn’t afford to buy new ones,” he said.

These days there are many ways to find out whether a product is genuine or counterfeit, he added.