My guide to shopping second-hand online

Hello everyone. So, the other day I was having a chat with my friend Amie and we were discussing what clothes we want to buy for summer. As our current university project has been heavily focused on sustainability it has urged us to think more carefully about what clothes we are buying and where from. I have been using Depop for a couple of years and the majority of the clothes I have bought recently have been from there or Vinted. This led Amie to ask me how I use these apps and find all these great pieces which gave me the idea for this blog post. So, I guess these are my tips for shopping second-hand online.

1. Know what you want.

The first thing you need to know when second-hand shopping is what you actually want. What are you looking for? Don’t just go onto Depop or Vinted and expect something to jump out at you. You have to know what style of clothing you want to be able to find it. Say you want a dress, think what style you want before searching, don’t just search ‘dresses’ or you will be there for hours. Search the style, the colour and the size you desire. This will make a huge difference.

2. Use the filters.

I know sometimes adding the filters to your search can be annoying, but these will narrow down the search and save you so much time. It’s no good looking through clothes that aren’t your size or the colour you want. So, use as many filters as necessary and I can guarantee you will find what you are looking for so much quicker.

3. Add the brands that you buy from.

One thing that I always do when using Depop or Vinted is search the brand catalogues. Personally, I like to stick to buying clothes from brands that I know and like which is why I have personalised these apps to show me pieces from certain brands. For example, if I see something I like on the H&M website, I will then go to Depop and Vinted and search the H&M brand catalogue for that particular item. This means I am being more sustainable in purchasing second-hand and sometimes I even save money.

4. Set yourself a budget.

I know from personal experience that sometimes you can get a little carried away when second-hand shopping. Often it is a lot cheaper than regular clothes shopping which can make you want to buy more. My solution to this is to set yourself a budget. Make sure you know what you want and how much you are willing to spend on your desired items. This way you are less likely to go overboard with your spending and buy things you don’t really need.

5. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

One thing I have learnt from second-hand shopping is it is better to ask the seller questions. If you see something you want but aren’t sure on the sizing or the fabric etc. just ask the seller. 90% of the time they are happy to help as, at the end of the day, they want to sell their item. Sometimes a photo isn’t enough information, and you may want to know more before spending your money on that item and that’s fine.

6. Keep using the apps!

And finally, my last tip is to keep using these apps. Don’t just look for something and then never try again because you couldn’t find what you were looking for. I have found the more time I spend on these apps the more they become customised to my own personal style. At the moment I think I spend as much time scrolling through Depop and Vinted as I do my Instagram feed. And like things! Liking items makes similar items come up on your feed which increases the chances of you finding the item you want. So, get scrolling and liking.

And that’s it. I hope these tips help you to take part in second-hand shopping and to navigate these apps. Happy sustainable shopping!

{All images from Pinterest}