10 reasons to buy second-hand

Today, we’re just a few clicks away from next-day delivery on almost anything on the planet. From cat food to catalytic convertors, anything can be boxed up and beamed out to our doorstep in under 24 hours. However, with great buying power comes great buyer’s responsibility. At Riloop, we know the value the second hand market brings to the world of commerce and In this article, we’re going to spell out 10 reasons why we all need to take a step back when we shop online.

1. Sustainability

It doesn’t matter what you’re looking for. In almost every scenario, whatever you need already exists. Sure, exceptions exist, but overwhelmingly if you need something, someone else will have one they don’t need. Corporations make products to meet demand. Every time someone buys something already in the food chain, the demand for new versions drops. New products consume resources and our resources are dwindling. With the rise of global shipping, there’s a good chance your new gizmo will burn a lot of fuel getting here too.

2. Cost

Except for the antique world, buying second hand is cheaper. Come on, who doesn’t like saving a few cents? Use Riloop’s search filters to find more affordable second-hand bargains throughout all online marketplaces in an instant!

3. Appreciation

So, we just mentioned antiques. Eventually, older items come back into vogue. If you hang on to and look after your treasured items there’s a chance they will increase in value. Great examples of this include musical instruments, clothes, and even cars. So, buying second hand can save you money and sometimes even make you some too.

4. Obsolescence

Many older products were built to last, while newer versions were designed to fail over time. It’s sad but true, that as capitalism soared, corporations realised building better products meant selling less. So, they built products with shorter life spans to make sure we keep buying them. However, even just twenty years ago, some companies were more concerned with quality than sales. Good examples of this phenomenon are power tools. garden implements, and shoes and clothes.

5. Tradition

There’s a good chance you have something that once belonged to a friend or a family member. Passing things down through generations is a great tradition that still happens today. Sadly, these lines get broken and sometimes items get lost. Picking up an heirloom from someone you don’t know and passing it down through your family is a great way to keep this tradition alive.

6. Circular economy

If you buy anything from a big corporation today, you can be sure your money will leave your local economy. Most big companies syphon their profits out of the country to evade local taxes. This means there are less taxes to repair roads, pay for hospitals, and improve your community. By contrast, buying something from someone local means the money stays local. If you buy locally then the seller may spend a few Euros at a local café, or on a local taxi, or pay for her daughter’s piano lesson. To help that purpose, Riloop lets you narrow your search down to local ads only.

7. It's adventure

It's true, finding local bargains is a great way to spend time. It takes zero effort to type into a search bar, add items to your basket, and double-click to pay. Buying something second hand can be an adventure. It can get you out of the house, you may discover cool new places, and even make new friends.

8. Landfill

Every item passed on, re-sold, or upcycled is one less heap on the landfill site. The longer an item stays in use the more it contributes to society. By shopping second hand, you’re not only getting a bargain, you’re saving the planet! Go you, you’re a superhero.

9. Signalling

We touched on demand before under sustainability, but in truth, there’s a bigger message here. Every time we buy second hand we send a signal. In this world of AI and big data, you can be sure that every click, swipe, and all our consumer behaviour is collected and curated. So, when we opt for something preloved, the corporations take note and react accordingly. This is probably why some of the big high-street retailers now have second-hand sections in their stores now.

10. Helping others

Buying something from someone else allows them to make some money. Times are hard for a lot of people. Forgetting the fact that giving someone cash keeps the money local, often it’s more important to help local people raise the money they need. Sure, some of us may sell something just so we don’t feel we’ve wasted the money we spent on it. For others, selling stuff is a lifeline.

There you have 10 reasons to choose second hand. Remember, we’re all in this together. The more we shop second hand the closer we get to solving our climate crisis and every time we do we’re telling the money (wo)men we want to see change. So, please help us spread our message by sharing this article on your social media channels.