The market for ‘pre-loved’ goods is booming, so ISOLDE WALTERS asks: Could YOU sleep easy on someone else’s old mattress?
- Beauty fans are buying second-hand, high-end cosmetics on reselling sites
- Top manufacturers refurbish mattresses that have been returned and sell them
- Some refurbished appliances on sale also come with a 12-month guarantee
- Reselling sites also have Christmas decorations listed for well under the RRP
Most of us wouldn’t think twice about buying a second-hand car, but how about a mattress or make-up?
There is a growing market for pre-used items, and people are saving hundreds of pounds by shopping online for either previously loved or refurbished goods.
Here we outline some of the bargains available – and where to go to get the best discounts.
Chanel smells even sweeter from a used beauty store
Beauty fans are buying second-hand, high-end cosmetics on popular reselling sites such as Depop, Vinted and eBay.
Luxury items, including Charlotte Tilbury make-up and Chanel perfumes, have discounts of more than 50 per cent.
If the thought of applying a used lipstick makes you wince, you’ll be relieved to know that these cosmetics are often brand new and sold in their original packaging.
Luxury items, including Charlotte Tilbury make-up and Chanel perfumes, have discounts of more than 50 per cent
Sellers are trying to shift unwanted gifts or products they bought in the wrong shade. And some are beauty bloggers who purchased an item to show on social media but then never used it.
We found an unopened bottle of Coco Mademoiselle eau de parfum for just £51 on Vinted, £75 less than a bottle would cost on the Chanel website.
And on Depop, a sought-after bronzer and highlighter compact from Charlotte Tilbury that retails for £49 was on sale for just £30 – a £19 saving.
Sweet dreams after saving hundreds
Bedding usually tops the list of things you wouldn’t want to buy second-hand, but top manufacturers refurbish mattresses that have been returned and sell them on eBay at stunning prices.
A refurbished Simba mattress is on offer for £399, £600 less than a new one costs online. And buying a refurbished Emma mattress for £303 instead of a new version will save you £281.
If you are anxious about the idea of sleeping on a used mattress, it may help to know that manufacturers carry out stringent inspections to ensure that the mattress is undamaged.
Bedding usually tops the list of things you wouldn’t want to buy second-hand, but top manufacturers refurbish mattresses that have been returned and sell them on eBay at stunning prices
Parts are replaced if required before the mattress is cleaned and sterilised to a hospital standard – Simba passes its refurbished mattresses under a UV light that kills up to 99.9 per cent of bacteria.
This is more than can be said for the mattresses at even the finest hotels, which have been slept on by countless strangers but no one seems to mind.
Make a killing on kitchen goods
Anyone who has renovated a home knows that fitting out a kitchen with a new oven, hob and fridge can easily cost thousands of pounds.
But there are savings to be had by turning to refurbished appliances that are inspected, cleaned and receive a makeover by the makers themselves, or a manufacturer-approved seller.
Both eBay and Amazon have a section on their websites for refurbished goods, and each purchase is backed by a 12-month guarantee.
Anyone who has renovated a home knows that fitting out a kitchen with a new oven, hob and fridge can easily cost thousands of pounds
Picking up a refurbished Sage mini-oven on backmarket.co.uk – a site devoted to refurbished electronic devices – for £162.99 will save you nearly £87.
The recommended retail price is £249.95. And on eBay, a Hotpoint oven costs £252.97, a saving of almost £150 on the RRP of £400.
Even household plants some second-hand
Most of us love plants and consider greenery an essential part of any interior. But being green-fingered does not come cheap.
It is worth browsing on sites such as Gumtree and Facebook Marketplace to see if anyone in your neighbourhood is looking to get rid of a plant before you head off to the garden centre.
Most of us love plants and consider greenery an essential part of any interior. But being green-fingered does not come cheap.
Often, when people are moving house, they are keen to offload plants that they fear will not survive the move or which they will no longer have room for in their new home.
You can pick up a 115cm tall Bird of Paradise plant plus pot on Gumtree for just £23, while the same plant at the same height with a pot from upmarket plant-seller Beards And Daisies is on offer for £105 – a staggering £82 difference.
We found a snake plant on Facebook Marketplace on offer for £7, while a similar-size one is for sale on Amazon for £18.99, more than double the price.
Festive baubles that won’t break the bank
The festive season is known to be an expensive time of year but with rising bills, this Christmas could feel pricier than last.
We already spend on average £740 more in December than other months and with inflation at record levels, it’s worth shopping around for festive decorations.
Reselling sites have plenty of decorations listed for well under the recommended retail price.
The festive season is known to be an expensive time of year but with rising bills, this Christmas could feel pricier than last
You can pick up an LED snowman on Gumtree for £150 – £100 less than the same snowman on the Robert Dyas website.
And we found three packets of Marks and Spencer baubles on Gumtree for £25 – that’s £11 less than the £36 they would cost new.
Relax in the bath and soak up the savings
Savvy home-improvers know that you can make massive savings by buying ex-display furniture, and that includes expensive items such as bath tubs.
These might have a mark, some slight damage or an imperfection and, as a result, are sold at a fraction of the RRP.
The Used Kitchen Company, which sells a range of former showroom furniture and used furniture, has a freestanding bath and shower listed for £525
One ex-display bath tub is on offer on eBay for almost half price – it was £435 and is now £245.
Meanwhile, The Used Kitchen Company, which sells a range of former showroom furniture and used furniture, has a freestanding bath and shower listed for £525.
That is almost £300 less than the same bath and shower currently retails for online.
How to hoover up a bargain vacuum
A new vacuum cleaner, particularly one from a snazzy high-tech brand, can cost hundreds.
If you don’t want to pay full price for a brand new model, why not check out a refurbished vacuum.
A new vacuum cleaner, particularly one from a snazzy high-tech brand, can cost hundreds
In the same way that mattresses are refurbished by the manufacturer, so are vacuums – and they are inspected before being resold.
The savings can be substantial. Dyson offers its own refurbished machines: a refurbished Dyson V11 is available for £450, £120 less than a new one would set you back.
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