How to shop smarter when you shop second-hand

The gear your family has outgrown could make money. Read on for ways to shop and sell smarter.

SECONDHAND SPORTS GEAR

Between registration fees, travel and equipment, the average family spends $883 on just one child’s primary sport– as a recent Aspen Institute State of Play report found. When kids outgrow it, how much of that gear could sit unused?

“You can look at my parent's garage or any parent's garage. There's a lot of sports equipment that sits around for too long, collects dust, loses its value, has to get thrown out and ends up in a landfill,” said Brendan Candon, CEO and founder of SidelineSwap.

The former college athlete says the online marketplace has close to two million users buying and selling used athletic gear. Buyers typically pay for shipping while sellers pay 10 to 12 percent of the price of the item when they’ve made a sale. Sellers also pay a payment processing fee of 2.9 percent of the cost of the item plus thirty cents.

In return, Candon said sellers get pricing, shipping guidance, and a way to connect with buyers hunting for specific equipment.

“You can filter not just to baseball bats, but also to criteria that you really need to know about, like drop and length and weight which really matter in bat certification,” explained Candon.

GADGET BROWSING OPTIONS

From gear to gadgets, there are all sorts of options to shop secondhand - especially in the fall.

“Leading into the holidays, the start of iPhone season, all that is definitely the best time to buy,” said Bed Edwards, founder and CEO of Swappa, an online marketplace for used tech and sneakers.

On the site, Edwards said moderators approve listings after sellers provide information like electronic serial numbers and a photo of the item with a handwritten listing code.

The seller needs to upload photos of the actual product they're selling along with a unique code we generate that they have to provide,” said Edwards. “Essentially, it just ensures that, hey, they’ve got the piece of technology that they're selling.”

When there’s a sale, the buyer and seller equally split a six percent fee.

TIPS FOR SHOPPING SECONDHAND

Wherever you end up shopping, understand each site may work differently. Read the details on fees, shipping costs and return policies. If it’s a peer-to-peer marketplace, find out how potential disputes between buyers and sellers may be handled.

If you’re shopping for a used phone, is the battery health disclosed?

That information is easily accessed on Android and iPhones. For example, in iPhone 6’s and later, look in settings, click on battery, then battery health and charging. From there, it only takes a few moments to research what it may cost to replace the battery and factor that into the price.

“I have definitely, rather than buy a new iPhone, I've definitely just gone to the Apple store and had them install a new battery,” said Nicholas De Leon, senior reporter on Consumer Reports’ electronics team.

If you’re buying from a stranger, you can also ask for a phone’s IMEI, International Mobile Equipment Identity, or ESN, Electronic Serial Number. There are free searches to check the phone isn’t stolen or locked by another carrier.

Though De Leon explains a seller may guard that information, “Sometimes you’ll find sellers may be reluctant to hand out that number because they could be victimized, they could be scammed.”

Some sites promise to do those checks before listing used phones. De Leon said you can also expect a clean IMEI when buying refurbished from the manufacturer or a mobile carrier.

If possible, use a credit card which comes with additional protections for consumers if trouble with a purchase.

NBC 5 Responds is committed to researching your concerns and recovering your money. Our goal is to get you answers and, if possible, solutions and a resolution. Call us at 844-5RESPND (844-573-7763) or fill out our customer complaint form.