Second Hand Everything !

kilburn

Hey guys, I am doing a marketing project at the moment for my degree in UL and I am tasked with doing a campaign for a second hand shop. The idea is not just a second hand clothes shop but more of a second hand superstore selling everything from clothes, furniture, jewellery, books, DVD's and electrical gear.

The idea behind the shop is that people would drop in their stuff that they do not want or need any more and get 50% or so of the price the shop sells it for, rather than just dumping and yes I know you could sell it on donedeal for more yourself. You can vote for multiple items if you wish.

So please take the poll and add your comments in the thread, please no negative whinimh but constructive advice is welcome. I have cleared this thread and poll with the moderators. Thanks guys and appreciate any help.

liammur

I wouldn't buy 2nd hand stuff, but the idea of getting 50% of the selling price would appeal to many. Charity shops may not agree though!

osarusan

I'm amazed there aren't more second-hand shops in this country. There was a place called Smart Choice (iirc) on William Street with some furniture in the back and downstairs - a decent set of kitchen table and 6 chairs for 250 euro. I'm happy to buy stuff there, apart from electrical stuff.

Especially with household budgets tightening, I think there'd be a market for second-hand stuff, especially furniture.

When I lived in Japan, it was a thriving industry. You could take virtually anything there, and even if they weren't willing to buy it from you, you could ask them to dump it for next to nothing. The only downside was that when selling stuff to the second-hand shops, you got terrible prices. But then, it was cheap to buy stuff there. I remember buying a cot (without mattress) for about 15 euro, using it for a year, then selling it back to them for about 5 euro. Although, in Japan there is no such thing as a 'furnished' rental flat, so more need of this kind of service.

Grumpypants

2nd hand stores are big business in the UK i dont know why they dont do better here.

I usually pop in once a month to try and pick up some retro games got som
e Sega megadrive games recently. Even got some new Blu-rays for 2 euro too you never know what gems you will find.

It would be very hard to inventory everything and then try and get the person to come back once its all been sold and not have to make 10 trips back as no one knows when the items would actually sell.

DesQ2

Being a student, I buy all my guitar gear 2nd hand and anything else i need i'd go for 2nd hand. My girlf works in a charity shop and buys a lot of her clothes from there, they have a very bad selection of men's clothes tho and that should be something that could be looked at.

puntosporting

I mainly buy used video games and ex rental dvd's in extra vision.
Bought my xbox 360 off adverts.ie and always buy second hand motor related stuff like alloys etc!

dr.fuzzenstein

The Irish have always preferred cheap, inferior quality new goods over good quality 2nd hand ones.
That leads to the 2nd part of the problem.
Because people like cheap, new stuff, by the time it's second hand it's trash and worthless.
Because people don't buy a lot of good stuff, there's no availability of good 2nd hand stuff, or only the sh*t you find in charity shops.
I have given up on 2nd hand stuff in Ireland, just go to a market here and all you will find is people selling new plastic sh*t.
Go to a market on the continent and the difference is marked.
Last time in Germany I picked up a cast iron bell for my house (that was new, made locally) and a 1950's watch in perfect condition, Bifora, 20 stones, good make, E20.
It goes back to before the celtic tiger, where everyone had to buy cheap, make do, make it last and hand it down.
That has left the idea in peoples heads that 2nd hand stuff is a sign of poverty, of not being able to afford something new, of having to make do with rubbish.
So when they started to have money, the first thing they promised themselves was "I will NEVER again have to make do with 2nd hand stuff!"
I have loads of 2nd hand stuff, from computers, to old record players, to stereos, furniture, my car of course, cameras and other assorted electronics.
But never 2nd hand clothes.
I just would not want to risk wearing something that someone died in...

Bicycle

The problem with electrical stuff is that it would need to be certified safe by a professional.

Shoddy clothes will look crap but shoddy electrical stuff will kill.

Raiser

Shoddy, killer electrical stuff can be brand spanking new too though......

- Chinese industry doesnt mind sending you the way of the crispy wan-ton in your bed via a brand new €9.99 electric blanket.

dr.fuzzenstein

Raiser wrote: »

Shoddy, killer electrical stuff can be brand spanking new too though......

- Chinese industry doesnt mind sending you the way of the crispy wan-ton in your bed via a brand new €9.99 electric blanket.

Absolutely +1.
People think that new=good and old=bad.
So a piece of equipment that was top of the range and cost hundreds but is 5 years old is now shoddy, useless, a death trap and only good for the skip.
But something you buy brand spanking new in the €2 shop is shiny, gleaming, superb, wonderful and the best thing since sliced bread.
That's why 2nd hand shops don't work here and never will.

marienbad

Buy 2nd hand stuff all the time and have done since I was a kid, starting with books and records and now books cds and dvds and pretty much anything else that takes my fancy, cars ,furniture, tools , lamps, clothes . Half of the junk in so called Antique Shops in Ireland would just be 2nd hand stuff in France /UK/Germany.

I will rarely if ever buy a new book or dvd again. Hardback version 20/25 euro , 3 months later big paper version 15/19 euro, 3 months later mass release version 9.99. and free in the library . Never get caught again.

Same with DVds , why rent at 5.50 when 2 months later you can buy at that price and pass around the family and save a load of extra rentals.

mumof3angels

I never really bother with second hand things till this yr and have to say I am surprised with the stuff you can get ( i am talking in the clothes section ) I have gotten some really nice bits lately some with the tags still on them !!
Since I lost my job money has been tight but I still have 3 kids to get dress every day.
I would have no problem recommending anyone to have a look in the charity shops I buy take home, wash and you what who gives a damn where they came from as long as they look good.

Kiva.D

We have large, busy thrift shops that are department store-like, with rows of clothes, books, household items and such. Everyone I know shops them first. We've great finds from local charity shops.

Frances4019

Kiva.D wrote: »

We have large, busy thrift shops that are department store-like, with rows of clothes, books, household items and such. Everyone I know shops them first. We've great finds from local charity shops.

Where are these thrift shops?

Kiva.D

Frances Brennan wrote: »

Where are these thrift shops?

Guess that was unfair of me to post here -truly sorry! I'm in the american southwest...
Here's an inside picture of one of eight big stores in the area, (we have about 18 other smaller charity shops as well):
http://www.savers.com/Shopping.aspx

Frances4019

Kiva.D wrote: »

Guess that was unfair of me to post here -truly sorry! I'm in the american southwest...
Here's an inside picture of one of eight big stores in the area, (we have about 18 other smaller charity shops as well):
http://www.savers.com/Shopping.aspx

Yes a bit far away all right.. thank you.

kilburn

Thanks for your replies and votes so far people, few more votes and then I will close it seems most people have no problem with buying books, dvds and furniture but clothes aint very popular

Frances4019

kilburn wrote: »

Thanks for your replies and votes so far people, few more votes and then I will close it seems most people have no problem with buying books, dvds and furniture but clothes aint very popular

I really don't know if this is true but I have heard that all clothes made in the East are treated with anti insecticide before shipment. Maybe you should investigate that theory before you close. Makes shopping in charity shops a much better option eh!

Jumpy

Kilburn, if you are thinking of starting it up, I will be moving back to australia in a month. Got tons of books and stuff here.

kilburn

Sound Jumpy whenever your ready PM me and I will talk to the shop owner for ya.

electron

not clothes and not jewellery - too personal to most people, i would think. as for dvd's and books, it would depend on the quality of the selection.
furniture - yes
electrical (or electronics) - yes
a very important factor in my opinion is how everything is presented/served. if it looks like a dirty pile of junk then no thank you

flutered

watches and jewellery are a must.

dr.fuzzenstein

flutered wrote: »

watches and jewellery are a must.

I got a Seiko Kinetic Divers watch for a hundred squid from a watch repair shop.
New costs E300.
No brainer.

William Powell

OMG :rolleyes:

Its not a second hand - IT'S RECYCLING

dr.fuzzenstein

William Powell wrote: »

OMG :rolleyes:

Its not a second hand - IT'S RECYCLING

Isn't that where you bring your old bottles and newspapers?:p

kilburn

Last bump on this guys will be closing it tomorrow, thanks again to IO

Any regulars that havent voted, I would appreciate if you do thanks and post a comment !

Your normally all full of chat !

TestTransmission

kilburn wrote: »

Last bump on this guys will be closing it tomorrow, thanks again to IO

Any regulars that havent voted, I would appreciate if you do thanks and post a comment !

Your normally all full of chat !

Voted for ya there

eclectichoney

Voted just there now - I would not have a problem buying anything 2nd hand tbh (within reason! :D) as long as the quality was good, and it wasn't used as a shop for dumping old stuff.