Where To Buy Second Hand Toys
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With Christmas fast approaching, I thought it was time for a post all about buying second hand toys. Of course, you can buy second-hand toys any time of the year, but Christmas especially seems to hit our finances the hardest and opting for pre-loved toys can save you some serious cash.
This year I’ve taken a particular focus on trying to buy more second-hand items for my daughter. While I have always bought second-hand items for her, I’ve bought lots of new things too. This year I wanted to make sure I was buying the majority of her clothes and toys second hand.
Here are some of the items I’ve picked up for her for Christmas second hand.
- Dressing Up Costumes Bundles (6 outfits, backpack, accessories) £15 including £6 delivery (Shpock)
- Jigsaw Puzzle £2 (Charity Shop)
- Peppa Pig Toy £3 (Charity Shop)
- Frozen ‘Anna’ Dress £1 (Charity shop)
- Books x 2 £1 (Charity Shop)
I also ordered her a George Pig toy to go with Peppa from eBay but sadly he was lost in transit.
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Reasons To Buy Second-Hand Toys
There are so many good reasons to buy second hand toys. First and foremost is the cost. Second-hand toys come in significantly cheaper than brand new, I’ve found as much as 80% less.
While there are some sought after toys that keep their value well such as Thomas the Tank Engine and Lego, there are still bargains to be found if you know where to look. Kids can be pretty fickle and their interests change often. This means toys can often be found in like-new condition.
Also as more parents opt for wooden toys which last longer, they are also left in better condition for passing along to other children to be loved again.
Buying second-hand toys is great for the environment. It can prevent toys from ending up in landfill and it reduced the plastic packaging thrown away too.
While second-hand toys may not always be perfect (there may be signs of wear and tear) often children won’t even notice this.
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Where To Find Second Hand Kids Toys
Charity Shops are my absolute favourite place to buy second hand kids’ toys as they tend to be very cheap and I’m supporting a charity as well. They tend to be best for puzzles, games, teddys and books. Bigger items are less common as many charity shops just don’t have the room to store them.
I picked up the ‘Anna’ costume pictured below for just £1 from a Charity shop in my hometown. My daughter will love it and won’t care at all that it wasn’t brand new – she’ll just be happy that she can be a princess!
Dedicated second-hand kids toys and clothes markets have become popular in recent years too. These offer an opportunity for parents to sell their unwanted items and make some cash. There is usually an entry fee of around £2 for these events but it’s more than worth for all the second-hand items you’ll find.
When I was pregnant I went to a Mum 2 Mum Market and got lots of second hand toys and clothes for great prices. Or you could take a look at Little Monsters Nearly New Markets which are a similar thing.
Where To Buy Used Toys Online
Buying used toys on eBay
I would say that eBays offers the biggest choice and range of toys and also the best buyer protection.
However, there are postage costs to consider. If you’re looking for smaller items that are selling for around £1 or £2, the postage costs can often out weight any savings.
I find eBay is best for larger toys or big bundles of toys and is especially good for branded toys. When shopping on eBay, don’t get too carried with bidding or you could end up paying way more than you planned too. Set a limit and stick to it.
Facebook Marketplace
If you’re looking to buy second hand toys you can collect locally for excellent prices the Facebook Marketplace. Avoiding postage fees that you’d get on eBay can save a huge amount of money and for larger items, some sellers may even be happy to deliver to your door for free.
The only issue with Facebook Marketplace is that it doesn’t offer any protection. So if you get home from collecting a toy to find that it doesn’t work, or something stops working after a few days then there’s not much you can do about it.
I also find people don’t include many details about their items so it can take a bit of back and forth to get all the information needed.
Vinted
While vinted is probably better known for buying and selling clothes, there are also lots of toys there too. While there’s no bidding involved (the price you see is the price you pay) Vinted does charge a ‘buyer protection fee’ of between 3% and 8% of the purchase price.
With most purchases, you’ll likely need to pay for delivery, but one thing I love about Vinted is that they have a Parcel Drop click-and-collect option which costs less. You can take a look to see where your nearest one is before committing to the purchase. You can also get discounted shipping when you shop with a new seller.
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Shpock
I’ve been using Shpock quite a bit in recent months and some of my daughter’s second-hand winter clothes were purchased from there. While there is no bidding on Shpock, some sellers do allow you to make an offer on an item.
I did have an issue with a seller on there asking me to complete the transaction outside of Shpock which I said I wasn’t prepared to as it offered no protection if there was an issue with my order. She insinuated that it was the norm for Shpock sales but when I refused she did set up an account and take my payment through the Shpock app instead.
As with Vinted, there is also a buyer protection fee on Shpock.
Gumtree for Second-Hand Toys
While Gumtree is a good shout for second-hand toys, personally I find the website really hard to navigate due to all the ads which is why it’s probably my least favourite of the places listed here. Gumtree tends to be geared towards local sellers and I’ve found it best for bulky items such as playhouses and toy kitchens.
Final Tips For Buying Second-Hand Toys
So if you’re looking to grab some second-hand toys this Christmas (or any time to be honest!) then here are my top tips.
- Look out for toys all year round. January is great because people often have a huge post-Christmas clear out. While children’s tastes do change, board games, books, jigsaws etc never really lose their appeal. Also, some brands seem to be consistently popular amongst most age groups – think Lego and Disney.
- Set up alerts – If you’re on the lookout for a specific toy lots of apps including most of the ones I mentioned above allow you to set up an alert for when the item you’re looking for is listed.
- Be aware you probably won’t be able to get the newest toys out this year second-hand – however, I find a combination of new and second-hand toys is a great way to save money and feel I’m doing my bit for the environment.
- Some brand new toys on eBay and other sites can be massively overpriced – for example, Home Bargains were recently selling Moon & Me toys for £1.49 and now there are hundreds on eBay for around £10.00. This isn’t a dig at those reselling, just something to be aware of.
How To Clean Second Hand Toys
Cleaning second-hand toys probably seems more important now than it ever has before. If you’re concerned then there are a few things you can do.
The first thing is to isolate your toys for 3-4 days before touching or using. This is what most shops are doing with returns or donations to help stop the spread of Covid-19.
You can also wipe toys over with anti-bac spray or wipes. Soft toys that don’t have battery-operated elements (such as noises/sounds/speaking) can be washed in the washing machine – some toys do allow the battery pack to be removed so this is worth checking too.
I’ve also heard of people washing ball-pit balls and lego in the washing machine inside a duvet cover or net bag as these are so difficult and time-consuming to clean individually.
If you use a sterilizer for baby bottles this can be used to steam plastic toys.
Are Second Hand Kids Toys Safe?
Yes, generally speaking, second-hand kids’ toys should be safe to use, but always double-check for any broken or damaged parts that could cause harm.
You may also want to avoid things like bath toys which are notorious for having a build-up of mould which is difficult to see.
