With the current shipping crisis threatening stock levels of Christmas decor, tech items, gifts and more, shoppers this year are already facing stiff competition as store shelves and online retailers struggle to cope with demand.
Thankfully, Hannah Rouch, Chief Marketing Officer at Gumtree UK is on hand to provide top tips and advice on how to embrace the benefits of second-hand this year to save Christmas – as well as your wallet and the planet.
- Know what’s out there
It can be tempting to go for the first iPhone or fitness watch you find, but try not to rush into making any hasty decisions. Take a look into what price range the item you’re looking to buy usually sells for. That way, you’re less likely to end up paying more than you should for it.
- It doesn’t have to be picture-perfect
Keep an open mind when you’re looking for the perfect gift. Sometimes a wonky photo, a thumb over the camera lens or a blurry image can put buyers off an ad, but if you can’t look beyond the façade, you might be missing out on your perfect item. Once you get chatting with a seller, it’s worth asking for more photos and, of course, you can see the item in person before parting with any cash.
- Search with typos
This might sound like an odd one, but we’re all human, and sometimes we misspell things – and sometimes autocorrect can let us down! Who hasn’t spelt ‘baubles’ as ‘baubels’ before? By being more savvy than the rest of the crowd, you might just nab yourself a hidden Good Find.
- Think about upcycling
Even if an item does look a bit rough, ask yourself if it has the potential to be polished into a diamond. For instance, kids grow out of their toys within a year and these items are often left untouched or even packaged. By searching for these gems, you’re able to reduce clutter, consume consciously and help another family make room for more gifts for Christmas!
- Re-wrap it to look good as new
Take the time to re-wrap your loved ones gift. A simple gesture such as freshening up the way second-hand gifts are presented is a great way to make gifts look extra special. This can be achieved with a new box or wrapping paper – which can also be purchased second hand!
- Look at combos or bundle listings
Some things are hard to find as standalone items, yet they might be available as part of a set. You might be looking to give a loved one a coffee machine, but you’ll widen your chances if you look for it among kitchenware. Certain children’s books by the same author often come in a bundle. Bundles tend to be discounted, too, so you’ll get more for your money.
- Set up search alerts
Items come and go in the run up to Christmas, which is why it is key to save the product you like on Gumtree, so that you’re alerted by email as soon as something within that category comes up for sale. This allows you to set up alerts for specific brands and models, meaning you won’t miss out on any Good Finds!
- Download the app
Downloading the Gumtree app is the best way to know you’re not missing out on those perfect presents. You can speedily search for anything that comes to mind, take and upload photos straight to your posting, see and respond to messages as soon as they come through, and make favourites of ads so they sync across your devices.
These are just a few helpful tips to be more sustainable this Christmas. Take a look at these 5 tips on how to be more eco this Christmas.
