In my January Recap, I mentioned that I bought my new-to-me winter jacket from Kijiji. Kijiji is an online classified website similar to Craigslist where people can list items to sell.
The last time I bought something off Craigslist/Kijiji was when I got some of my furniture for my apartment. At that time, I bought a couch ($200), a coffee table ($30), and a dining table set ($50).
But I’ve never bought clothes from Kijiji/Craigslist.
Why I Decided to buy Pre-owned
I’m not the best shopper and I don’t love rummaging through sales racks and picking at left-over… but I still want to get a good deal :).
Hat tip to Bridget for reminding me that people may be getting rid of unwanted gifts on Kijiji/Craigslist in January. I’ve had my eye on The North Face knee length parka for almost 2 years now, but I didn’t love the $400 price tag.
What I Bought
I wasn’t able to find The North Face jacket on Kijiji, but there were several TNA knee length parkas listed. I have heard great things about the TNA parkas, and also their not-so-lovely $300 price tag.
The jacket I bought was advertised as almost new. The lady was selling it because her daughter never wore it. I got the Aspen parka in my size for $160 – cash.
What I Learned
Know what you want and your budget
I knew that the jacket retailed at $275 and on sale for $250. If I were to buy the jacket new, I would also have to pay 13% tax for a total cost of ~$300. I would have been happy with getting this jacket for $200.
Be decisive and quick
When I saw the $180 list price, I immediately called the lady, and asked her for details.
I offered to come see the jacket within 2 days.
Negotiate
Since she was located out of town, I offered to come out to try on the jacket and pick up.
Even though I thought the $180 price was pretty good, I also asked if she could drop the price a bit, since I was driving out of town. She agreed to drop the price by $20 for a total of $160.
Safety, First
Since I was going to check out the jacket at the lady’s home, I brought BF along with me.
Always let someone know where you are going, and then check in with them when you get there and before you leave. If possible, send them the correspondence between yourself and the possible seller.
And always follow your instinct.
Double Check Everything
There are no return policies, so make sure you check everything for any damages or mal-functions. I checked that the jacket didn’t have any tears/rips at the interior lining, and the exterior, and I made sure all the zippers and buttons worked.
In general, make sure you ensure the item is the same condition as advertised.
There will be hits and misses
Even though this jacket was obviously a hit, I’ve also had misses when buying things off classified ads.
If an item is damaged, more worn/used than how you think it was advertised, say so. If it’s a miss for you, say so, and let it go. You are not obligated to buy something that you don’t want and won’t be happy with.
You win some, you lose some.
Boot Example
I saw a pair of Sorel boots online, listed as almost new for $90; however, when I got to see the boots in person, I noticed that the treads at the back heels were worn flat. I pointed this out to the seller, and he said that he was selling it for his fiance and she said that she barely wore it.
Even though I had a bad feeling and wasn’t completely happy with it, I gave him the money and took the boots. Then, when I got back in my car, I questioned why I did that. I obviously wasn’t happy with the boots.
So, I swallowed my pride, went back and asked if I could have my money back due to the condition of the boots. The seller obliged, accepted his boots, gave me my cash, and then shut the door in my face.
Conclusion
There are a lot of great deals that can be found by buying pre-owned of classified ads. Like anything else, I learned as I went along. I hope that the lessons I shared can help you on your next pre-owned purchase! 🙂
Readers, do you buy clothing from Kijiji or Craigslist? What has been you best find to date?
fabulously fru-girl 