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Baby Gear
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Buying baby
gear on Craigslist and eBay
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| Babies require an inordinate amount of equipment, with most of it
used for only a short period of time. Some of this gear you might
consider buying gently used on the internet, where you could re-sell it
a few months time. Sites like eBay and Craigslist make shopping from
the comfort of home easy, and they can be big time savers if you do
your research. Don’t get caught up following links in endless loops –
use this primer and arm yourself with the information you need to save
money on the internet. |
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| First, organize a list of what you need. Planning far in advance
(by keeping an eye out for toddler gear when your baby is still a
newborn, for example) can be a good way to get difficult to find items
at a good price. Once you have a well-organized list ready, start by
doings some online research. Look at different manufacturer’s website
to see what is out there, and also see what others have said about
different products. Many parenting and shopping sites have great review
sections, which can give you an idea as to how a product will perform. |
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| Once you have decided what products you need and what brands and
models you prefer, you can start your search. Watch prices carefully –
just because it is used doesn’t mean the price is always good, with
some sellers offering items for close to retail prices. If you stumble
across a product that you aren’t familiar with but seems like a good
deal, always do a search of its brand name and model number to make
sure it is safe, well reviewed by others, and offered at a good price. |
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| On eBay especially, baby clothes are often available in bundles,
and gear can also be offered as a lot – which can mean substantial
savings over buying items individually. You can read up on how to raise
your baby on eBay gear in Wiz Wharton’s book How to Have a Baby on eBay
(Harriman House). There is quite a bit of information out there on
bidding strategies, which can help you utilize proxy bidding and
bidding software to score the item you want. Many users are
professional eBay bidders, and understanding their bidding patterns (by
looking at their user history) will help you successfully compete
against them. |
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| To maximize your luck on Craigslist, the Craigslist Reader is a
helpful application – allowing you to search multiple locations for
items that meet your criteria, and sending you email notifications as
soon as these items are posted. |
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| Freecycle is another useful site, with baby gear often up for
grabs. All items are, as the name suggests, completely free, and users
are encouraged to both receive items and offer things up they no longer
use. The site is organized regionally, with items moving quickly – get
email notifications that you can respond to right away in order to
increase your chances of landing the gear you want. (freecycle.org) |
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| When it comes time to meet up with an online seller, it is
important to keep safety in mind and not go alone. Also, don’t feel
pressure to purchase an item if it isn’t as advertised, or to bargain
if you are still interested. With these tips in mind, you should be
able to source all the items you need for your new baby at great
prices, from the comfort of your home. Good luck and happy bidding! |
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