Secondhand shopping in Beijing is a breeze. From dedicated WeChat groups such as these ones here, to our favourite charity thrift store Roundabout (which is hosting a huge book fair right now), not to forget secondhand shopping apps, you can save on money by buying mint condition clothes, books and toys to meet the demands of your kids without burning a hole in your wallet.
Personally, I adore shopping secondhand online, specifically on TaoBao’s lesser-known sister app Xianyu. Check out our previous article on how to navigate this super handy app here. Some of my best recent buys include the Amulet books 1-7 box set for RMB93 (it was still brand new in the packaging!), Eagle Creek packing cubes RMB 140 (retail RMB250 on TaoBao), and Patagonia cargo pants for my husband for RMB800 (retail RMB1040 on TaoBao). And yes, I searched for those using English search terms!
If Xianyu’s Chinese interface is too intimidating for you, the closest English equivalent might be Movin, a buy-and-sell WeChat Mini-Program that operates entirely in English. I haven’t yet used it myself but have browsed it before. Simply search Movin in WeChat to find it.
Dejà vu or 多抓鱼(Duō zhuā yú), is another app for buying secondhand stuff. Shop throughout over 4000 different brands, fast and high fashion, books in different languages as well as few electronic devices. An excellent and easy way to give your items a second life, but also to find interesting offers!
If you’re old-school and just prefer to shop in person, but still want to experience secondhand shopping, why not sign up for a clothing auction, or better yet organize one yourself? The Clothing Auction Network (CAN) was started by expats here in Beijing years ago and continue to see regular events to this day. They’ve even extended the network to overseas now! While the clothes are usually for adult women, there have been teen-themed and plus-sized themed auctions before. Scan the QR code in the poster to learn more.
Images: Pexels, Vivienne Tseng-Rush
