Internet auction site eBay provides a treasure trove of sustainable products. Buying used products is in and of itself sustainable. By buying a used product you are giving the item a second life often diverting it from a landfill.
So in that context eBay provides a world wide market place for the exchange of goods. I actually see eBay as one gigantic garage or tag sale – which I love.
I've been an eBay member for more than ten years and have bought and sold everything from cameras to vacuum cleaners (see photo below).
My approach on eBay is to look for high quality well made items that are in functionally sound condition. Often times these items are of superior quality and build to similar new products sold in stores.
My philosophy is simple, why would I want to buy a new product made in China when I can buy a used product of better quality from the USA, France or Italy for instance?
Not only am I buying something that is inherently sustainable its also of better quality and unique compared to many of the new products on the market.
Some examples of recent finds I've had on eBay are:
12” E.Dehillerin Copper pan $88 (France)
Nilfisk vacuum (Denmark/Sweden) $175
Dormeyer hand mixer (USA) $5.99
Polaris Stainless 8qt Pot (Norway) $18
Five tips for finding sustainable products on eBay
1) Buy used products they are cheaper than new and often are perfectly functional – buying used saves something from the junk yard and also allows you to buy higher quality items.
2) Research brands in the product category you are looking for. Often times a little research yields new and exiting options you may not have even known existed
3) Ask questions – be sure to communicate with seller and address any questions you have that aren't answered in the listing. You can learn a lot from questions – trust me.
4) Don't be afraid of electronic items. Often people selling electronics are selling them because they have "gone out of style" or don't fit with a current decor in their home (particularly with kitchen appliances) You can get some real deals here and are much more likely to get a product made in the USA or Europe with a better build quality.
5) Spend time learning how eBay works especially concerning bidding. Develop a strategy that works for you in terms of when to bid and how much to bid.
I will be posting more on eBay and treasures found there so stay tuned.
If you have any great finds from eBay let me know send an email with a photo and info and we'll run them on the site.
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I totally agree - I've come up with some great used finds on eBay and think it's an amazing place for kitchenwares, especially. I'm wondering, though (and I've thought of this guiltily before when I've bought stuff): what about how far the items have to travel to get to us? I'm curious about the carbon footprint of a new made-in-the-USA item as opposed to that of a used item traveling from Europe.
Posted by: Wendy | September 24, 2008 at 06:56 AM
Kudos!
Ebay is a great resource and it's about time that repurposing things is recognized as a green solution!
Posted by: Alexander | September 24, 2008 at 08:40 AM
A vacuum cleaner that you wear on your back? What a good idea for the stairs! (I guess it's sort of like those wearable leaf blowers--only in reverse.
Posted by: Randy Ludacer | September 25, 2008 at 12:10 PM