Redditor LikeaHorse33 wanted to discuss what items we may want to acquire firsthand when shopping. So they asked everyone:
"What’s the one thing you would never buy second hand?"
Food. I've seen people try it. No... I don't want you half eaten apple. I believe that counts.
For the Stove
pan GIFGiphy"Non-stick cookware."
ItsAaronYo
"Just don't buy that period, get cast iron or stainless and use oil/butter."
Not_Bill_Hicks
Safety First
"Motorcycle helmet."
TraLawr
"I saw one at a pawn shop once, the left side of it looked like someone took a belt sander to it for a minute straight. Plastic was gone and the inner foam was visible (and cracked apart) They wanted $40 for it."
oh_no_aliens
"I've bought motorcycle helmets numerous times in the past, ended up getting very expensive 400-600 dollar helmets for 200 bucks in like new condition. Sometimes people just don't like them or the way they fit. But there's a lot of good deals out there for used helmets in like new condition and it'll save you hundreds of dollars, but hey to each their own."
nusr_ets_lips
Don't Sit
"Couches. I know people buy them second hand often, but I find it’s easy to conceal prior spills on certain couches. Most couches are disgusting after a few years of use."
Happy_Muscle
"One time, my roommate had a party and someone literally pooped on my couch. I had no hope of cleaning it despite one weak attempt (I was a poor student) so I just pitched it to the curb, as unattractively as possible."
"Wouldn't you know it, someone dumpster-dived and hauled it away. Still grosses me out almost 20 years later."
canoekulele
Good Keys
"Keyboard. I've disassembled quite a few for cleaning, and they are disgusting. If I have the chance, I'd rather use my own or buy a new one. Detest the thought of using someone else's."
XcunningXlinguistX
"Seconding this..."
"I ran a build and repair service for (high end) keyboards for a while. Quit in part because of the crap people sent me. I have horror stories, with pictures to back them up. Clean your keyboards folks, and try not to eat (or participate in other activities ) at your desk."
shmarcia
Fly Safe
Cow Skydiving GIF by Pablo LopezGiphy"Lol I used to always answer this question with, a parachute! Then my paragliding instructor told me to absolutely buy my first chute used! He said I would save thousands and probably resell it for close to what I pay, and as long as it's inspected, it will be totally safe."
JubalHarshawII
Seriously... who buys a used parachute? Too dangerous.
For the baby...
Giphy"Baby carrier or child seat. Only from friends were I can be sure that they are accident free and clean."
Justeff83
"My mom has always gotten ours and passed them off to family and friends. I’d assume for this reason."
aehanken
Sleeping Necessities
"Mattress."
lilbittypp
"It depends. I got a practically brand new mattress from a presumably rich university student who bought a new mattress and only used it for two semesters and now she was selling so she didn't have to store it over the summer. Excellent deal, excellent condition and I put a hypoallergenic mattress cover/bag thingy over it anyway."
DreamerofBigThings
Never Assume
"My local goodwill sold bathing suits, used bathing suits. Used lingerie too (just the tops), once my big sister was going to buy both but assumed they were new but given to goodwill because the person who bought it ended up not liking it or something."
"She even asked the lady at the desk about it. When we got to the car she found out both were stained especially the lingerie. You can assume with what. I could never buy either of those used, especially after that."
unkempt-ghoul
No. Hard pass...
"Pacifiers."
"When I was pregnant, my mother in law gave me a plastic baggie of used pacifiers. She had bought them at a garage sale and told me they'd be fine to use if I just boiled them first. No. Hard pass. They went straight in the trash when I got home."
youneednewshoes
"I just found out they have a lifespan too! Apparently you should replace them after a few months (check w manufacturer) because the tips will eventually break off. I was babysitting and a toddler came over to me with a broken pacifier, he looked funny so I swept his mouth and found the last 1cm of silicone in there. He’d just worn it down gnawing on it over time."
jetforcegemini
Gross
oh my god omg GIFGiphy"Makeup, never know what germs or mess they have."
iatecake0
"I noticed someone selling a used lip gloss. Like halfed used. No thanks."
Anxious_Inflation_93
Yeah, there are just somethings that need to be full price.
Discount Haunting
A local woman with young kids died of cancer, so her husband donated all her clothes to the shop. The shop then did the worst thing it could, and dressed all the mannequins in the window in her clothes. Her kids had to walk past the shop displaying their dead Mum's clothes to get to school every day.
Not the Intended Recipient
A teddy bear with a pre-recorded message telling someone that they love them and hope they get better.
GiphyWhen an Object is a Portal
An elderly man came in one day and donated his and his wife's wedding rings. He told me he had worn her ring on a chain around his neck since she died nearly 20 years earlier. They had no children and he didn't date again. He had finally decided to donate their rings because he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer a few days before. Safe to say, I had to take my lunch break early and have a cry in the staff kitchen.
Not a Ton of Resale Value
The thing that stuck out the most to me was a set of Crocheted woman's underwear
GiphyNot Joking, An Absolute Tragedy
the shop I used to volunteer in got a dead cat in one of the bags once. They figured it must have climbed into one of the big donation bins for clothes and not been able to get out
Someone is Out Here Lying About Medals They Never Earned
I found a set of military medals from the second world war in one of our local charity shops before.
Bought them and spent a considerable amount of time trying to find the owner or their relatives to return them but so far no luck.
Haste Makes Waste
At one point, my mom asked my dad to drop a garage bag of old clothes off at Goodwill. So he grabbed a bag and off he went. When he got there, he realized that he had actually brought a dead raccoon that she had put in a separate bag for some reason.
A True Antique
One day while sorting through donations, she came across a slim leather case, which she described as "very handsome." She thought perhaps it contained valuable jewelry or maybe a collector's knife. Opening it revealed an odd contraption made of rubber tubing and metal valves. Perplexed, she took it to her supervisor, who happened to be a Catholic nun.
Turns out it was a 1930s penis inflation device designed for "marital difficulties and impotency." My friend said they got a hefty price for it on eBay.
GiphyNo Respect
I donated all my fat clothes including a shirt I loved and had for many years. My clothes went like hot cakes which was bittersweet except for my favorite shirt which nobody appeared to want. Finally a guy took it and was using it as his rag to wipe his hands and nose while he ate. That pulled a few heart strings.