Everything you need to find real bargains on the second-hand market — whether you are buying for yourself or building a business around it. Includes dedicated chapters on shipping & customs and on art & antiques.
In-depth, original guides to buying and selling second-hand smartly — by category and by skill.
The AI assistant (the 🤖 bubble in the lower-right corner) is a dedicated tool, separate from the search box. It understands natural language, analyses listings, and can act on external platforms for you.
Write naturally: "Volvo V70 under 10,000 EUR" or "find the cheapest BMW 850 in Europe and contact the sellers". No special commands needed.
Searches Tradera, eBay, Blocket, Gumtree, Finn, DBA, OLX, Marktplaats, Kleinanzeigen and the platforms in the country lists — all at once.
Opens each listing and checks fraud signals, condition, price history, how long it has been live, and the seller's trustworthiness.
The AI actively looks for red flags — too-good prices, vague photos, unusual payment methods — and flags risky listings.
Connected your Tradera or eBay account? The AI can open the platform and place a bid directly — you always approve first.
The AI drafts a personal message to the seller with your contact details — by email, SMS or the platform's own messaging.
Type what you are looking for — the assistant handles the rest
🤖 Open the AI assistant → 🔗 Link my accountsThe best bargains are not found by accident — they are found by people who know where and when to look.
Most new listings go up Mon–Tue. Sellers who cleared out over the weekend post on Monday morning — be quick.
Search for "estate", "moving", "clearing out". Strong motivation to sell — real bargains hide among the cheaply listed items.
People declutter after New Year and the summer. Electronics deals in January, furniture in late summer.
Set a saved search. Prices often drop after 1–2 weeks. Listings with no interest are prime price-drop candidates.
Open with a concrete offer instead: "20 EUR, I can collect today". It sets an anchor and shows you mean business.
"There's a scratch on the back — could we do 35?" A specific defect + a specific price = strong leverage.
"I'll collect tomorrow with cash" is often worth more to the seller than another 5 EUR.
📖 Read the full guide: How to spot underpriced listings and real bargains →
Most second-hand fraud follows the same handful of patterns. Learn them and you avoid almost all of it.
A near-new iPhone or designer item far below market is the classic bait. If it looks too good, it almost always is.
One blurry image, or a photo that reverse-image-searches to another listing, is a red flag. Ask for an extra photo with today's date written on paper.
Be wary of advance payment to a stranger, especially via gift cards, crypto or money transfer. Prefer escrow, cash on collection, or buyer-protected checkout.
"Several buyers waiting", "let's move to WhatsApp", "click this payment link" — urgency and moving off the platform are manipulation tactics.
For local deals, meet in a public, busy place in daylight; bring someone; inspect before paying. Police stations in many countries offer safe-exchange zones.
Keep the listing, messages and receipt. It protects you with the platform and your card issuer if something goes wrong.
📖 Read the full guide: How to avoid scams when buying second-hand →
A systematic approach turns occasional finds into a steady side income — or more.
| Category | Buy cheap on | Sell high on | Typical margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🎮 Retro gaming | Flea markets, local classifieds | eBay, Tradera | 200–600% |
| 👟 Vintage designer clothing | Charity shops, estates | Vinted, Depop | 150–400% |
| 📷 Film cameras | Local classifieds, flea markets | eBay, Facebook | 200–500% |
| 🎨 Art (unknown artist) | Flea markets, eBay | Artprice, Barnebys, Catawiki | 100–2000% |
| 🔨 Vintage tools | Estates, Facebook | eBay | 100–300% |
| 📺 Vintage hi-fi | Estate clearances | eBay, hi-fi forums | 100–250% |
| 🛋 Design furniture | Local classifieds, Tradera | 1stDibs, Selency | 150–500% |
Our price guide shows median prices per platform from collected data
📊 Open the price guide → 🔍 Search nowBuying from another country can unlock big savings — but shipping and import charges decide whether a deal is really a deal. Always work out the landed cost (item + shipping + VAT/duty) before you buy.
Couriers bill the greater of actual and volumetric weight. A light but bulky item can cost far more to ship than you expect.
Most countries charge import VAT/GST on goods from abroad (the EU has charged it from the first euro since 2021). Budget for it.
Duty usually applies above a threshold (e.g. EUR 150 into the EU, USD 800 into the US). Below it, many shipments are duty-free.
Carriers often add a customs-clearance/handling fee on top of the tax itself. Factor it in for low-value parcels.
Our calculator gives carrier quotes plus an import VAT/duty estimate and the total landed cost — for Europe and many non-EU countries.
📦 Open the shipping & customs calculator → 📊 Compare prices by country📖 Read the full guide: Shipping second-hand items internationally →
Art and antiques are one of the best-hidden opportunities on the second-hand market — but they reward knowledge.
Search the artist's name on Artprice.com and Barnebys realised prices. Check the back for an exhibition label.
Hallmarks (maker's mark, purity, date letter) authenticate silver. Genuine marks = measurable value in both melt and collector terms.
Rörstrand, Gustavsberg, Arabia — check the mark on the base. Signed pieces (Stig Lindberg, Lisa Larson) are worth a lot.
Vintage Omega, Rolex, IWC = rising value. Verify the serial number. An original bracelet multiplies the price.
Signed, numbered prints (e.g. "14/50") = limited-edition value. Check the artist's history on Barnebys / auction archives.
Learn the hallmarks of each era. Original surfaces and fittings multiply the value.
These auction houses are searchable straight from our search box via the "Art & Antiques" preset.
Aggregates lots from 100+ auction houses, with a history of realised prices — the industry's best price source. Covers everything from small lots to seven-figure objects.
🔍 Search Barnebys →A leading Nordic auction house for fine art, design, jewellery and antiques since 1870. Free in-house consignment valuation.
🔍 Search Bukowskis →Large pan-European curated auction platform for art, collectibles, design and antiques. Every lot is checked by an in-house expert.
🔍 Search Catawiki →A large Scandinavian auction house — antiques, design, jewellery, porcelain. Online auctions; high volume means bargains hide among thousands of lots.
🔍 Search Lauritz →The world's largest marketplace for collectors. The "Sold items" filter reveals actual market prices. Niche collectors often pay 5–10x the local price.
🔍 Search globally →Benchmarks from auction data (approx. EUR) — prices vary widely with condition, signature and provenance.
| Item | Typical range | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 🥤 Silver bowl, 18th–20th c., 200–400g | €80 – €400 | Barnebys, Bukowskis |
| 🍾 Lisa Larson figurine (Gustavsberg) | €30 – €250 | Tradera, Barnebys |
| 🖼 Oil, known Nordic artist (signed) | €500 – €10,000+ | Bukowskis, auction houses |
| 🖼 Oil, unknown artist, canvas/panel | €20 – €150 | Tradera, Lauritz |
| ⌛ Omega Seamaster vintage (60s–80s) | €300 – €1,800 | Barnebys, Chrono24 |
| 📷 Canon AE-1 Program w/ 50mm | €80 – €250 | eBay, MPB |
| 🪑 Arne Jacobsen "Series 7" original | €200 – €800 | Barnebys, 1stDibs |
| 🍶 Orrefors/Kosta engraved glass (signed) | €30 – €300 | Tradera, Barnebys |
Median prices per platform, price trends and live listings — updated continuously
📈 Open the live price guide → 🔍 Search art & antiques