Here's Where to Sell Stuff If You're Moving
Quite a few people have been calling it quits on China with ongoing restrictions taking their toll. If you are one of those people planning on leaving or just want to have a bit of a spring clean and get rid of some clutter, here are a few ideas for what you can do.
Ok, so this might seem a little obvious
but simply posting items for sale on your WeChat moments is actually a
great way to get rid of said items. There is a high chance that at least
a few people you know or perhaps someone you randomly added years ago
might be interested in a couple of things. Other ideas could also be to
set up a buy and sell group with your friends, or if you’re not super
bothered about getting money, a group where friends can call first dibs.
Sticking with the theme of using your own friends, why not combine a leaving party with a selling/give-away party? Of course, if you aren’t leaving but want to get rid a few things here and there, you can just do a themed party instead. A great idea could be to auction off items and see if you can even get a bidding war going. Other ideas could be to do a raffle and people win random items from your house. Although right now might not be the best time to have friends over, you could still do the event virtually and shansong the items to your friends.
There are tons of buy and sell groups
in Beijing. If you’re not already in a couple, chances are at least one
of your friends will be. Just ask around to see if someone you know can
add you into one. There are a range of different ones, some specifically
for English speakers, some for Chinese or groups for specific items.
Among these, a few also help raise money for various local charities such
as the BJ 2nd Hand & Help which encourages group members to
donate part of their money to animal foster groups.
Although these are currently unable to happen in Beijing, if you’re leaving later this year, then setting up your own second-hand stall at a market like Rumble in the Jumble is often well worth the couple RMB 100 vendor fee. When things are back to normal, there is usually a Rumble or other market event happening about once a month so plenty of opportunities to sell your clutter.
Now, for this next one you’re probably
going to need a certain level of Chinese in order to use them or get a
Chinese friend to help you out. One of the most popular apps is 闲鱼 xiányú which is a sister app of Taobao. Xianyu works much like Taobao,
except the items are second-hand instead. Another popular second-hand
app is 转转 zhuǎnzhuǎn.
You may be used to reading Beijinger
articles on WeChat, however we still have a solid website which has some
useful features that WeChat does not, one of them being our Classifieds. Here, you can post any item you wish to sell and it’s
completely free! Simply scan the QR code below to post an advert. We’d recommend
providing pictures and using as much information as possible.
Opening in 2008, Roundabout was the
first charity store in China and is a great option to get rid
of your stuff and donate to a worthy cause at the same time. Items that
are donated are either directly passed on to those in need or sold in
Roundabout’s boutique store to raise money for the charity. You can
either arrange for Roundabout to pick up your donations from your home
or take them to a pickup location, although with current restrictions,
you’ll want to check if these are currently open or not. Scan the QR code below for
more details about how to donate.
Lastly, another place you can find a
home for your unwanted items to is through The Bulk House. This
zero-waste store has a WeChat group called Reduce to Relive where items
are exchanged for free. If you want to join the group, you can contact
The Bulk House through their official WeChat account (just search the
name). They also do occasional Reduce to Relive events at their store,
so if you follow their official account, you can keep an eye out for
those too.
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Images: Katie Coy, Unsplash E. Vitka, Alex Russel-Saw
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