Shop Secondhand Like a Pro

Summary

---

The Wirecutter Show

Episode: Shop Secondhand Like a Pro

Date: November 12, 2025
Host: The New York Times Wirecutter team
Guests: Ivy Elrod (Wirecutter home decor writer, former interior designer & showroom owner)

---

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the art and practicality of shopping secondhand, focusing on furniture, with actionable tips from Wirecutter’s Ivy Elrod. The co-hosts aim to demystify the secondhand market, equip listeners with confidence, and share strategies for sourcing stylish, affordable, and sustainable pieces. From negotiation dos and don'ts to creative approaches for piecing together a cohesive space, the hosts explore how to shop like a pro—whether you’re a seasoned thrifter or new to the game.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Why Buy Secondhand?

• Saving Money: The primary motivator for most people. “What you can get very often is something that's almost brand new and is a fraction of the price.” – Ivy Elrod (07:52)
• Unique Style: Secondhand offers personality and uniqueness that retail can’t match.
  • “I don't want my space to feel like anyone else's space. I want it to feel just like me and interesting and weird, and that's how I do it.” – Ivy Elrod (00:36, 07:58)
• Sustainability: Embracing the circular economy and reducing waste.
• Joy of the Hunt: The excitement of discovery and the subculture surrounding secondhand shopping.

Overcoming Intimidation: Making Spaces Cohesive

• Start Small: Ivy recommends beginning with one defining piece—like a rug or wallpaper—then building around it.
  • “If you love things, there's often a way to integrate them.” – Ivy Elrod (09:29)
• Visual Tools:
  • Use digital mood boards, collages, or even your phone’s photo app to see how different items might work together.
  • “Create a collage and put things in space. That is what I used in this challenge.” – Ivy Elrod (10:38)
• Trust Your Taste: Don’t get bogged down by rules; trust your instincts as much as the professionals do.

The Wirecutter Secondhand Challenge

Assignment: $1,500 budget to buy a couch, rug, and lamp.

• Ivy aimed to create a space where you couldn’t tell everything was secondhand.
• Ivy sourced a Thayer Coggin sofa (’70s, original fabric) for $700 (after negotiating from $900), a postmodern Linier Rose lamp, and a beautiful rug—all well within the budget.
  • “I found this unbelievable Thayer Coggin sofa from the 70s in its original fabric... listed for 900, and I had found a comp on Cherish for $6,500.” – Ivy Elrod (13:54)

Sourcing & Negotiation Strategies

• Negotiation is NOT Haggling:
  • Prefer “negotiation” over “haggling.” Treat it like a business transaction—be clear, polite, and direct.
  • “Not being too people-pleaser... just saying, like, hey, this is what I have.” – Ivy Elrod (16:40)
  • “Would you consider this? I'm working with this budget, and this is all I can do. Could we make this work?” – Ivy Elrod (26:29)
• Timing at Sales:
  • For estate sales, go late for the best deals (“they gotta get rid of it!”).
  • “If I'm saying I can be here in 40 minutes... I can do this amount. Let's do it. That's how I got the sofa.” – Ivy Elrod (28:46)
• Patience:
  • Be willing to wait for the right piece, especially with algorithm-driven platforms like Facebook Marketplace.
  • “The algorithm is a very real thing... you can train it by what you save and what you search for.” – Ivy Elrod (18:23)
• Impulse Buying:
  • Avoid when possible, but remember: you can always resell a piece if it doesn’t work out.

Vetting Items & Sellers

• Photo Analysis:
  • Detailed, honest documentation builds trust. Ask for extra images; verify flaws and maker’s tags.
  • “When people are really disciplined about showing documentation on things that are flaws, it actually engenders trust.” – Ivy Elrod (20:54)
• In-Person Inspection:
  • Be unafraid to check frames, springs, flip items, plug things in.
  • “Just be a sleuth... I pull off the cushions, I look at the springs... I'll flip things over, I'll ask to plug in a lamp.” – Ivy Elrod (22:36)
• Safety First:
  • Bring someone along to pickups; check sellers’ backgrounds where possible; meet in safe places.

Pros & Cons of Secondhand

Pros:

• Price, uniqueness, environmental benefit, flexibility to resell.

Cons and Caveats:

• No returns; unexpected damage; logistical concerns (transporting, moving heavy items); safety and fraud risks; potential for pests (eg. bedbugs—inspect closely).

What NOT to Buy Used

• Safety Items: Car seats, bike helmets, certain baby gear.
• Some Tech: Power strips, certain smart devices, routers (potential risk, obsolescence, or unreliability).
• Selected Sporting Goods: Items where wear or past accidents could compromise safety (e.g., skis).
• Vintage Crystal: Can contain lead, though beautiful (“But also, it’s beautiful.” – Ivy Elrod, 31:49)

Favorite Finds & Final Picks

• Ivy’s best find: Art Deco Charles Pfister for Baker Furniture dining table—a dream piece with character.
  • “It's the heartbeat of our house. Right? Like, we do everything at the table, and so I get to interact with it all the time... I love this table.” – Ivy Elrod (32:12)
• Her latest love: A batch of large, gorgeous mirrors, a great secondhand buy that transforms any space.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Unique Style:

  • “I don't want my space to feel like anyone else's space. I want it to feel just like me and interesting and weird...” – Ivy Elrod, 00:36, 07:58

• On Negotiation:

  • “The language has a lot to do with it. Would you consider this? I'm working with this budget... Could we make this work?” – Ivy Elrod, 26:29
  • “If someone's polite...I can say sorry, this won't work. Or I can say, well, I can counter.” – Ivy Elrod, 26:42

• On the Hunt:

  • “Sometimes you lose, but you don’t know what’s going to be there the next time you go in...the repeated search is how the greatest things ultimately land.” – Ivy Elrod, 19:36

• On Dealing with Disappointment:

  • “If you're still thinking about things like a day, a week later, that's a pretty strong signal...” – Ivy Elrod, 16:40

• On Mirrors:

  • “Mirrors are a very great thing to source because people need them out. They're heavy...and I love a mirror for bringing in light.” – Ivy Elrod, 32:54

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [06:19] Ivy’s background in interior design & showrooms
• [07:52] Why buy secondhand? (Savings, uniqueness, sustainability)
• [10:00–11:46] How to visualize & plan an eclectic space with secondhand finds
• [13:54] Scoring a designer vintage sofa for $700 (real world example)
• [15:35] Insider tip: Ask sellers what else they’re looking to get rid of
• [16:40] Negotiation mindset & resisting impulse buys
• [18:23] Working with the patience (and power) of search algorithms
• [20:54–22:36] How to vet items and sellers—spot flaws, confirm authenticity
• [26:10–28:02] Negotiation etiquette and how to land a deal
• [28:02–29:13] Estate sale strategies: Timing is everything
• [30:11] Dealing with potential pests (bedbugs, moths) and safety red flags
• [31:06] What NOT to buy secondhand
• [32:12] Ivy’s favorite all-time find
• [32:54] Mirrors as the ultimate secondhand buy

---

Takeaways & Actionable Advice

• Don’t be intimidated: secondhand shopping is creative, resourceful, and fun.
• Use visualization tools (mood boards, photo apps) to guide your selections.
• Be polite and direct in negotiations; value the transaction, not just the price.
• Some risk is inevitable (returns, pests, the unknown)—but reselling is always an option.
• Avoid secondhand for critical safety items or certain tech.
• Be patient and persistent: the right piece will come if you keep searching.
• For the best prices, attend estate sales late and be ready to act quickly.
• Trust your taste—unique spaces reflect unique finds!

---

Final Reflections

Hosts express that they feel empowered to enter the secondhand world, more confident in negotiation, and unbothered by the “imperfect” nature of used shopping. Ivy Elrod’s playful but practical attitude (“Call it a sport”) leaves a lasting, energizing impression for listeners eager to embrace secondhand style.

Explore more about shopping secondhand at Wirecutter's site and find Ivy’s detailed guides in the show notes.

Transcript

[Dell Technologies Announcer]

It's time for Black Friday. Dell Technologies biggest sale of the year. Enjoy huge savings on select PCs like the Dell 16 plus, featuring Intel Core Ultra processors and with built in advanced features, it's the PC that helps you do more, faster, plus earn Dell rewards and enjoy many other benefits like free shipping, price match guarantee and expert support. They also have huge deals on accessories that pair perfectly with your Dell PC and make perfect gifts for everyone on your list. Shop [e-mail] deals.

[Ivy Elrod]

I don't want my space to feel like anyone else's space. I want it to feel just like me and interesting and weird and, and that's how I do it. Whether it's at a thrift store, a vintage store, Facebook marketplace, even Craigslist in the day.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I'm Christine Cyrclassette.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I'm Kyra Blackwell.

[Rosie Guerin]

I'm Rosie Guerin and. And you're listening to the Wirecutter Show. Hey, friends.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Hi.

[Rosie Guerin]

I was going to ask y' all a question, but I think I know the answer already, which is do you like to buy things used in secondhand? But I'm looking at Christine's water bottle on the desk here and I know.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

That it's secondhand for listeners. I have a Takiya. I'm probably mispronouncing that name, but it's a really cool water bottle that Wirecutter recommends. I found it at Goodwill two weekends ago, brand new, and I got it for like a third of the price. I would have paid full price, bag and shop. But I think you both know that I buy a lot of used things. Very, very open to the world of used products.

[Kyra Blackwell]

We're a little bit concerned sometimes, but.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

We appreciate the, to an extent that.

[Rosie Guerin]

Yeah, we're, we're a little worried.

[Ivy Elrod]

Yeah, yeah.

[Rosie Guerin]

Kyra, what's your, what's your sense?

[Kyra Blackwell]

I love to buy used things. I hate buying retail price for anything. I grew up negotiating for stuff because I was always taught never to buy anything at the price that somebody gives you. So that's what I do.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

You know, we at Wirecutter are in the business of recommending products that people can, you know, easily go online and buy. But there is a deep passion at Wirecutter around used products. And we decided that it would be really awesome to do a big suite of articles around our staff's best strategies for doing this. So we just recently published three really big ones about how to buy used furniture, how to buy used clothing, and how to buy used tableware. So that's like glassware and plates and we got the people on staff who know the most about this to go out and sort of hunt for for the best deals.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Today we're actually going to focus on furnishings with Ivy Elrod. Ivy is one of Wirecutter's home decor writers and she co wrote a piece about buy used furniture with another writer on the home decor team, Joshua Lyon for this article. They both set out with a budget of $1,500 and they had to buy three secondhand items, a couch, a rug and a lamp.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I got to see all the pictures of everything she bought and I'm yeah, I want her to come and decorate my my place.

[Rosie Guerin]

I can't wait to talk to her and I can't wait to figure out how she went about this. So when we come back, Ivy on secondhand shopping. We'll be back in a minute.

[Dell Technologies Announcer]

It's time for Black Friday. Dell Technologies biggest sale of the year. Enjoy huge savings on select PCs like the Dell 16 plus, featuring Intel Core Ultra processors and with built in advanced features. It's the PC that helps you do more, faster, plus earn Dell rewards and enjoy many other benefits like free shipping, price match guarantee and expert support. They also have huge deals on accessories that pair perfectly with your Dell PC and make perfect gifts for everyone on your list [e-mail] deals.

[Betterment Announcer]

Don'T just imagine a better future, start investing in one with betterment. Whether it's saving for today or building wealth for tomorrow, we help people in small businesses put their money to work. We automate to make saving simpler. We optimize to make investing smarter. We build innovative technology backed by financial experts. For anyone who's ever said I think I can do better. So be invested in yourself. Be invested in your business. Be invested in better with betterment. Get [e-mail] investing involves risk performance not guaranteed.

[Dan Barry]

I'm Dan Barry and I'm a longtime reporter with the New York Times. I've been here for 30 years and I've seen a lot of things change. I was here before there was a website. But one thing hasn't changed at all. And that's the mission of the New York Times. To follow the facts wherever they lead. And if that means publishing something a government or a leader or a celebrity doesn't want aired, that's not our concern. If you believe in the importance of fact driven reporting, you can support it by becoming a New York Times subscriber.

[Ivy Elrod]

Welcome back.

[Kyra Blackwell]

With us now is Ivy Elrod, who is a home decor writer and before joining Wirecutter, she worked as an interior designer she also used to own and run her own interior design showroom with furniture and lighting in Nashville. Fun fact, Ivy was once the youngest Rockette at Radio City.

[Rosie Guerin]

Ivy, we could talk about any of those things throughout this interview. I'm very happy to have you on the show.

[Ivy Elrod]

Oh, I'm really thrilled to be here.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Thanks.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Ivy, at the end of the show, will you do some, like, kicks for us? Some Rockette kicks or I am not.

[Ivy Elrod]

In costume or on the collection.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

We'll give you, we'll give you a pass on that. Let's, let's actually talk a little bit about your history as an interior designer. I'm curious. We're going to talk about all your best tips for buying used, but I'm very curious about how you kind of got into this line of work. And also, what exactly is an interior design showroom? I think maybe some of us have an inkling, but I'm maybe not quite sure what it is exactly. Is it for the general public to come in or were you working more with, like, specifically with clients?

[Ivy Elrod]

So I'll answer your first question. I was a performer and my husband, also a performer, actually he was in Blue Man Group for many years.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Wow.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Yeah.

[Ivy Elrod]

So we were the only Rockette who married a Blue man. And we moved all the time because you'd go and do a show and you're back and forth. And so I had so much hands on experience changing environments or suiting them to whatever was going on with us, what we needed and what, what the space was like. And when my husband got injured and I was pregnant with our second kid, we had fantasized about doing this business together. And we decided to open a design showroom because of our experience with making spaces interesting. Then to answer your next question, a showroom. The real distinguishing thing about a showroom is that you don't walk out with your merchandise. Uh, you go to a showroom to sit in an Aeron chair, look at the table, see the rug samples, and then you order them per your specifications. So it typically has a higher end clientele because these are items that are being customized.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Okay, cool. As you were, you know, helping people decorate their homes, were you integrating used furniture into that or was it mostly.

[Ivy Elrod]

New all the time? Every project I ever worked on, including commercial projects, we would source a vintage or used furniture. Because I don't like spaces where, where everything's brand new. It feels like you're in a movie set.

[Kyra Blackwell]

So why buy secondhand in the first place? Why do you think people are motivated to do this? Why were you motivated to do it?

[Ivy Elrod]

The number one reason is saving money. I do. I think that's the main reason people go for it, myself included. And what you can get very often is something that's almost brand new and is a fraction of the price. So there's a practical component, no question, aesthetic component. You can find things that aren't anywhere else. You all of a sudden have a table that no one's seen before and has a bit of that patina. Finding items that have an interesting provenance or something, you know, that feels exciting. This is different. I don't see this anywhere. I don't want my space to feel like anyone else's space. I want it to feel just like me and interesting and weird and. And that's how I do it. I think that there is circular economy sort of energy. People really like the idea of something being passed on and not being thrown out and may making money in the process. But lastly, and this is a big thing for me, there's a whole culture around the hunt, around secondhand finds, around the people you engage with. I meet so many wacky, cool people in the process. Whether it's at a thrift store, a vintage store, Facebook marketplace, even Craigslist in the day, you know, it's much more interesting a process if you have time.

[Rosie Guerin]

I would be intimidated by shopping for furniture secondhand because I don't have a lot of confidence that the pieces, the disparate pieces I buy over time even will come together. So if you don't have that skill set, where do you start thinking about it?

[Ivy Elrod]

I like to encourage people to not worry about rules so much. And if you love things, there's often a way to integrate them. If you're newer to trying to outfit a space, start with one thing, and that could be like a wallpaper. It could be the rug has, you know, these colors in it, whatever. It doesn't have to be any one thing. That's first off. Second of, I don't know that buying new would necessarily be so different in what you're describing. Meaning how does anyone just approach how to outfit a space?

[Rosie Guerin]

I suppose the one way is you go into Ikea and then you just, you know, sort of control C and control V into a blank space.

[Ivy Elrod]

Right. I mean, so it's interesting you should ask. I have a couple tips with regard to seeing things together. That scale is always going to be tricky. It's tricky even for professionals. But color and palette and just even like vibe, use the sticker function now. It's so Easy. Or the cutout function. Throw everything into a keynote. You can even do it on your phone. I'm old, and I don't know how, but I'm told that you can canva. Like, there are lots of other programs. You.

[Kyra Blackwell]

You can do this on your iPhone, just in the photos app.

[Ivy Elrod]

Create a collage and put things in space. That is what I used in this challenge. I put together the pieces. I almost ended up with this super cool, vibrant 70s shag rug. And the keynote revealed I was going real retro, which was not my goal. That's totally reasonable choice. Right. But I was like, I want something a little less like, we're going 70s. By looking at things together, you can start to get a sense. Okay. These colors look weird together. This makes me feel like I'm like, a swinging 70s or six. That's how I want to feel in my house. And you can start to hone an eye.

[Rosie Guerin]

Okay, so you mentioned this assignment for Wirecutter. That's why we're here. Describe what you were asked to do, because all I know is that you had $1,500, and you were sent out into the world.

[Ivy Elrod]

We did have the criteria of selecting a couch, a rug, and a lamp. So I couldn't just do a whole room for 1500, which I absolutely could have done, for the record. Really? Oh, yeah, absolutely. I mean, 1500 felt, like, extravagant, and another person would be like, 1500. How could you? So, you know, I just feel like.

[Kyra Blackwell]

A couch costs 1500 these days. I find that so hard.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

That's, like, for a new couch, it's not very much money.

[Ivy Elrod]

No, no, no, of course. And so that's where it gets exciting. If you're willing to. You have to want to work a little bit or work in a very specific way. My colleague Josh, he. And I said, hey, is there a way that you want to differentiate how we're going to. I was like, I think I'd like to try to do a room. And he was like, cool. I'm gonna do disparate pieces. I'm gonna try and fit them in. He, like many of the other writers in this package, much prefer the way of going out into the world and see what's there. What are. What. What is this discovery gonna feel like?

[Kyra Blackwell]

Ooh.

[Ivy Elrod]

This is like a whole lifestyle. Right. And I am a very busy mom, and I'm renovating my house, and everything's chaotic, and I am like, hey, I. I'm gonna find it now. That doesn't mean I don't go for the Discovery 2, it just means that I am vigilant in saying, okay, these are my criteria. This is the space, the dimensions, this is the color I'm seeking. And I can throw it out the window if I'm like, oh my God, look at what I found. And so I was looking at all these pattern sofas. Cause I thought, why not? This will be fun. Like, I don't have a pattern sofa in my home or collection, and I've never even sold one. So I was looking at all these, and then I stumbled across this totally different non patterned sofa. And I was like, boom, here we are. This is what we're doing. Yeah. I mean, I made a challenge for myself that I wanted to create a space where you didn't necessarily know everything was secondhand. Not because I think that things that look secondhand are bad, but it's another layer of a challenge to be like, huh, really? Maybe a little ego in there. But then, you know, I also personally don't like things to all be of one era. The lamp I sourced ended up being this postmodern design by Linier Rose. I know the line very well and I know the design of the lamp. And I'm probably getting ahead of myself here. But I had sourced the sofa first for me. I found this unbelievable Thayer Coggin sofa from the 70s in its original fabric. And I.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

It's so gorgeous. It's like a mustard color. Is it velvet?

[Ivy Elrod]

She's wearing her original upholstery.

[Rosie Guerin]

And thair Coggin is like the real deal.

[Ivy Elrod]

Real deal, really? Yeah. Like an important designer. And I found this sofa. I freaked out. It was very cool. I couldn't believe I got it at the price. I found it listed for 900, and I had found a comp on Cherish for $6,500. It had already sold, and I realized it was an estate sale. My instinct was based on how the picture was sort of spare, but it had some really choice, beautiful pieces in it. It was an architect who had gone on to assisted living, and his realtor was getting rid of the last items that he had not sold prior. And so I got this sofa to be real. It was very dramatic. My husband came. He and I both share this affliction with finding things secondhand. And he saw these beautiful speakers in the back, just like a sliver of the speaker in the photo. And he's like, I'm coming with you. And he bought those speakers for $100.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Wow.

[Ivy Elrod]

And they weren't even listed, which is often, like another tip. You see something Just say, hey, is this for sale, or do you happen to have any more of X? Because sometime I've done that where I'm like, actually, yeah, I'll sell you this. And he actually flipped the speakers. Cause we couldn't fit them in our living room. They're just really big. They're gorgeous. And he was really angry at our living room for not accommodating them, but he sold them for $800, you know.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Wow, now that's pro. Sounds like that's kind of part of maybe one of your insider tips is like, if you can find a great, great place that's selling, then, like, it it all buy the whole thing.

[Ivy Elrod]

I mean, if you can. She was really looking to clear things. And so in terms of negotiating, she was just, like, throwing out numbers. She's like, here, take it all for a hundred.

[Rosie Guerin]

You know what I mean?

[Ivy Elrod]

We weren't even having to ask. I negotiated the $900 sofa down to 700. I knew that that was already a good price, but I knew that I had to transport it. And there was a little bit of staining in one corner. The netting underneath needed to be replaced. Whatever. It was all stuff that it could have been listed for 2000, it could have been listed for more, but she immediately agreed, and so I actually purchased the sofa for 700.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Ivy I am a person who's addicted to Facebook Marketplace. I just love how good their algorithm is. And I am kind of a sucker for just haggling, not really knowing what the actual item is worth. I just know the price that I want to pay for it. How would you go about navigating that if you're just kind of, you know, you pop in, you see some stuff that you like, maybe you want to haggle a little bit, but, like, you still get caught up in the whole process of buying.

[Ivy Elrod]

Secondhan, well, first of all, I don't love the term haggle. For me, it's a negotiation, right? It's a business deal, and we're all grownups. Like, not being two people pleaser is something that I'm working on in my life is also just saying, like, hey, this is what I have. People can say, no. People can also come back to you and say, you know what? I've thought about it. Of course it's disappointing when we lose things. So you have to be able to say within yourself, this is my budget. I'm really gonna stick to my budget. And also, if you're gonna take the risk, walk away. See how it feels in your body. Are you still thinking about it. If you're still thinking about things like a day, a week later, that's a pretty strong signal when you don't even remember what it was or couldn't really describe it. It's a pretty good sign, too, that, like, she can go, yeah, okay, and.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Maybe just don't buy it on impulse. Like, oh, this is above my budget, but I really want it.

[Ivy Elrod]

So I would be a total hypocrite to say, never do. That colleague ended up buying something that was really special because he came across an item from his childhood and that was really meaningful to him that you never see. And so while he is actually preaching, don't work with impulse purchases too much. It's emotional. You make choices you regret. He also acknowledges he did that. Right. And the cool thing about this circular economy is that you can buy something and resell it.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Oh, yeah.

[Ivy Elrod]

You know, and especially if you found it on Marketplace, it's not that hard if you're comfortable with doing that.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Yeah.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

If you're someone like me who is generally, I'm on a task, you know, if I'm looking for, let's say I am looking for desks for my kids, what's your best strategy for that?

[Ivy Elrod]

The first thing is to be willing to be patient. Now, that's not always possible. We moved into our house in Brooklyn last year and we brought this beautiful long table. It was so represented hosting and all these great things, and it was too big for the room. And we spent a year. And I was just like, I need a smaller table, but I don't want to. And so I started looking and I started looking and I started to piece together what exactly I was seeking. It's a little different than the desks. We had a table. I don't know if the kids had desks. Depends on what timeline you're working with. But the algorithm is a very real thing. Facebook Marketplace, you can train it, you can teach it by what you save and what you search for. I mean, it is learning what you want. And that is precisely how my table showed up after, I don't know, three, four, five months of types of searches. It was a table from my dreams, but I didn't even know that it was what I wanted. It just had all the characteristics of what I was seeking.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

That's both awesome and creepy. Yes. What you're advising here is okay, if you can be. Be patient and maybe keep going back to the sites that you know new things are going to be popping up on. Would you take that strategy in person? As well. Like, go back over and over again, 100%.

[Ivy Elrod]

That's the thing that's part of what makes it exciting and infuriating. This is a limited inventory situation, one of one very often. Right. And sometimes you lose, but you don't know what's gonna be there the next time you go in 24 hours or a week. And you have to be willing to do that, whether it's Marketplace or in person. Just this repetition, because it's. It's part of how you find the great thing. Sometimes it just appears, but the repeated search is how the greatest things ultimately land.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Where do you think the best things are? Do you find the best things online or do you find them in person?

[Ivy Elrod]

You know, it's funny. People think of Marketplace as an online shopping platform. It's not. To me, it's a hybrid complet. Because you go in person to buy the thing.

[Dan Barry]

Oh, yeah.

[Ivy Elrod]

Facebook Marketplace is distinct for me because you can vet the people. You have either a very localized search or you can make it as big as you want. It has a critical mass of people that are participating, so there's a wide variety. And then lastly, you go. You're not just blindly hitting buy.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

When you're looking at pictures on whether it's on Facebook, Marketplace, Craigslist, ebay, whatever. Are there things that you look for in a photo that will indicate damage to things? Like, how are you approaching the photos?

[Ivy Elrod]

One of the things that is perhaps counterintuitive is that when people are really disciplined about showing documentation on things that are flaws, it actually engenders trust. Right. And so I'm like, okay, they're being thorough. They're not hiding stuff. Asking for additional photos if there don't appear to be enough. And how they handle that question is a very helpful tell if something is being misrepresented. Asking plainly, can you chronicle exactly any imperfections? Are there any defects here? So much of this has to do with the communication that we're relying on. I'll always ask for maker tags.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Maker tags being like the label on a piece of furniture.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Yeah.

[Ivy Elrod]

Sometimes it's a label, sometimes it's a stamp. And that will tell you a great deal about. Then you can go ahead and, like, research it sometimes. The lamp I purchased actually was void of its maker tag. It had come off, and I was looking at the tiny little details. My instinct was it was real. I also looked at what else he had sold. I looked at what else he had listed, and I realized this guy probably had purchased all these showroom items and that was true. A lot of it is sort of more nuanced than this person is trustworthy. This person is not based on just the photographs. It also has to do with how you're interacting with the person. And so when I ask questions, if people are cagey, giving me one word answers, I tend to go elsewhere. You know, if people are very upfront and I always ask, hey, how long have you had this? Like, this is not just for fancy things. Part of it is just me asking to get a sort of sense of who I'm interacting with in terms of in person. When I'm looking for damage that I have no shame. I pull off the cushions, I look at the springs on his sofa, I do a gentle like bounce test. I'm looking for things that are gonna poke up into me. I go underneath the sofa, I look at the frame, I'll flip things over, I'll ask to plug in a lamp. All of that is what I'm looking for. So just be a sleuth, I'd say and like, don't be afraid. I think there's a little bit of a barrier sometimes. You're like, I don't want to make them think I am not trusting or whatever. I just like have to let that go.

[Kyra Blackwell]

We just learned a lot, so I'm going to try and do a quick recap. It's important to take pictures and create mood boards and clip art and kind of just help yourself visualize your space and all the things that you want put together. Try to avoid emotional buys if you can, but like worst case scenario, you can always just resell it. And when you're looking at photos online, it helps if the photos are basically upfront about the item that you're potentially going to buy and that kind of tells you that they are being upfront and maybe they're a trustworthy person to engage with.

[Rosie Guerin]

We're going to take a quick break and when we're back we're going to talk more about shopping strategies and about Ivy's best tips for negotiating. Let's say. We'll be right back.

[Dell Technologies Announcer]

It's time for Black Friday. Dell Technologies biggest sale of the year. Enjoy huge savings on select PCs like the Dell 16 Plus. Featuring Intel Core Ultra processors and with built in advanced features, it's the PC that helps you do more, faster, plus earn Dell rewards and enjoy many other benefits like free shipping, price match guarantee and expert support. They also have huge deals on accessories that pair perfectly with your Dell PC and make perfect gifts for everyone on your list. Shop [e-mail] deals.

[Ivy Elrod]

The New York Times.

[Rosie Guerin]

App has all this stuff that you may not have seen.

[Dell Technologies Announcer]

I can immediately navigate to something that.

[Ivy Elrod]

Matches what I'm feeling.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

The way the tabs are at the top with all of the different sections.

[Ivy Elrod]

It'S just easier to navigate that way. There is something for everyone. Those personalized page, the YouTube, that one's my favorite. I can also so save my articles easily in this area right under the byline, it says click here if you like to listen to this article. I like that the cooking tab on top is really easily accessible. So if I'm on my way home and I'm just thinking, oh, what am I gonna make for dinner? I'll just quickly go on to cooking and say, oh, I've got this in my pantry. I'm gonna try out some of these recipes I see in here. I go to games always doing the mini, doing the wordle.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I loved how much content it exposed me to things that I never would have have sought to turn to a news app for.

[Ivy Elrod]

This app is essential.

[Rosie Guerin]

The New York Times app.

[Ivy Elrod]

All of the times all in one place. Download it [e-mail] app.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Welcome back. I want to talk a little bit more about negotiation. You mentioned earlier that you think haggling is not the right term to use, and you did about how you like to approach negotiation as sort of like a business strategy, get into a business mindset. I am really bad at this. I feel like I am very intimidated when I go into a store or I'm dealing with somebody online. And I've always been a little shy to do this. What's your best advice about doing this in a way that doesn't come off as rude or inconsiderate or undervaluing the person or, you know, whatever?

[Ivy Elrod]

Yeah, I mean. I mean, mainly it comes down to the energy between you and this other person. As a seller on Marketplace, sometimes people just. I'll have a listing and they'll be like 150 when the price is listed at 800 or something. And that's all they write. And I'm just like, not even gonna respond to that. Right.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

That's you as a seller.

[Ivy Elrod]

That's me as a seller. I mean, they can do that and maybe other people it'll work out for. But to me, a lot of this is about interacting with people, and it's actually one of the things I really enjoy. So the language has a lot to do with it. Would you consider this? I'm working with this budget, and this is all I can do. Could we make this work? Part of it is just being very incredibly polite around it. Many people only bring cash to these kinds of transactions. It's sort of a built in little boundary being like, I have this much. Can we do this? But I do ultimately think it's also remembering that the seller wants to have a deal done too. And I can say that from authority. Even when people have offered me too little, I'm like, hey, I'm sorry, that won't work for me. The lowest I can go is this. But if someone's rude, just as a person, they're rude. If someone's polite and saying, this is what I've got, I can say, sorry, this won't work. Or I can say, well, I can counter. Because I was working on this very specific budget challenge. I found these beautiful rugs. And this one in particular, it was above budget. I couldn't make it work. I found a second one I loved, actually, it turned out even more. And they said they could do 700. And I said, you know, I have a very specific budget. I can only do 500. And he was like, it's worth 3,000. I was like, I know, it's beautiful and I'm so sorry. This is all I could do. Meanwhile, I literally had this budget that was. It was a challenge, right? We walked away. I said, thank you so much, you know, best of luck. And the next day he came back and was like, I'd like to do 500. They needed to sell.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Do you have any other tips like that to lock in a good deal?

[Ivy Elrod]

I mean, if you're doing something like an estate sale, things may be picked over, but go toward the end, you know, so people need to.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

At the last hour.

[Ivy Elrod]

Totally. They gotta get rid of it.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Well, I thought it was the opposite. I thought you go at the beginning. Like, I.

[Ivy Elrod]

If you want to find all the stuff, that's. Everything's there.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

But if you want to get the discounts, what's your motivation? Yeah, yeah, totally.

[Ivy Elrod]

So, I mean, people don't want to transport stuff back. And also estate sales, their goal is to clear out. So if you are knowing that you're toward the end, okay, this is where it gets men from the boys, as they say. Is that right? I don't think that's right.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

We say girls from the ladies here.

[Ivy Elrod]

It's like sort of timing. That's the other thing I didn't mention. A lot of times it's like, who's going to get this out of here the fastest?

[Kyra Blackwell]

Oh, yeah.

[Ivy Elrod]

So If I'm saying I can be here in 40 minutes versus the guy that's like, can I come on Tuesday? Then in 40 minutes, I say, I can do this amount. Let's do it. That's how I got the sofa. She had tons of inquiries because it was gorgeous, but nobody could get there within the hour.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Just beat him to it.

[Ivy Elrod]

Call it a sport. And it's really, like, dramatic, but I get covered in sweat and I'm like, I'm gonna move fast and I'm gonna, like, move it. It really helps. It's like, clear the schedule. Let's.

[Kyra Blackwell]

We're going to get the sofa. Yeah. What are some of the more common cons of buying secondhand? That maybe people aren't aware of the.

[Ivy Elrod]

Fact that you can't really return anything that is stressful. I'd counter that with just resell it. But, you know, some people don't want to get into all that. I think another con is that there is potential, like, either disingenuous seller or they just didn't see and you missed that there was damage or something is, like, much more of a project than you realized. I think people can be a little afraid if you're working on some of these platforms on Craigslist or Facebook to show up, you know, and there's. I totally get that. The fact that you can vet people. I tend to always bring someone. If someone's coming to me, I make sure, you know, people are around. But I research who these people are to the best of, you know, my ability.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

What about in terms of a con? When you're buying furniture, are you ever concerned about bringing bring bugs home with you?

[Ivy Elrod]

This is a scary one. Yeah, I mean, of course. I mean, there's a couple things you can do for smaller items. Textiles and clothing. People put items in the freezer for three days, so that can kill off moths. For example, you with bed bugs, there are signs. Typically tiny little specks, residue. That is another thing you're looking for, by the way. That doesn't mean it's foolproof. This is also where it sort of gets into, like, who am I working with here? And does it seem like maybe they're hiding something now? People can make mistakes, but it hasn't happened to me yet, and I have had many experiences. Thank God.

[Rosie Guerin]

I want to know what you should never buy used.

[Ivy Elrod]

So my colleague wrote a great piece for this package about just stay away from these secondhand. And I think that they're really smart.

[Rosie Guerin]

All right, lay it on baby items.

[Ivy Elrod]

Not across the board. But the things that have to do with safety, car seats, anything that may be dangerous, such as older bassinets and things where the safety requirements are very stringent. Bike helmets, things that, you know, your survival is contingent on and may have been in an accident. Then a lot of tech things. Power strips, smart home devices, routers, things that are technical, and some sporting equipment. I think that's also the safety thing. Like, she calls out skis. You know, some people may just want to stay away from vintage crystal because that all had lead in it. But also, it's beautiful.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Of all of your long history of shopping for used furniture, what is the coolest, best thing that you've ever scored?

[Ivy Elrod]

Oh, boy. I may have already prefaced this, but the dining table that we recently bought, it was very recent, and I had been looking and looking, not really knowing exactly that algorithm served up this table. It's from an art deco table, Charles Pfister for Baker Furniture. It has all this gorgeous inlay, and, I mean, it's the heartbeat of our house. Right? Like, we do everything at the table, and so I get to interact with it all the time. And I'm like, one of the legs isn't great. I have to. To, like, mess with the screw. I don't care. I love this table.

[Betterment Announcer]

That's awesome.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I love that.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Well, we're at our final question, and the answer might be the same answer that you just gave us, but what's the last thing you bought that you've really loved?

[Rosie Guerin]

Oh, what's the last secondhand thing you bought, you really loved?

[Ivy Elrod]

I bought a slew of beautiful mirrors. Mirrors are a very great thing to source because people need them out. They're heavy, and they're not going to ship them. They're not going to move them. A lot of times they won't move. And I love a mirror. I love a mirror for, like, bringing in light. And I'll actually have a piece coming out. Like, you don't need a bigger house. You just need more mirrors.

[Rosie Guerin]

And, like, people are gonna love to hear that.

[Ivy Elrod]

Well, I think it's true.

[Rosie Guerin]

Well, Ivy Jae zha perum Elrod. We are so grateful you stopped by. Thank you for talking to us about all things secondhand.

[Ivy Elrod]

We appreciate it. Oh, this was such a pleasure. Thank you.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Thanks, Ivy.

[Betterment Announcer]

Thank you.

[Rosie Guerin]

Ivy is an absolute delight.

[Dell Technologies Announcer]

Right.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I'm obsessed with her.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah. I'm serious. I want her to come and furnish my home for me so I don't have to do it.

[Ivy Elrod]

Yeah.

[Rosie Guerin]

What are you taking away from this episode? I mean, I'm. There are a lot of things, I.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Think for me, I had no idea that you could go to estate sales late and maybe snag a good deal because people just don't want to transport that stuff back. Yeah, genius. And I just have to remember because I am one of those people who will just buy stuff without seeing it, if I get something that doesn't fit my space or I don't actually like that much, I can always just resell it and it's not a big deal.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

That is a great tip. I think that's something that I need to remind myself of. I am going to do some work on myself and try to cultivate a better negotiation strategy. You can do it. I can do it.

[Rosie Guerin]

Right.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Like, I'm going to take her sort of advice of approaching each of these interactions like a business transaction and not feeling sort of so intimidated by it and just bringing like a good professional vibe into it. Yeah. Be nice and it's always worth asking, right? Yeah.

[Rosie Guerin]

So, yeah, my takeaway is so boring and so general, but it's that I feel less intimidated getting into the world of secondhand shopping. And Ivy just had a lot of great tips of where to go and how to stay grounded through the process. So I was grateful for that. And if you want to learn more about shopping secondhand, check out our website. A lot of great pieces up there. And Ivy's reporting as well. And of course, we'll link it in the show notes. Thank you so much for listening. Talk soon.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Bye.

[Betterment Announcer]

Bye.

[Rosie Guerin]

The Wirecutter show is executive produced by me, Rosie Guerin and produced by Abigail Keel. Engineering support from Matty Mazziello and Nick Pittman. Today's episode was mixed by Katherine Anderson. Original music by Dan Powell, Marion Lozano, Elisheva Etoupe, Rowan Namisto, Katherine Anderson and Diane Cliff. Levy is Wirecutter's deputy publisher and General manager. Ben Fruman is Wirecutter's Editor in chief.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I'm Kyra Blackwell.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I'm Christine Cyrclassette.

[Rosie Guerin]

And I'm Rosie Guerin. Thank you for listening.

[Ivy Elrod]

You're not supposed to have any lead.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Just a treat that's gotta be under the threshold.

[Dell Technologies Announcer]

It's time for Black Friday. Dell Technologies biggest sale of the year. Enjoy huge savings on select PCs like the Dell 16 Plus. Featuring Intel Core Ultra processors and with built in advanced features, it's the PC that helps you do more, faster plus earn Dell rewards and enjoy many other benefits like free shipping, price, match guarantee and expert support. They also have huge deals on accessories that pair perfectly with your Dell PC and make perfect gifts for everyone on your list. Shop [e-mail] deals wheels.