Let’s face it, everyone wants a good deal. But, sometimes “too good to be true” is well “too good to be true.” I’ve been duped twice in my 3 years of cloth diapering and it is horrible! It took me weeks to get over that someone wanted to steal from me. Of course there are other ways in which a transaction can go bad.
Here are 5 steps you need to take when buying used cloth diapers:
1) Don’t impulse or retail therapy shop. Almost anytime you buy something on a whim or as therapy you end up regretting it. I can’t tell you how many “hot” diapers I’ve bought because I got caught up in the emotions or had a fight with my husband and bought a diaper to make myself feel better (did I seriously just say “bought a diaper to make myself feel better”???) Sure the diaper is great but never did I actually need it.
2) Check seller feedback. Sometimes when you are caught up in the excitement of finally finding a diaper you want you forget to check the seller’s feedback. This is extremely important. Yes, everyone has to start somewhere but when it comes to my money I want to know that they have been honest. Feedback can come from anywhere: ebay, forums, hyena cart. There are times when you feel like you can trust the person but cover yourself by paying through paypal and requiring a delivery confirmation number.
3) Never buy without pictures. If a seller has the diapers then there shouldn’t be a problem posting pictures. I personally know many moms that have bought hard-to-get diapers from a seller with no picture. Two things can happen: 1) there are no diapers or 2) you get poor quality, nasty diapers. Even if it comes down to a picture via a camera phone, if you want the diaper make sure you see it first.
4) Thoroughly wash or if necessary strip diapers before use. You never know where the diapers came from. Even if the seller says they have a “no smoking” house the mail carrier may smoke. Your diapers could also have just been worn by a baby that had a bad case of diarrhea. No matter where they come from protect your baby. Soak in Bac-out, wash with detergent and maybe a little bleach. The only time I don’t get overly paranoid is if I “know” the seller and trust that the diapers have been used minimally and without issue.
5) Leave feedback for seller. The only way for a seller to gain the trust of buyers is for buyers to leave truthful feedback. I know we are all busy and I am guilty of forgetting to leave feedback. But it is important. Everyone deserves to know who the good sellers are. It makes me feel like I’m giving the seller a gift when I leave positive feedback with a kind word.
The main reason to buy used cloth diapers is to get a deal. But seeing a listing for 10 Goodmamas for $100 is not bait I’m taking. Also be aware of how much you are actually saving. If the savings is less than $5 (including shipping) perhaps buying new is the better way to go.
Hmmm, what can I go buy that will help me forget catching Paisley’s throw-up all day lol.
http://hyenacart.com/Spots_corner/index.php?u=57198
take a look at my diapers i have listed — i really need theses things to go to a new home, keep checking back if they dont sell in a week ill reduce prices :) message me if you want to chit chat about the items –
thank you so much for posting this. I have been trying to learn as much as possible on cloth diapers, now that i have switched. Thanks again!
I made the mistake of buying the cheapest used I could find off of diaperswappers. Not nice. One of them is on it’s last leg, with the diaper itself wearing out around the elastic, so there’s not much hope of repair there. I realized after I bought them that the out-of-focus picture I looked at for them is really not good enough. Make sure you see a good, clear picture. I think I have one that doesn’t need immediate repair, and I spent $15 for three. So, that money could have been spent on a brand new diaper.
More recently I’ve purchased a couple of BG 3.0 seconds off of the cottonbabies website. They had free shipping yesterday; I couldn’t resist, lol. Hopefully this will be a better deal!
I enjoy your blog and appreciate all the good info!
Michelle, THANK YOU!!! It’s been a lot of hard work (none on my part really lol) but I love it too.
Lisa, I’m not sure what city you are in but one thing I do on Craigslist is check big cities near me and see if they’ll ship. Thankfully the Dallas area has a lot of cloth diapers on Craigslist if I wanted to go that route. For used cloth diapers the biggest FSOT is diaperswappers.com but I am on other parenting forums and yahoo groups that also have cloth diapers for sale.
Hi Autumn,
I had to buy Curity stretch diapers on Ebay, they were brand new in box, no problem at all. I was searching for these diapers for a long time with no regret. I pay them around 60$. Probably one of the finest flat diapers ever made. Actually had 3 douzens of Curity stretch. Absolutely no problem with each buying events ( 3 ) … ( they fit very well on my 3 years daugther … )
Where would you recommend people look for used diapers? They are rarely on craigslist, and ebay doesn’t allow it last time I checked. Thanks.
Autumn I just want to say I’m loving your new banner and layout!