Illustration: by Joe McKendry; Photos courtesy the writer
In her parent group chat, ceramicist and mother Helen Levi is known as the children’s-consignment whisperer. Parents will text her with requests for a toddler backpack or muslin swaddles, and she sends a link to the best deal on the internet. Searching for bargains has become a relaxing obsession, she says, so we asked Levi for her time-tested strategies and resources.
My specialty is knowing where to search. Poshmark and Kidizen are great for clothes — Poshmark more for basics and Kidizen for nicer brands. I found a Boden raincoat on Kidizen that was originally $68 marked down to $32. And eBay and Mercari are my go-tos for discontinued and sold-out toys, like a Buzz Lightyear figurine. Just remember to Google everything to make sure it wasn’t recalled and know that toys made before 2008 might not meet current federal safety standards.
It requires much more time and effort than other sites, but it’s rich with finds. I got a rocking horse and scooter on there, and both were located super-close to my house. But beware: Sellers can be flaky on Facebook.
There are tons of booksellers on eBay who sell books for $4 with free shipping. I’ve bought 20 to 30 books this way, some with marker on the pages. But my son is 3. He doesn’t care, and I’m not a perfectionist about it either. If you do want something that’s better quality, look for books marked as EXCELLENT or LIKE NEW and make sure the seller has a high rating, ideally over 99 percent.
For example, I wanted the Baby Brezza Glass One Step Baby Food Maker, but it was $200. I found it on eBay for just $55. And when I was at an Airbnb with friends and their kids, there was a plastic Playskool toy that my son was really engaged with. When we looked it up, it was discontinued, but, of course, eBay had several.
It indicates something is either brand new or has been very lightly used and still comes with the original packaging. I’ve found open-box baby gear from all the big retailers on eBay for less.
Buying something from across the ocean kind of undoes all the work of finding something that’s more sustainable. You can limit your search on eBay to a certain mile radius to keep it as close to home as possible.
Poshmark has a lot of basic (but very good) baby brands like Carter’s, H&M, Old Navy, and BabyGap. To get the best deal, make an offer on a bundle for less than the items’ combined price. The more items you bundle, the deeper the discounts. I once got five pairs of soft legging pants for $15 from a seller who listed them for $23 altogether.
If I’m not in a rush to own an item, I’ll make a few carts from different sellers and wait to see who offers the lowest price. This strategy is best for basics, not name brands. I recently got my son a bigger pair of his favorite Nike Cortez sneakers. I didn’t wait around or lowball too hard because Nikes in good condition don’t come up that often. The ones I found were listed at $19, and I offered $16, which was accepted.
That’s a funny term used for kids’ clothes that means the garments have teeny-tiny holes or little stains on them. If you ever see a good brand for very cheap, it’s definitely going to be play condition. I steer clear of these items because I already have free hand-me-downs that are ripped and stained. If I’m buying used clothes, I like them to look slightly better.
The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments, rolling luggage, pillows for side sleepers, natural anxiety remedies, and bath towels. We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.