Assert yourself, the holidays are upon us again. For many people, that means wincing at the pile of cash you’re about to drop.
Buying second hand, for yourself or for someone else, is a great alternative. It not only saves a lot of money but also reduces waste and keep products out of landfills. Now there’s a browser plugin from second-hand shopping retailer Beni that can turn any product search into a digital thrift store outing.
How to use Beni .’s old shopping browser extension
First of all, it’s time to remove the stigma when it comes to buying used and that includes buying gifts. Reducing waste and packaging makes second-hand shopping (aka circular shopping) a more forward-thinking alternative to new products. When it comes to many items, including electronics and clothing, buying lightweight used items can be a tremendous value with few downsides.
Since 2020, online resale fashion in the US has grown 20% and is expected to reach $67 billion by 2025. Beni is starting that trend.
Also: 5 best online savings apps for clothes
The plugin works by providing used alternatives to your online shopping searches. It directs users to similar or similar products on resale marketplaces such as The RealReal, Rent the Runway, Vestiaire Collective, eBay, Kidizen, etc. The idea is to make users find and buy second-hand items that bring them back. better value and with as little impact on the environment as possible.
Take the plugin is here. The plugin is currently only available for Chrome, so users of other browsers are out of luck at this point. Once you have a plugin, pin it for easy one-click access.
One thing to keep in mind, be sure to read the privacy implications and adjust your plugin settings accordingly. To function properly, Beni must be able to read and change all your data on websites. There is an option to allow it in incognito mode, although we don’t recommend this for any plugins as Google Chrome will not be able to prevent extensions from recording your browser history. Leave this option disabled.
Here’s the easy part…just shop the way you normally would. To use Beni, simply browse your favorite retail sites (e.g. Nordstrom) and find the products you want to buy for yourself or others. For the plugin to work properly, it is important to click on the product page of a particular item. Beni works with many major retailers, including Patagonia, Nordstrom, Madewell and more than 600 others.
Okay, so you’ve seen your product. Now just click on the Beni browser extension and instantly see a curated list of used alternatives from over 25 resale platforms. You will see specific used items for sale corresponding to the product on the main brand page.
That’s it! Simply go to the used item, view the description, and if the price and condition is right for you, switch to a used replacement.
Beni has some extra features that make it even more powerful. For example, you can filter by size, color, brand, and resale platform. You can also save your favorites and create your own size profiles.
That means you can tailor the plugin to your exact specifications, allowing for easier search of popular markets used.
Finally, you can sort by price, ensuring you get the best deal on great clothes while keeping merchandise out of landfills and avoiding adding new soft goods to an outdated chain.
Frequently asked questions
Is Beni available for all browsers?
Not at this time. Currently, Beni is only available for Chrome. This plugin has just launched, so you should be safe bet that its availability and compatibility will grow.
Is there another website, app or plugin that can help me shop for secondhand?
Sure! Payment procedures Depop and Asos . Market. And Ebay is still great for all sorts of things, including electronics and gadgets, which in many cases last much longer than you might expect. For local alternatives try Craigslist, Offer upand local Facebook groups that offer used merchandise for free or for purchase.
What’s so great about buying secondhand?
The fashion industry creates a large amount of waste (don’t talk about it often bad labor practices). Buying new provides a production and consumption cycle that uses huge resources for non-durable items that often end up in landfills.
Besides, the culture is changing. With 93% of US shoppers are willing to buy secondhand (up from 45% in 2016), the fashion resale industry has become more popular. Shoppers now have access to a number of rapidly expanding resale options, including brand-owned resale services.
