Second hand in Spain
 

I'm curious. I was trying to explain ebay and car boot sales to my student. Why is it that the Spanish don't buy and sell second hand goods (as a rule)? Is it because things are usually passed down or shared out in families, and there's always a house in need of furniture. Not much seems to be thrown away either so it must be being recycled in some way.
Maybe some of our Spanish/half Spanish members can explain it. Do you think this will change? Do Spaniards come to car boot sales and second hand markets in the coastal areas.
I'd also be interested to know if Spanish people are happy to accept gifts of second hand goods, hand me down clothing etc. or would this only happen within the family too?

Re: Second hand in Spain
 

Most things are passed on in the family or given to charities. The town hall here collects unwanted furniture and gives it to people in need. There is also Caritas (a Catholic charity) and a secular organisation called Madre Coraje which collects old clothes, blankets, tools etc and recycles them or distributes them to where they are needed.

My instinct is that people would feel uncomfortable about being given stuff directly, unless you know them well. It's better to give it via a charity.

I think online selling is catching on, ebay and segundomano are getting more popular, but the price of postage here is a big deterrent!

Re: Second hand in Spain
 

I have given two sofas to one family who live close by, and a gas cooker to another. I made the offer along the lines of "I've got xxx that I don't need any more, it's in good condition and I don't want to throw it away. Do you know anybody who might be able to make use of it?". Both of them snapped up the stuff straight away. They were astonished that I didn't want any money for them.

Re: Second hand in Spain
 

Spanish people do go to car boots around here.

A friend runs a very successful second hand shop (mostly furniture) in our village.

Leave anything of value (including bags of clothes) near the basura and it disappears very quickly.

Re: Second hand in Spain
 

There are the odd "flea markets, rastros" & even the odd charity shop in the area, but nothing like the amount in the UK.
Many people here do not seem to know the value of 2nd hand goods either & seem to price them at ridiculous amounts.
I put it down to the sense of pride & show that Spanish people tend to portray.

It is surprising there aren't more, given the economic situation.

Re: Second hand in Spain
 

Very true , the same with used cars.

Re: Second hand in Spain
 

Segundamano.es is one of the most popular websites in Spain. We've sold loads of stuff on there

Before the crisis though second hand was very rare. We have been given loads of children's clothing that has been passed down through the family. But the idea is that we then pass this on to the next child born in the extended family. That's probably why children's clothing in Spain is expensive and of good quality, because it gets a lot of use! The kids around here are all dressed in 100-200 euro coats (not brand names, but good quality Spanish made) that I'm sure have done the rounds

My mother in law was bemused when we said we'd made money selling our things on segundamano, she hinted that we should have given them away to people who needed them, not made money from it

Re: Second hand in Spain
 

I guess it depends where you live there are loads near us. :unsure:

Re: Second hand in Spain
 

Loads near us when we lived in Spain, but then the local town hall closed the vast majority down, think it was at the request of Spanish market traders. They didn't buy too much at the auctions, but plenty at the car boot sales.

Re: Second hand in Spain
 

There's a huge rastro in Seville, C/ Feria on Thursday mornings. There's a big one in Fuengirola too, on Saturdays I think, I've never been but I've heard it's good.

Not sure how you go about selling your own stuff, but they are great for browsing.

Re: Second hand in Spain
 

There's a huge rastro with loads of secondhand stuff at Sabinillas every Sunday morning.

Re: Second hand in Spain
 

Interesting. I hope OH will be up for a look one day. I did go to one in Barcelona which was really interesting. Maybe the prices are a bit high compared with the UK. But if something is just what you want...And you're on a budget, it's still a good idea. We're self building and often buy tools rather than hire a man to do a job. It still works out cheaper and then we have tools left over. As we get towards the end of the job I'm going to have a rastro's worth of tools I will never use again!

Re: Second hand in Spain
 

A Rastro started in one of my local villages a short while back and took off way beyond the wildest expectations in no time at all.

Lots of tools ancient and modern that people no longer seem to have a use for, maybe partly due to the recession.
Lots of second hand clothes with brand new price tags on them.
I wonder how many people they fool or if it makes them feel better believing they are new ?

I look mainly for works of art myself.
Not found any masterpieces yet, but lots of interesting stuff as cheap as chips just to hang on the walls. :thumbup:

Re: Second hand in Spain
 

We have 2 carboot sales every Saturday and Sunday and you have to buy a license from the town hall to sell on it. its was free ,,untill the town found out..The biggest one is the Sunday one with 200 places ..

Re: Second hand in Spain
 

Protectionism , thats part of the reason Spain is in such a mess , self employed business people right up to international companies are often blocked or deterred from making a living/investing in new ventures, the Spanish just dont understand how free markets work or that free competion is best as the deadwood falls by the wayside.

Re: Second hand in Spain
 

I can't help thinking that 'free market' is what has made us all dead wood while China thrives. Unfair competition is bad fair competition is good. The unfair competition in the previous post was from the local traders who had the ear of the town hall. A second hand market doesn't squash the new trade. It can add to it bringing out of towners who will look around the area as well as the market.

Re: Second hand in Spain
 

Sure - but that is a discussion to be had with the correct business associations and local authorities in your area - to make the case for why a second hand market is good

Also, what are the rules regarding tax and social security? I dont think that selling second hand goods is exempt from this in Spain. Never mind the need for retail vendor permits and consumer rights protection etc

All this about rules favouring those who are friends of the ayuntamiento is partly true, but it is also democratic. The point is that you need to go and talk to (and make friends) with the right people, then they will listen. That is how any kind of business is done, particularly in Southern Spain - it is a people-led model. Not one based on black and white rules

That's why many British people feel excluded, as they are not able to communicate effectively or even know who the right people to talk to are - then perhaps some are missing the charm to put their case across persuasively ;)

Re: Second hand in Spain
 

This is the big problem , rules should be black and white and you should be able to disagree with anyone/everyone in the town hall on a point with out fear of underhand retribution , "people -led" systems end up being corrupt from day one .UK small business`s have it easy in so much as it`s very easy to understand the system and get started, if a property has the right planning in place you can open your new business the same day of receiving the keys ,not several months later , if you are lucky.

Re: Second hand in Spain
 

Of course I don't know what happened in that particular case. And I'm sure rules are bent for friends in council planning meetings in England just as well as in Spain. But it's not 'Democratic' as you say cman. I'm lucky that I do have a reasonably persuasive 'way' and I do have friends in high-ish places. I do speak the language, and I did get help with a problem of my own. Fairly and totally legally, but I admit extra effort was made. But I don't think it's fair that people who don't maybe come across as friendly, don't get the same treatment. Everything should be fair and just and equal. And Idon't think anyone should ever pay a bung or do any favours for favours. In fact I'd make sure I didn't even give that person a cup of tea and a bun for their kind acts if they were in a position of power! Maybe that's the Englishwoman in me :)

Re: Second hand in Spain
 

From another source, talking of Spain.

Re: Second hand in Spain
 

I would want to make sure there is a working fire alarm system in place and insurances before opening

was on a course with a girl who described the palaver they had when they decided after being in a property for 18months to test the fire alarm. It didn't work. So they called an electrician (don't ask) who found that one of the smoke detectors wasn't working, the alarm sounders had been wired out and if there had been a fire no one would have known about it.
The business was a council approved day nursery for kiddies up to age 5
:eek:

Re: Second hand in Spain
 

My point is its very easy in the UK and unobstructed by red tape , fire alarms and public liability insurance are not a legal requirement in most cases and when required insurance can be bought online and fire alarms can be installed the same day as well .