Would you ever purchase shoes from a second hand store?

Discussion in Fashion & Apparel started by missbishi • Jan 2, 2015.

  1. missbishi

    missbishiWell-Known Member

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    Would you ever purchase shoes from a second hand store? There are plenty of charity shops in the UK and you can often find unworn shoes for sale there. I do buy them, but only if they are completely unworn or show minimal signs of wear. I wouldn't want to buy any second hand shoes which looked like they had been worn more than once though.

    Some people I know don't mind this though and pop new insoles inthe shoes. What does everyone else think about second hand shoes?
     
  2. sidney

    sidneyWell-Known Member

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    Well, shoes are much liable to stink than clothes because of it being closed, so unless it looks good as new and it's clean inside, then that's the only time I'll consider buying it.
     
  3. xTinx

    xTinxWell-Known Member

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    I don't mind purchasing second-hand cardigans, sweaters, jackets, skirts and boleros but buying shoes that others have already worn makes me feel touchy. This is one area of shopping I don't want to compromise. Even if it's cheap, I'd rather buy new shoes, sandals and slippers than using something that's already been pre-loved.
     
  4. DrRipley

    DrRipleyExpert

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    I don't think I would. If other people find it okay then that's good for them but I personally just can't get over knowing that the shoes have been worn before because shoes are a little less easy to sanitize and clean than clothes. I'd much rather just buy cheaper brands that I can get for brand new instead of more expensive ones that I'd have to buy used.
     
  5. LitoLawless

    LitoLawlessActive Member

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    I've bought plenty of shoes from thrift store. There's this old superstition that states if you wear somebody used shoes you carry all of their baggage and emotion with you. Well, I'm not sure how it went but it was something like that.

    Anyway, it kept me from buying sneakers or shoes at thrift stores for so long, but then I started to see a lot of shoes that I liked and that just went out the window. You can find a lot of designer shoes for half the price in those places.
     
  6. Theo

    TheoWell-Known Member

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    I'm a bit fussy about shoes so I will only buy brand new shoes or a designer pair that has only been worn once. Some people are fine with second hand shoes, but unless they are for a costume party or event, I probably would steer clear and I would be uncomfortable wearing them.
     
  7. May102014

    May102014Active Member

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    I haven't tried buying second hand shoes and have no plans of trying it now or in the future. I would rather buy inexpensive but brand new shoes. I am a bit fussy too when it comes to this area of shopping. I would not feel comfortable knowing that it has already been worn by a total stranger.
     
  8. Dora M

    Dora MWell-Known Member

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    Yes, of course, why not. If the shoes are of a good quality and have never or rarely been worn, it's fine with me. I just don't like heavily worn shoes, as every person has different shaped feet, and I literally don't feel well walking in another person's foot steps. :)
     
  9. Servace

    ServaceActive Member

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    I do not think I can buy old used shoes. The only time I would buy used shoes if it is barely new out of the box or if they are handed down from a cousin.
     
  10. lucyarty

    lucyartyMember

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    When I was a teenager I bought several pairs of shoes from charity shops - ones with obvious wear and tear - and thought nothing of it. Now the thought makes me shudder! Someone else's sweaty feet have been in those - yuck. Maybe I would if they were obviously unworn, but I'd be unlikely to notice them anyway as I now tend to bypass the clothes in charity shops and head straight for the books and DVDs.
     
  11. GoldenWing

    GoldenWingMember

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    As somebody without big amounts of money, buying in second-hand stores is a necessity for me. Of course I'm pretty selective, I only pick those shoes who are presentable. Luckily they're relatively abundant
     
  12. isabbbela

    isabbbelaWell-Known Member

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    I find that shoes are a hard item to buy secondhand, just because feet often sweat and smell bad, so wearing other people's shoes is a little disgusting in my opinion. I wear them if they're my mother's, or maybe someone from your close family or a friend, however I'm not sure if I would actually go to the store and buy shoes that came from someone I didn't know.
     
  13. TheViper

    TheViperActive Member

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    I see no problem in buying second hand shows just as long as you change the soles. You'd be surprised at how well condition most of the stuff being sold second hand is. Whenever, I buy shoes used then I usually just change the soles and shoe laces.
     
  14. tournique

    tourniqueActive Member

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    If they are of good quality and can be reconditioned then yes.
     
  15. hayrake

    hayrakeActive Member

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    I have definitely been known to buy second hand shoes. Of course, I wouldn't buy them if they weren't but barely worn. Sometimes you luck up and find shoes that it would appear someone bought (or had been given) and they didn't work for them for some reason so they obviously have not been used not at all. So, yes, if I find some shoes I like in a second hand shop I have no qualms about buying them. Especially if they are a higher end shoe that I wouldn't choose or be able to afford if they were new.
    I have actually bought shoes (or boots) in second hand shops that way outlasted and looked better than lesser ones I bought new.
     
  16. DancingLady

    DancingLadyActive Member

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    I have bought second hand shoes many times. If they feel fine when I try them on and they look like they have enough life left to be worth the asking price then I will buy them. No one is going to know that they were bought second hand, so it doesn't matter to me. Germs can only live so long, so by the time someone has given them away, the shop has sorted them, priced them and put them out, I don't think there is any risk at that point. You can always set them out in the sun for a day before you wear them and dust the inside with baking soda.
     
  17. jewel777

    jewel777Active Member

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    I would if I could find a decent pair that fit me, I have the hardest time finding good shoes, so I don't bother. I have a friend though, who was given a pair of tennis shoes that cost $3 and he doesn't have a problem with them (and he's usually picky about certain things). So I guess it would depend on how worn they were. But I don't personally have a problem with them if they look new.
     
  18. Winnie

    WinnieActive Member

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    One of my favorite things about thrift stores is that they often have things that one cannot find in any other store, that being said, if I find a really great pair of shoes, and they are only slightly worn, and they fit me, I would probably purchase them. But I'd really have to love the shoes, and they could only show very slight signs of wear and tear.
     
  19. Winnie

    WinnieActive Member

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    This is very interesting to me, that you don't mind purchasing second hand clothing. I have a lot of clothing that is second hand, because I liked the clothes enough to get them, but then somewhere a long the line I feel kind of funny wearing some of the pieces. Do you find that you are comfortable wearing any and all of the second-hand pieces that you buy?
     
  20. kjonesm1

    kjonesm1Active Member

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    I don't know if I'd wear second hand shoes, but I LOVE thrift store shopping. I think it's a great place to find unique styles and home decor. I've lived in Los Angeles and Las Vegas and have been lucky enough to find find some very trendy second hand shops like Buffalo Exchange. It's cheap, but the shops have high standards for the second hand items they purchase. It's high end next to new name brands. I love second hand stores.