Shop Safe, Stylish and Local with Karrot: NYC’s Favourite Secondhand Marketplace

As a savvy shopper that has been shopping and selling on marketplaces for a while, I’m super excited to introduce you to Karrot – a game-changer for NYorkers. This platform effortlessly connects neighbors, making buying, selling, and trading items so easy and fast. Karrot verifies everyone’s location, so they are who they say they are and you feel safe throughout the whole journey! Let’s dive in and discover more about Karrot.

I think we can all agree that New York City is an expensive place to live. From rent to going out, the prices of goods and services are more inflated here – I like to joke that’s the price we pay for living in this fantastic city, lol. But wanna know a habit that I’ve developed over the years living in the city? Shopping secondhand.  In fact, it has been part of my life since I was a little kid when I would get clothes from my older cousins, and I’m so glad that secondhand became a big trend.  Thrift stores are not limited to physical stores anymore – there are dozens of websites where you can find preloved items. And secondhand is not a term related only to fashion – furniture, electronics, gadgets; if you are a savvy shopper, there’s a chance to find a preloved version of something you are looking for.  Luckily, the internet has also made it possible for ordinary people like you and me to buy and sell things from other ordinary people. Enter the online marketplaces.

But, I don’t know about you, sometimes marketplaces don’t provide the best experience if you know what I mean…

These were real chats I had on marketplaces!

Are you frustrated with the same old marketplaces for secondhand items? If you’re looking for a fresh platform that’s focused on safety, communities and cool finds, let me introduce you to Karrot.”

What is Karrot?

Karrot is an app that was created in South Korea, and it’s now available in 560 regions in 4 countries worldwide – in North America, Karrot is active in over 190 cities with over 1 million registered users. The whole idea behind Karrot is to be a hyper-local marketplace, that verifies everyone’s location so you know they’re your neighbor – meaning you can trust who you’re chatting with and don’t have to go very far to buy, sell or donate secondhand goods. 

But why should you use Karrot?

There are a few factors that differentiate Karrot from other marketplaces.

• Location verification – All users are verified-local in their neighborhoods – meaning you will see listings from people around you and that makes the transactions so much easier! Sure, sometimes I’m willing to take the subway to meet a seller in another neighborhood, but it’s more convenient and more accessible when people who live closer are connected, just a walking distance away, right? Considering that many people in the city don’t own cars, the closer the deals are, the better! PS: but don’t worry! You can also see listings from other neighborhoods. 
• Categories make navigation easier – when you download Karrot, you will see the listings in different categories: from your neighborhood, from other areas, items listed for free and items listed under categories like Electronics & Appliances, Furniture, and Home & Garden.
• User protection – For a safe trading environment – because we know the internet is wild! – Karrot proactively addresses potential threats, scammers, and frauds through AI detection systems. 
• Easy-to-use: You can install the app, join your neighborhood, and either list your items for sale or begin shopping in less than a minute.  
• Ratings & reviews – that helps to bring more confidence for shoppers and sellers. 
• Dowload Karrot now!

Why should you shop or sell secondhand?

As someone who has been shopping secondhand for a while, I couldn’t be more enthusiastic about this topic! So here are a few reasons why I shop secondhand – and encourage everyone to try:

• Saving money–  the most obvious reason, for sure. The categories I mostly shop secondhand are clothing and electronics. You could save at least 50% when searching for some pre-loved items. And when I say pre-loved, it’s just for the sake of the topic because, often, people sell brand-new products on marketplaces. There are many reasons for that: they ended up not liking the product, and they missed the return window – or they didn’t bother enough; they were gifted.  Yep, you’re not always gonna find something brand new, but there are also tons of items in excellent conditions – because they don’t need that item anymore, because they upgraded to a better version or because they didn’t use it enough. 
• Having the chance to buy things you couldn’t afford at full price – perhaps you could never spend $250 on that ice cream machine – but it becomes possible when you find someone selling that for 1/3 of the price. Perhaps buying all the equipment you needed to work out from home  – like dumbbells, mats, bands, and other items – would take months when purchasing brand new because you couldn’t afford the investment – but secondhand makes that possible. Perhaps you are a new mom and need so many new things for your upcoming baby, and secondhand can help you buy more items for less. 
• Making some money – you would be surprised by how much you can make by selling stuff you don’t want anymore. Considering the tiny spaces we have in New York City, think about the things you haven’t been using. I do that periodically and I always sort my items by things with selling potential and things that I can donate. And with Karrot, I can do both – it makes me so happy not to waste anything! Your loss can be someone’s gain – for free or for a few bucks!
• By shopping secondhand, you’re not just saving money, you’re also contributing to a more sustainable future. Secondhand shopping is a key part of the circular economy, a system that promotes sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling existing materials and products. This approach significantly extends the life cycle of products and helps to minimize waste. So, by choosing secondhand, you’re not just making a smart financial decision, you’re also making a positive environmental choice.

Tips for New Users

Now that you already know the benefits and advantages of shopping secondhand, let’s check some tips! As someone who has been shopping – and selling – secondhand for years, I think my tips can help you to succeed! 

For sellers

• Sort your items – it’s a great time to analyze what’s not being used anymore. I’m constantly optimizing the space in our apartment. If you haven’t used that coat for the last two years, perhaps you’re not gonna miss it anymore. If you only used your juicer three times and it has been sitting in your cabinet for 6 months – and you are not planning to change that – maybe it’s time to say goodbye. Don’t be too attached – it’s fine; sometimes, we don’t use things how we thought we would.
• Decide which things have selling potential and which things can be donated. 
• Take photos – and pay special attention to that if you are selling something. Make sure you have good lighting, including the original package (if you have it), take photos from different angles. 
• Download Karrot – in under one minute, you can install the app, join your neighborhood and either list your items for sale or begin shopping!
• Post your item – pay special attention to the description – make sure to include the brand and model (for electronics), measurements (for furniture) and size (for clothing). Talk about the condition of the item. Is it brand new? How many times have you used it? PRO tip: include the reason why you are selling – that builds trust! Don’t forget to include the photos – and you could also include an original photo from the brand’s website to be the cover of your listing. 
• Set the price – be reasonable! Check the cost of the new item, how long you have used it, etc., and think which amount would make you happy. Got it? Now add 10% or 20% to the final price—people will ask for a discount, and you want to keep some wiggle room! 
• Be patient! I’ve sold things in less than 24 hours, but other things took me weeks to sell. 
• Keep an eye on your notifications – you don’t want to miss the opportunity to close a deal.

For buyers

• Search search search – the more specific, the better! Make sure to set the distance to either restrict your search or amplify the area.
• Check the description and ask questions – if the seller did a good job, mostly you will find all the answers on the description. But you can always ask questions for any additional information.
• Check the ratings – take advantage of this feature on Karrot to have more confidence.
• Ask for a discount – marketplaces are the perfect places to bargain!
• Ask the seller about the payment method – cash is always safer for both parties!

My secondhand purchases!

Here are some of the secondhand purchases I’ve made! As you can notice, I saved a lot of money! Also, I was able to sell the Dash Juicer and the Aeropilates after some time. Because I used the juicer just a few times and because I made some upgrades to the aeropilates machine, I was able to sell both for the same price I had paid. Another thing to notice is that the Almond Cow was BRAND NEW – in the box.

I mean, how can I not be happy and excited about secondhand? That’s the power of secondhand.  Imagine how many amazing products you can find on Karrot like these ones?

So, if you’re ready to dive in, make sure to download Karrot and start selling your stuff today! But if you don’t feel like selling, no problem; download it and make sure to search on Karrot before paying full price!

This post was sponsored by Karrot – all the opinions are mine.

Laura Peruchi

Content creator and journalist in New York City. Here, I share lifestyle, beauty, NYC tips, thoughts, and the struggles about living in the most amazing city in the world! I’m not gonna pretend to be another person: I’m a Brazilian immigrant and I think this is my soul, it is part of who I am. I hope you enjoy my content! Follow me on Instagram!