Netizen Opinions Greatly Divided on This Story
Increasing Number of Parents Buying Baby Products Through Secondhand Transactions
A pregnant woman is receiving mixed reactions from netizens after complaining about the stress caused by friends giving her used baby items as gifts for her upcoming birth. Ms. A, who revealed that she is due to give birth soon, posted on an online community on the 6th, saying, "I feel disappointed and annoyed because my friends handed down used items to me." She said, "Among my friends and acquaintances, I am one of the last to get married and pregnant. It would be helpful if they passed down usable childcare products, baby clothes, or toys, but they send me used items as gifts while congratulating me. The condition of the items is really beyond words."
In particular, Ms. A explained, "I received a baby carrier that had been used for four years," adding, "They insisted it was really good and told me not to buy a new one. But the baby carrier smelled like an unknown household odor, and there were stains on the hip seat and shoulder straps that wouldn't come off." She continued, "Three boxes full of toddler books that are only for children aged three and older arrived," and said, "The books were tattered." She also revealed, "I reluctantly accepted about 30 pieces of baby clothes that were sent after they said they were cleaning out their baby wardrobe, but they came crumpled together in a sack. I was worried whether to throw them away or wash them because of the smell and stains, so I just shoved them aside."
Ms. A also complained, "I received 15 used baby bottles. They told me to buy the nipples separately. I accepted them without knowing, but after checking the material, I found out they recommend replacing them every six months, so I just threw them away." She added, "Besides that, they said they would return a famous brand car seat I bought, and my sister who has pets told me to take the stroller she used." She said, "Honestly, I was grateful at first because they were taking care of things that they could have sold as secondhand items themselves. But when I actually received them, the condition was terrible." She expressed her frustration, saying, "Not all friends or acquaintances are like that, but I think the older friends who thought they took care of me a lot were worse." She added, "Now I refuse all hand-me-downs. Among my friends, there are some who send things like that and then say, 'It's good enough to sell on a secondhand platform. If you buy new ones, it costs a lot, so I'm giving you these,' and I am planning to cut ties with those friends who don't give proper gifts."
Netizens' opinions on this story were divided. Those who sympathized with Ms. A commented, "Is this a clearance of used goods?" "It might have been well-intentioned, but this is too much," "These are items for newborns, so they should have been selected more carefully," and "If the items show heavy signs of use, they should be thrown away and new ones gifted." On the other hand, some netizens responded, "If you buy them, you know that baby products are expensive and only used for a short period," and "From the friends' perspective, they probably thought they were doing something nice, but it seems like it's being viewed too negatively."
With Soaring Prices, Secondhand Trade of Newborn and Infant Products is 'Active'
Visitors are looking at childcare products at the 57th Kobe Baby Fair held at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, around October last year. [Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@]
Meanwhile, as prices of newborn and infant products have risen sharply, many parents are increasingly purchasing items through secondhand trade. Especially for baby products, the saying that they must be 'brand new' has long become outdated due to soaring prices. Above all, newborn products are expensive relative to their short usage period, making secondhand trade more active. Using secondhand trading applications (apps), if you shop carefully, you can buy decent products at one-tenth the price of new ones, which is a major advantage.
According to Statistics Korea data, among 11 goods and services mainly consumed by households with infants and young children at the end of last year, the inflation rate for more than half?six items?exceeded the overall average of 3.7%. Among these, the price of children's clothing rose 12.1% compared to the same period in 2022, marking the largest increase since related statistics began in 1985.
Given this situation, several posts have appeared on online communities outlining precautions when purchasing secondhand baby products. Some posts encouraging hesitant buyers to try secondhand trading have also been shared. As a result, some say that secondhand trading of baby products has effectively become a cultural norm. Celebrities have also revealed that they actively use secondhand markets when buying baby products. Actress Han Ga-in mentioned on a broadcast, "Baby products and baby books have a short usage period," and said, "If you use Danggeun Market, you can buy them at 10% of the retail price."
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