Advice for Sellers
We all started the pandemic with the best intentions towards keeping our fitness up. However, despite 39% of adults investing in at-home fitness equipment during lockdown, many have already let those good intentions slip. 31% of those who purchased equipment admit it is only used some of the time. Additionally, more than 1 in 10 haven’t touched it in over a year. We say, if it doesn’t bring you joy, it’s time to sell it on. Join the 50% of Brits who have swapped their fitness goals for financial gain, selling their unused items second-hand. Data from circular economy platform shows that February and April both typically sees a spike in listings for gym and fitness equipment**. That’s your time to strike!
Tips for Buyers
Calling all fitness enthusiasts, there are gains for you too. We’ve calculated the bargains you could bag if you go second-hand on some of the most popular fitness items. Listings on Gumtree show that items such as dumbbells could be picked up £36 cheaper when purchased second hand. Similarly, trainers and skipping ropes could be picked up for £55.25 and £26.83 less, respectively***.
Have you ever considered buying workout gear second-hand too? Join the 12% of Brits planning to buy second-hand for the first time to ease the strain on their wallets. Many pieces have sometimes never been worn, or only been worn once. Don’t hesitate to ask the Seller for more pictures or check the descriptions to find out more.
Conscious Consumerism
We know the planet is at the front of your mind now more than ever. So you’ll be happy to learn it’s not just the purse strings but the planet that benefits from buying and selling your fitness equipment second hand too. We want to share a few sustainable ways to stay healthy, some of which may even surprise you.
- Did you know that switching to second-hand for some home workout essentials could save someone the same amount of carbon as 890 hot showers****.
- Selling your fitness equipment saves it from landfill. Did you catch our Waste-less Winter campaign that reported 100,000 tons of electrical appliances are sent to landfill every winter*****? We need to reduce waste across the board. So why not sell on your unused equipment & give it a new (second, third…) lease of life.
- If you’ve decided to end that unused gym membership, join the 23% of Brits opting for local classes to avoid having to drive or take public transport. You can even find local fitness teachers, sports teams and workout buddies on Gumtree.
Methodology
Data conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Gumtree between 9th – 11th March 2022. Polling 2,000 adults aged 18+ across the UK.
UK adults taken from ONS report, published 2021
* £1.5bn working: 13.85% (% of adults who own fitness equipment they don’t use) of 52,890,044 (total UK adult population) = 7,325,271.094
7,325,271.094 X 207.234267148 (average cost of unused equipment owned per adult) = £1,518,047,186.83
UK adults defined as those 18+, https://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/united-kingdom-population
** based on Gumtree internal data
*** comparison drawn between 10 products listed as new in 2021/22 and 10 products listed on gumtree on 18th March 2022
****The carbon saving calculation is based on someone who buys as new an exercise bike, kettle bells, weights and a yoga mat
***** internal data from Gumtree as of March 2022
The data for Gumtree’s carbon emission saving’s calculator is taken from the official UK Government analysis of the carbon footprint of UK residents. It is available to view online here: https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/uks-carbon-footprint.
The statistics are provided using a model developed at the University of Leeds, that calculates the embodied Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) associated with the production of all goods and services consumed in the UK. This provides a conversion factor that provides an understanding of embodied GHG emissions of spending £1 of a given product.**** Source: https://eprints.lancs.ac.uk/id/eprint/145741/1/Material_Focus_Electrical_waste_challenges_and_opportunities.pdf
