Secondhand in Shanghai — Xianyu, flea markets and moving sales

Xianyu (闲鱼): the everything-app

• What it is: Alibaba's secondhand marketplace, integrated with Taobao and Alipay — the default place Chinese people buy and sell used stuff.
• What you'll find: furniture, electronics, bikes, clothes, appliances, books, and entire apartment clear-outs.
• How it works: browse by keyword; chat with the seller (in-app); pay through Alipay (escrow — money held until you confirm receipt); meet in person for big items or ship for small ones.
• Prices: negotiable; sellers expect offers. For expat-clearance sales, quality furniture sells at 20-50% of new.

Using Xianyu without fluent Chinese

• Language: the app is Chinese-only. Use WeChat's built-in translation or a translator app for chat; most sellers are patient.
• Searching: search in Chinese (use the item name from any Chinese product page or ask a colleague). Filters for location (上海), price and condition help.
• Payment safety: always pay inside the app (Alipay escrow) — never send money directly to a stranger.
• Meet-ups: for large items, sellers often meet at metro stations or deliver for a fee. Verify the item works before paying.
• Get a helper: for your first few purchases, a Chinese-speaking friend makes everything faster — and it's a fun social ritual.

Physical markets worth visiting

Market etiquette: cash (or Alipay), haggle hard but with a smile, and inspect carefully — most electronics markets sell "as-is" with no returns.

Expat moving sales — the best source for good furniture

• Foreigners leaving Shanghai regularly sell entire apartments: IKEA furniture, appliances, bikes, kitchenware — often for a song because they need it gone in weeks.
• Where: WeChat groups (Shanghai expats, area-specific groups), Facebook groups (Shanghai Expats, Shanghai Buy & Sell), Wellcee's marketplace section, and Xianyu listings in English.
• Strategy: follow the groups; moving sales appear in waves (June-August and December-January are the big expat-departure seasons).
• Moving in: buy the essentials secondhand, upgrade over time. Your building or agent can recommend removal services (搬运) — cheap and common.

Books and media secondhand

• 孔夫子旧书网 (Kongfz.com): the giant used-book marketplace — Chinese and foreign-language books, ships everywhere.
• Foreign-language books: expat moving sales are the best source for English books; 上海书城 and 外文书店 have new stock; libraries (see the library guide) lend for free.
• Vinyl and media: 灵石路 and small record shops in the city carry secondhand vinyl; music apps (网易云音乐) are the streaming norm.

Safety and scams

• In-app payment only on Xianyu — never direct transfers, never "deposits" to hold an item.
• Inspect before paying: test electronics, check furniture for damage, verify the seller's item matches the photos.
• Stolen goods red flags: unbelievably cheap brand-new-in-box phones/laptops without a box or receipt are often stolen — walk away.
• Offline markets: assume no warranty; haggling is expected — start at 50-60% of the asking price for electronics.