We have all heard the saying “Buyers Beware”, when buying a Second Hand Pram you can find a good deal – but only if you do your homework! Here are some Tips to help you buy a Second Hand Pram.
Decide What Pram is Right for You
While looking for second hand prams you will come across a lot of prams that look like a bargain. Don’t be too hasty, think about what you need. Here are some starters to get you thinking:
- Budget – Set a budget and stick to it. When browsing second hand prams, the price is one factor but the person selling it to you and the condition of the pram and accessories is WAY more important.
- Your Lifestyle Needs – If you are going to be running or walking a lot then you may want to go for something like the Baby Jogger Summit 360 but these Prams are much harder to manurer around the shops.
- Car Space – You may need to go for a smaller pram if you don’t have the car space. Talk to theprevious owner of the pram and ask them how much room they needed and how hard the pram was to travel with.
- Aesthetics – I have known plenty of parents who once they brought the Pram home wanted to take it back after a couple of weeks. Your baby could be in your pram for up to four years so make sure you like the look and feel of it!
Buying the Pram
Once you have in mind what you want, you can start browsing prams and narrowing down your list to t
he ones you want. Buying from someone you don’t know can be a daunting task, but there are a couple of things you can do to make it less daunting:
- Get to know the seller before the sale – email them and ask for their number. Call them and talk about the pram but also ask them lots of questions to try and gauge what type of person they are and if you will feel comfortable doing business with them.
- Location of sale – Is the location somewhere local, do you like the area and feel safe?
- Take a friend – Mention to the seller that you will be taking a friend to the inspection.
- Make your expectations clear – Let the seller know that if the pram is not exactly like it is in the add you will not buy it. Discuss points that are particularly important to you. Is the pram clean? Does it squeak, do you have the accessories?
- Ask the seller if their pram is Australian Standard Compliant – If they do not know what these standards are describe the standards to the seller. My next blog will be about these standards, so stay tuned too – www.pram2pram.com/blog.
Other Points to Keep in Mind
- Make sure that the pram has a brake and that it works. The brake should also be colored Red. You don’t want your Pram running of down a hill!
- Will the pram give enough shade cover? You can also get a reversible handle so that your baby is facing away from the sun.
- Is there a big basket or a lot of room under the Pram? I have found that storage space is a must. We cant carry bags when we are pushing a Pram!
- 5 point harness – Australian Standards Require all Prams and Strollers to have a 5 point Safety Harness fitted
- Is the Pram comfortable? Make sure that the padding has not worn down too much or that you can easily replace the padding for your child.
- Last point is to be prepared and do your research. There are a lot of good sites online to aid you. Our Forum, which is currently being built on Pram2Pram where buyers and sellers can discuss their experiences will also hopefully help.
Good Luck fellow pram buyers 
