As restrictions have finally eased across the country and the nation looks for ways to fund summer plans, coming to you with new research from eBay which reveals UK families could be sitting on a whopping £1,380 worth of lockdown clutter. From March 2020 to March 2021 Brits made on average 17 frivolous purchases during lockdown, with one third of UK adults making more than 26 purchases.
From grandpa’s ukulele to kid’s ice cream maker, across the generations there have been plenty of purchases made to combat lockdown boredom. The nation spent most on technology and home/garden items, but now restrictions have eased we’re all in need of a bit of extra cash.
“One family’s lockdown pastime is now another’s new found hobby. There’s money to be made to make summer that bit sweeter as restrictions ease and we want to support families getting back to doing everything they enjoy.”
– Emma Grant, Head of Pre-loved, eBay
Over the last year, the average second-hand seller on eBay sold three pre-loved items, making approximately £81 in 2021. To help those wanting to recoup some cash from their frivolous purchases, eBay is offering a free trial for listings and final value fees for the first three sales for new accounts or those who have not listed in the last 12 months.
This summer the nation is set to spend most on holidays (44%), eating out (26%) and entertainment (19%). eBay has crunched the numbers to see how much each member of the family could earn from lockdown past-times:
18-34 Year Olds
Over lockdown, younger generations (18-34) invested in traditional pastime essentials like fishing rods and embroidery hoops. Almost half (43%) of this generation purchased a coffee machine to combat the WFH slump, with a further 48% buying board games to pass lockdown weekends. A selection of the most popular items could be worth a huge £457 when resold:
ASP – Average selling price of items – TOTAL £457
- Board games – £21
- Coffee machine £71
- Yoga mat £14
- Embroidery hoop £14
- Ice cream maker £33
- Fishing rod £42
- Weights £46
- Electric keyboard £216
35-54 Year Olds
Looking to get fit and do up the house, 35-54 year olds tried new sports and got into DIY and renovating Almost half (44%) of this generation purchased new running shoes and golf became a popular pastime as soon as the courses opened, but many set of golf clubs are now gathering dust and could earn you £86 if sold on eBay. The most popular purchases for 35-54 year olds could be worth a fantastic £411 to put towards the next family trip:
ASP – Average selling price of items – TOTAL £411
- Headphones £20
- Running shoes £27
- Jigsaw puzzle £41
- Popcorn machine £38
- Robotic hoover £76
- Electric drill £31
- Golf clubs £86
- Stand mixer £92
55+ Year Olds
Boomers hit the garden, with a huge 50% buying seeds and a third investing in new plant pots (31%), whilst embracing new skills and hobbies like playing the ukulele. When looking at this generation, their lockdown purchases could earn you an impressive £512 when resold:
ASP – Average selling price of items – TOTAL £512
- Novelty slippers £12
- Smartphone £238
- Deck chair £37
- Plant pot £12
- Pots & Pans £32
- Ukulele £12
- Fire pit £88
- Parasol £81
Selling items from across the generations could fund the first family holiday of 2021 or bring you back closer with friends, so there’s no reason not to get selling. When it comes to selling, eBay is still the number one online marketplace in the UK, with its 29 million shoppers – there’s always plenty of eyeballs on your item.
