Why second-hand in Switzerland
Switzerland has a strong second-hand culture:
- High purchasing power but rising ecological awareness
- High cost of new: big savings used
- Quality and durability: well-made Swiss goods
- Circular community: Facebook groups, flea markets, resource centres
Online platforms
General platforms
- Ricardo.ch: Swiss leader since 1999, auctions and direct buys, 4M+ members
- Tutti.ch: leader for free ads, generalist, owned by TX Group
- Anibis.ch: more versatile (mainly French Switzerland), free for individuals
- Facebook Marketplace: local groups, direct exchanges
Specialised
- Vinted: clothing second-hand leader (Swiss + international)
- Le Bon Coin Switzerland: strong French-Switzerland presence
- Comparis Marché: aggregator
- Galaxus Marketplace: guaranteed used electronics
- Refurbed: refurbished electronics
- eBay Switzerland: electronics, books, collections
Brockenhäuser and associative
Brockenhäuser (thrift shops)
Second-hand shops selling at low prices to support social causes:
- Caritas Switzerland: 50+ shops in Switzerland, clothes, furniture, crockery
- HEKS/EMMAUS: ~30 shops, supporting refugees
- Local Brockistube/Brockenhaus: hundreds in each canton
- Tisserie de Pologne (Vaud), Belier (Geneva): major French and German-Swiss flea markets
Quality: furniture 50–80% cheaper, clothes often new with tags.
Tool libraries (Werkzeug-Bibliothek)
- Borrow tools, drills, cargo bikes, etc.
- Cost: CHF 50–100/yr membership, CHF 0–5 per loan
- Present in Zurich, Bern, Lausanne, Basel
Repair Cafés
- Free repair by volunteers
- Coffee, electronics, clothes, bikes
- Global trend well established in Switzerland
- repaircafe.org to find one near you
Popular categories
Furniture and decor
- IKEA second-hand: internal IKEA Family circuit; also on Ricardo, Tutti
- Swiss vintage furniture: USM Haller, Vitra, Wogg — hold value on Ricardo (strong reuse)
- Physical flea markets: best for bulk (moving)
Clothing
- Vinted: super-practical, 0% buyer commission, seller pays 5–7%
- High-end vintage shops: "Mon Trésor" Geneva, "Treasures of Lugano" TI
- Flea markets: Plainpalais (Geneva) every Wednesday/Saturday
Electronics
- Galaxus refurbished: 2-year warranty, quality-checked
- Refurbed: professionally refurbished (smartphones, Macs, etc.)
- Ricardo, Tutti: for PCs, consoles, audio at low prices
Cars
- See dedicated article (AutoScout24, Anibis, Ricardo Auto)
Sports and outdoor
- Decathlon Trade-in: take-back and resale of refurbished sports gear
- Sportneo (Zurich), Sportroom (VD): specialised shops
- Ricardo, Anibis: skis, bikes, hiking gear
Books
- Recyclivre, Momox, Re-Read: online buy/sell
- Libraries: annual sales at very low prices
- Brockenhäuser: books CHF 1–5
Transaction safety
For buyers
- Prefer Twint, verified bank transfer
- Avoid: Western Union, PayPal Friends&Family for large amounts
- In-person meeting for items > CHF 500: public places, witnesses
- Check the item before paying (power-on for electronics)
- Ricardo Care: Ricardo buyer protection (fee)
For sellers
- Receive payment before sending the item
- Detailed honest photos: limits returns and disputes
- Accurate description of any defects
- Tracked shipping: Swiss Post offers registered shipments
Tax aspects
Individuals
- No taxation on occasional sales of personal items
- Beyond a certain volume: possible reclassification as commercial activity
- Criteria: regularity, volume, margin
- Keep purchase receipts (price paid, dates)
Commercial activity (regular resale)
- If you regularly resell with margin: potentially subject to AVS, VAT, income tax
- Fiduciary advice recommended from CHF 10,000/yr turnover
Collaborative economy
Beyond second-hand
- Mobility CarSharing, Publibike: vehicle sharing
- Airbnb, Couchsurfing: lodging
- Pumpipumpe: neighbour sharing (fridge labelling)
- Sharely: peer-to-peer rentals (tools, equipment)
- CookieFolders, neighbourhood: bread, vegetable sharing
Tips
- Start small: try Tutti and Vinted before Ricardo
- Quality photos: key to selling quickly
- Be transparent: describe defects, builds trust
- Brockenhäuser: incredible finds for those who take time to look
- Vinted: excellent for clothing decluttering (now trending "slow fashion")
- Galaxus, Refurbed: better than new for non-critical electronics
- Repair Cafés: try before throwing, free and friendly repair
- For expats: Brockenhäuser are a goldmine for cheap initial setup
