Two Edinburgh-area children's resale events offer a different way to shop before Christmas
With Christmas shopping approaching, two children's nearly-new sales in and around Edinburgh are giving families another reason to look beyond brand-new presents. Kidora, a UK parent-to-parent marketplace for baby and children's items, is encouraging parents to compare good-quality preloved and unused options before committing to full retail prices.
The Little Children's Market lists a baby and children's nearly-new sale at Queen Margaret University in Musselburgh for Sunday 25 October, starting at 11.30am. The event is an opportunity for families to browse children's belongings in person, although stock and individual prices will depend on what sellers bring. Visitors should check the organiser's latest admission and event information before travelling.
A few weeks later, the community-run Polwarth Pre-Loved Sale returns to Polwarth Parish Church on Saturday 14 November, from 11am to 1pm. Its organisers say their twice-yearly sales typically bring together around 6,000 items, from children's clothes and books to toys, bikes and baby equipment. Items are sorted into departments and age groups rather than displayed at individual sellers' stalls, making it easier to search for a particular size or type of item.
Entry at Polwarth is by donation, with £2 suggested for adults and children admitted free. The organisers say remaining profits, after sellers are paid and costs are covered, support local children's charities. Their published information also advises that the event can be busy and that buyers should examine items carefully because purchases are sold as seen.
For parents, the useful lesson is to shop to a list. A winter coat in the next size, a complete puzzle, a favourite series of children's books or a well-maintained scooter might be more valuable than an impulse purchase. Christmas gifts do not always need sealed packaging to be appreciated, although it is worth checking condition, completeness and age suitability.
Families who cannot attend a sale can also browse listings from other parents through Kidora's iPhone and Android apps. The marketplace offers preloved and sometimes genuinely unused baby and children's items, including gifts that were never needed. Some listings are completely free, but these are for local collection only and availability varies by area. For priced items, collection or delivery depends on the individual listing and supported destination, and the applicable buyer fee, including Buyer Protection, is shown before payment.
Buyers should examine descriptions and photographs, ask about wear or missing parts and check for any product recalls. Particular caution is needed with car seats and other safety-critical baby equipment where the history cannot be verified.
Parents with duplicate presents or outgrown belongings can list them on Kidora without seller fees. Its AI-assisted listing feature suggests item details from a photograph, leaving the parent to review the description and set the price. The platform was founded by North Wales mum-of-two Karolina Gudes.
Kidora is independent of both Edinburgh-area sale organisers. Together, the events and online resale options show how a thoughtful Christmas budget can leave room for useful presents without every purchase having to be new.