Preloved apps in the UAE

Preloved fever is everywhere - so, naturally, there's no dearth of related apps across the emirates either. From baby items to designer wear and even textbooks, these (very useful) picks can help you close deals at great prices and without hassle. Buying and selling is a right breeze!

Toy Souk UAE
Tired of your kids' old toys and gear taking up valuable closet space? Kids sure seem to outgrow their playthings and clothes far too quickly, but this app lets you turn all those unused items into cash. You can shop for stuff from across the emirates, use pictures or short videos to create your ad, and search for specific items by keyword or hashtag. The built-in chat messenger means you don't need to deal with unwanted emails or phone calls anymore. And the three-day money-back guarantee makes this app a sure win.

The Luxury Closet
No longer do you have to be the picture of despondency, staring through windows at your favourite luxury brands. The Luxury Closet is where you can buy your Louis Vuitton, Chanel and Gucci objects of desire at discounts of up to 70 per cent. The best bit? Their lifetime authenticity guarantee - which means a full refund in case the item received proves to be inauthentic in any way.

Bookswap Edu
Developed by AUS student Khashayar Nikravesh, the idea was to make the lives of university students easier by providing a platform to exchange old academic textbooks. Simply select your university from a drop-down list, choose a course, enter the title you seek and search! You'll only need to create an account if you wish to post an ad. Direct in-app messaging eliminates the extra calls, and you can set up alerts for books you've posted about.

Melltoo Marketplace
Based in Dubai but available worldwide, this app allows for the sale and purchase of everything from preloved cars and electronics to clothing and homeware. Vet buyers/sellers by checking out their profiles, and post ads in less than 30 seconds. Melltoo will even sell your product for you, for a premium. And you can earn up to Dh500 for all in-app purchases by simply referring friends.

• Zapped by Apps