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Is the Stigma Around Secondhand Gifting Largely Gone?
While purchasing pre-owned items for yourself to save money has become increasingly accepted, secondhand gifting also continues to trend upward, with both trends similarly driven by younger consumers.
According to a Mintel survey of 2,000 holiday shoppers published in October, nearly half (48%) of winter holiday shoppers are open to shopping for pre-owned gifts this holiday season, up from 40% a year ago. For Gen Z members (18- to 24-year-olds), 68% are likely to shop secondhand this holiday season.
Value was found to be the primary driver of secondhand gifting amid inflationary pressures.
“Discount and secondhand retailers are expected to see continued growth as shoppers look to stretch their dollars farther and look for more affordable ways to shop,” said Brittany Steiger, retail and e-commerce analyst at Mintel, in a statement. “Nostalgia and vintage fashion trends have captivated Gen Z, making pre-owned shopping an ideal format for unique, on-trend finds. Additionally, lower-income shoppers are more likely to shop secondhand, looking to pre-owned items as a way to save money.”
A survey of 1,500 U.S. adults from used goods marketplace OfferUp found 75% of respondents open to giving and 82% open to receiving secondhand holiday gifts — both metrics up 11% since 2022.
Similar to the Mintel survey, affordability remained a prime motivator, with the top reasons for buying secondhand holiday gifts being to get a good deal (58%), to avoid higher retail prices (52%), and to help stay within their holiday spending budget (43%). Among respondents, 46% agreed that retail prices for the gifts they want to purchase this year are notably higher than years prior.
OfferUp’s survey also found 67% of shoppers believing the stigma around secondhand gifting has lessened, aligning with broader findings around secondhand shopping as a whole.
The primary reasons the stigma around secondhand holiday gifting has lessened were:
- More affordable options compared to buying new items (52%)
- Increased availability and variety of secondhand items (49%)
- Positive experiences shared by friends or family members (48%)
The global secondhand apparel market is expected to nearly double by 2027, from $177 billion in 2022 to $351 billion in 2027, fueled largely by consumers seeking value, according to ThredUp’s 2023 Resale Report.
Mercari’s 2023 Reuse Report found the top reason to shop resale was saving money, cited by 71.9% of survey respondents, followed by finding vintage items (34.3%), looking for something unavailable elsewhere (28.3%), discovering new items like a treasure hunt (25.8%), and reducing environmental impact (21.1%).
Discussion Questions
Is value by far the primary driver of the increasing comfort with secondhand gifting? What qualms do you still have about receiving a pre-owned gift? Is the trend more positive than negative for mainstream retail?
Poll
Loading …BrainTrust
Jeff Sward
Founding Partner, Merchandising Metrics
Patricia Vekich Waldron
Contributing Editor, RetailWire; Founder and CEO, Vision First
Over the past five or so years, secondhand has become a more mainstream part of retail and a bigger part of people’s lives. As such, it is not surprising that some of the stigma around secondhand gifting has dissipated. This is aided by the fact that there are lot of high quality secondhand items available, including in luxury. Secondhand can provide a cheaper and sometimes more unique gifting experience. That said, context is everything: the appropriateness of secondhand gifting depends on the category, the giver, and the recipient. There are still some instances when secondhand is awkward of inappropriate.
People are increasingly choosing second-hand gifts for several good reasons given environmental impact and reduced cost. Plus, there’s something really cool about giving a unique or vintage item that you just can’t find new (especially for me when it comes to 80s vintage stuff). Sure, I’d guess there’s still a bit of a stigma about giving something that’s been pre-owned among some people (and, of course in some situations it isn’t appropriate). But, generally, I think many people are seeing second-hand gifts as a thoughtful and sustainable choice.
“Value” has many meanings. In the case of second-hand gift giving, I contend that it has more to do with uniqueness, specialness, and meaning to the recipient than with just saving money. In fact, the ideal gift for my 19-year-old granddaughter could be something that came from a second-hand store, right in her fashion wheelhouse.
One look at the incredible waste amount of waste created by discarded apparel makes this survey feel like very good news to me, even if reducing environmental impact ranks low among consumers’ motivations for secondhand gifting. The “stigma” of ever-worsening climate disasters is far more meaningful than the “stigma” of secondhand gifts, and as more and more luxury retailers embrace reselling (see Coach Reloved for an example of reselling done very, very well: https://www.coach.com/shop/coach-reloved ), I believe – and hope – the stigma will continue to dissipate at all levels of retail.
If thrifted items are valued by the person receiving the gift, fine, but unless it is something that is one of a kind, or truly unique, I don’t think secondhand gifts are always appropriate. The category is growing but it has not reached absolute acceptance yet.
The value equation in secondhand gifting may provide access to better brands that would otherwise be unavailable at regular prices. Secondhand gifting could be a great way to introduce someone to a better brand that would otherwise be out of reach. So better and premium brands have an opportunity here. Gifting of ordinary ‘used stuff’ might not be so warmly received.
Know your audience. For some, secondhand/upcycled items are an acknowledgment of their values so would greatly appreciate it. For others, not so much.
Second-hand shopping is a great way to find vintage, unique, and lightly used higher-end brands at a lower-than-retail cost. Most Millennials who are socially conscious may prefer recommerced merchandise, but ultimately the gift must suit the per for whom it is purchased.
Secondhand gifting carries less stigma today as consumers with stretched budgets seek value, regardless of category or price point. Care and consideration of the recipient’s perception must come into play. While the recipient will assuredly feel the love behind the gift, some may respond poorly to its preowned nature.
we still get upset if we find out that a gift we gave someone was regifted. Maybe it’s just us…
As long as the pre-owned gift can be returned, no stigma. How about regifting–that works too as long as you don’t regift to the person who gave it to you in the first place..
Inflation and economic uncertainty aside, consumers have been engaging more with secondhand marketplaces and brands in recent years in an effort to be more sustainable. This is especially true for Millennials and Gen Z. As more consumers try to be mindful of not only their spending, as the article notes, but sustainability, it’s also become more acceptable to gift items secondhand as a way to decrease waste and be more eco-friendly with shopping habits. Why throw away a perfectly good product that might simply not fit your needs anymore but is perfect for someone else you know?
The thing to be careful about here is not to make secondhand gifting so “trendy” that it, too, becomes wasteful, detracting from its purpose. Instead, brands need to consider tactics such as offering discounts for returned, open-box products in perfect or gently used condition that help incentivize the consumer audience already potentially considering that purchasing decision. It makes it feel more like a win for everyone, getting the returned product off your hands while helping the consumer feel like they made a small difference and saved a few bucks in the process.
Value is certainly a significant driver because of the option to give or receive high-end items at a lower price. This is especially true as people perceive some products to be better “worn” than brand new. Overall, consumers are recognizing the quality and uniqueness of pre-owned items in a meaningful way. This isn’t the case for everyone, but the trend is more positive than negative, aligning with the growing interest in sustainable and eco-friendly practices.