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The stigma around secondhand gifting is fading away

November 14, 2022Written by Tom Ryan

Photo: ThredUP

With inflation top of mind for many, surveys show consumers are more eager to buy secondhand items as holiday gifts this year to save money. Deloitte’s “2022 Holiday Retail Survey” found that 32 percent of holiday gifters plan to buy resale items, up from 30 percent in 2021. The top reasons were:

To save money overall — 64 percent against 55 percent last year;
To afford something that's a little nicer — 49 percent versus 38 percent;
To be ethical — 43 percent against 42 percent;
To try different types of products — 37 percent against 28 percent.

Among surveyed retail execs, 48 planned to sell refurbished or used products this holiday season. ThredUP’s “Thrift for the Holidays” report found that nearly half of consumers are considering gifting secondhand items this holiday season. The top reasons: searching for savings, 56 percent; wanting to shop more sustainably, 54 percent; and wanting to give a gift that's unique, 34 percent. Other factors included 52 percent expressing concerns about the rising prices of popular gifts and one-third believing limited inventory will make it difficult to find gifts. A majority, 62 percent, felt buying secondhand apparel/fashion gifts is more socially acceptable now than five years ago, and two-thirds (72 percent of Gen-Z) were open to receiving a secondhand gift. A survey from OfferUp, the mobile resale marketplace, found the biggest driving factor in consumer’s willingness to purchase pre-owned holiday gifts was inflation, cited by 51 percent; followed by the need to find out-of-stock gifts, 29 percent; avoiding shipping delays, 27 percent; and avoiding the stress of in-store shopping, 26 percent. Three-quarters were more open to gifting pre-owned items, while 82 percent were more open to receiving pre-owned gifts. Among retailers expanding resale options is Amazon.com, which in October announced a partnership with reseller What Goes Around Comes Around to bring pre-owned handbags from Louis Vuitton, Chanel, Hermès and other fashion houses to the site. Amazon Fashion president Muge Erdirik Dogan told WWD, “We are excited to bring Amazon’s joyful shopping experience, convenience, and fast shipping to pre-loved luxury product shopping.”

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