Second-hand e-commerce - statistics & facts
Sustainable living has become a trend in recent years in response to rising global concerns regarding Earth’s climate and the environment. From changing diets to adopting a number of different no-waste tactics, second-hand shopping, and in turn, second-hand e-commerce, has become a major part of how people make their everyday purchases. For conscious shoppers, it allows for a more ethical method of consumption, while for others, it may just scratch an itch to own timeless vintage merchandise.
In the United States, online recommerce – inclusive of all categories – is expected to reach over 275 billion U.S. dollars in resale volume by 2028. Up to 33 percent of U.S. consumers used online resale websites in 2023. When it comes to why consumers globally shop second-hand, most users cited saving money as their primary reason to buy more second-hand items. Variety of choices and the uniqueness it offers was also an important driver for many.
With so many options for online resale paired with the trendiness of vintage items sourced through a more affordable and sustainable way to shop, the online second-hand market can only thrive in years to come.
Why throw it away?
Fashion and apparel items make up a large portion of what is being re-sold around the world, with the second-hand apparel market on its own expected to reach over 350 billion U.S. dollars globally by 2028. Beyond apparel, however, another category of pre-owned goods in high demand serves the purpose of entertainment. Books, movies, music and games made up the second-most popular second-hand category among shoppers in China and France.In the United States, online recommerce – inclusive of all categories – is expected to reach over 275 billion U.S. dollars in resale volume by 2028. Up to 33 percent of U.S. consumers used online resale websites in 2023. When it comes to why consumers globally shop second-hand, most users cited saving money as their primary reason to buy more second-hand items. Variety of choices and the uniqueness it offers was also an important driver for many.
Pre-loved platforms
Several channels are used to facilitate online second-hand shopping, with marketplaces serving as the most popular with their ability to stimulate the market for selling second-hand goods on the internet. In Western countries, one of the most notable is the U.S.-headquartered eBay, with a global audience of over 130 million active buyers. Chinese consumers most frequently used Xianyu, otherwise known as Taobao, for their online second-hand purchases. As for primarily mobile platforms, brands like Vinted and Depop remain popular options for the selling and purchasing of second-hand items, and consistently register millions of downloads globally each year.With so many options for online resale paired with the trendiness of vintage items sourced through a more affordable and sustainable way to shop, the online second-hand market can only thrive in years to come.
