Five Reasons Consumers Love Re-Commerce
According to a 2021 study by First Insight, 84% of consumers purchased secondhand through re-commerce platforms — a 42% increase compared to 2019. In addition, 83% said that they will continue to purchase secondhand — a nearly 5x increase compared to 2019. Today we’ll take a closer look at five reasons that explain why consumers have embraced secondhand so enthusiastically recently.
1. Save Money
Who doesn’t want to save money? Unfortunately, the desire to meet the demand for low-cost clothing is what gave rise to fast fashion and the environmental tragedy that we now face. Thankfully, re-commerce offers a better alternative. Buying secondhand provides a way to buy clothes in great condition for substantially less than buying them new and avoid the environmental consequences associated with fast fashion.
2. Reduce Waste
A 2022 study by McKinsey & Company found that of the 510,000–530,000 tons of clothing purchased in California in 2020, 500,000 tons will eventually end up in landfills. This is but one example of the waste generated by our consumption habits. For those consumers who have become aware of their personal contributions to this tragic statistic, re-commerce offers an alternative to throwing clothes away.
3. Save Resources
According to Forbes, it takes more than 5,000 gallons of water to manufacture one T-shirt and one pair of jeans. In fact, the fashion industry is responsible for 20% of the waste water generated globally each year according to the BBC. Buying that T-shirt or pair of jeans secondhand instead would save a significant amount of resources, including water, textiles, and energy.
4. Thrill of the Hunt
Shopping is fun. The scarcity that is naturally built into re-commerce makes shopping even more exciting. Shopping secondhand provides the opportunity to rediscover vintage looks, find rare items, and experiment with new designers. Re-commerce also naturally lends itself to social interactions as shoppers showcase their finds and encourage new shoppers to try secondhand themselves.
5. Make Money
Re-commerce is not just about the shoppers though. There is a very strong incentive for sellers to participate as well — money. According to First Insight, 39% of consumers sold items through re-commerce platforms in 2021. Selling clothes can be a lucrative business when we consider that the aggregate value of the clothes that are discarded each year is estimated to be $500B according to the UN!
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