Secondhand September began like most social movements do: with a marketing-friendly pledge to take better care of the planet. But now, it’s a mirror reflecting our contradictory behaviors and our innate desire to be seen as smarter and more stylish than everyone else. 

Launched by UK charity organization Oxfam in 2019, Secondhand September challenged consumers to commit to shopping only second-hand goods for 30 days. Fifty thousand people signed the first call to action, demonstrating to merchants that they wanted to reclaim control over how, where, and why they shopped. And if merchants wanted to resonate with what industry pundits called “the new values-driven consumer,” resale would be a critical entry point.

But the narrative has changed. Indeed, the US resale market has grown and will only continue to grow: ThredUp research indicates that the US resale market will reach $56 billion by the end of the year, and the global market is projected to expand to $367 billion by 2029.

Beneath the data, however, lies a more complex story that extends beyond consumers simply wanting to “do good.”

Make no mistake, the heart of second-hand shopping is still very much beating. After all, who doesn’t want to feel like they’ve helped tackle the fashion industry’s growing waste problem, which will amount to 138 billion unworn pieces of clothing by 2025? Positive intentions still matter, but for millions, secondhand shopping is less about moral virtue and more a practical strategy. To them, buying pre-loved goods is smart, savvy, and increasingly, a way to convey taste. 

A new status game is forming, where thriftiness conveys one’s ability to curate, spot hidden treasures, and revel in all that is unique. 

The Dollars and Cents of Resale

Several research reports this year have confirmed that secondhand shopping is now the norm. A staggering 93% of consumers purchased a secondhand item over the past year, according to OfferUp.

A major reason for this surge comes down to dollars and cents. Nearly seven in ten shoppers (69%) reported turning to secondhand shopping when the economy felt uncertain, while another 79% stated that they buy used goods to save money or offset rising costs. In response to these shifts, Placer.ai has noted that visits to thrift stores have increased by 39.5% in Q2 2025 compared to the same period in 2019. Year over year, visits increased 7.9% for Q2 2025, while average visits per location increased 7.2%. 

Online destinations like eBay, Poshmark, Depop, and ThredUp make secondhand shopping as seamless and personalized as branded eCommerce sites. Some brands have even tapped platforms like Archive and ThredUp to offer the same benefits while maintaining control over the experience. Patagonia, Lululemon, Madewell, and Nike are among the growing list of brands offering refurbished and pre-loved goods at a fraction of the price. They’re also promoting incentive programs that encourage consumers to donate unwanted items in exchange for a future discount or gift card. 

With most (if not all) consumers attempting to cut down on discretionary spending, the optics of secondhand shopping have changed. Up to 70% of consumers believe that the stigma surrounding secondhand shopping has decreased in the past year, and as a result, they’re not only shopping secondhand for themselves, but also for others.

A New Holiday Custom Starts in the Thrift Store

Ecommerce has made holiday shopping a practice in efficiency, yet resale is helping some consumers keep the seasonal magic alive. Rather than participating in a mass add-to-cart exercise on Thanksgiving weekend, some consumers are venturing to thrift stores and consignment shops (both online and IRL) to find meaningful gifts that speak to their loved one’s unique likes and interests.

Salesforce predicts that the US resale market will reach $64 billion in holiday sales, with nearly half of consumers (47%) indicating that they may purchase secondhand gifts for others this year. Unsurprisingly, Gen Z is driving this trend forward. 

Saving money is naturally the biggest draw of resale shopping during the holidays (73%), but consumers also appreciate having access to a broader range of items (33%), including premium brands (18%) that they wouldn’t otherwise be able to buy. 

Arguably, access is the hidden influencer driving the continued growth and evolution of resale. Physical thrift stores are built for the treasure-hunt experience we all crave, offering the dopamine rush of finding the perfect item that we didn’t even know we needed. And if that item happens to be a coveted vintage good or has a designer label? Well, that rush only intensifies. And now that these treasure hunts are being moved online, brands have the power to make their resale experiences more engaging, more memorable, and even more accessible. 

The New Origin of Taste 

In addition to access, resale sites and thrift stores are giving consumers the power to tap into something that’s even more coveted in today’s retail landscape: validation of taste. 

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Resale has redrawn the boundaries of value. What once signaled moral virtue now communicates taste, access, and discernment. The “new value” lives at the intersection of ethical signal and aesthetic value, where buying secondhand isn’t a sacrifice, but a flex. The New Value Map (above) charts how consumers and platforms alike perform thrift as intelligence and style as economy, revealing how resale has turned virtue into taste, and taste into belonging.

Considering the abundance of access we now have to fashion and couture, it’s no wonder that it is having unintended secondary and tertiary impacts on culture. An observable “flattening” of culture has led to a subsequent flattening of fashion. Stylists and fashion influencers who once had distinct points of view are now dressing themselves in the same color palettes, silhouettes, and hashtag-able trends. We’re even seeing a pushback against the “Millennial beige” movement in home design, with social media creators proudly proclaiming they’re “recovering beige Millennials” as they transform their minimalist spaces into bright, bold-patterned havens that include a vibrant mix of thrifted trinkets.

Increasingly, consumers are rebelling against the erosion of physical expression that has been largely monetized and regurgitated through social platforms. And somewhat ironically, they’re using platforms like Pinterest to rediscover and share their newfound (or re-found) taste. 

In its latest Autumn Trend Report, Pinterest found that searches for “dream thrift finds” increased by 550% among Gen Z consumers, while searches for “vintage autumn aesthetic” rose by 1,074%. The platform noted similar increases among phrases like “secondhand kitchens” (1,012%) and “secondhand decor” (283%), confirming that resale is more than a fashion moment. It’s a lifestyle movement. Of course, the platform has seized the opportunity by launching Thrift Shop, which will allow visitors to buy secondhand items directly on the platform. 

However, among all the possible sources driving resale forward, eBay has arguably made some of the most significant and expensive moves. In addition to being a key sponsor for the Met Gala, eBay played a major role in fashion month this past September, essentially reframing the broader perception of resale as a way to access all that is coveted, high-end, and luxurious. 

Its Endless Runway Show featured secondhand apparel and accessories from designers like Marc Jacobs, Thom Browne, and Kid Super, all of which were later shoppable via a livestreaming event hosted by the company. This was just one part of a larger global campaign designed to make a “bold statement about the power of pre-loved and the relevance of circularity.” 

For consumers today, resale offers a platform for creativity and individuality. Sustainability just happens to be an increasingly critical byproduct of its value. 

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