Resale is evolving. Today’s online recommerce market, just like the thrift stores and consignment shops that came before it, was driven by shoppers looking for deals to save money. But that has changed as resale becomes more mainstream.
Todd Dunlap, CEO of OfferUp, the mobile resale marketplace, said the company’s recently released Recommerce Report provides a snapshot of how secondhand is showing up in Americans’ lives “and where the market may be headed next.”
“What stands out to me this year is that secondhand is increasingly about more than simply paying less,” the CEO said. “It’s about getting more of what you actually want—and more value from what you already have.”
Dunlap said the report showed that 81 percent of U.S. consumers say buying secondhand “allows them to get what they really want without paying the full retail price.” Dunlap said the desire for secondhand is also extending beyond apparel, as about three-quarters of recommerce spending now includes home goods, electronics, home improvement and sporting goods.
The authors of the report, now in its eighth edition, said economic pressures, including rising costs and tariff concerns, “are making the financial flexibility of recommerce increasingly relevant, while new technology is introducing conveniences—and new questions about trust, authenticity and control.”
The data showed that 90 percent of consumers polled said they’d purchased something secondhand in the past year, while 51 percent said they’d sold something. The report noted that existing shoppers are not slowing down, as 81 percent of those polled said they are spending “as much or more time on online resale platforms than they were a year ago, while 78 percent are buying as many or more secondhand items.”
Looking at non-apparel secondhand, the researchers found that about three-fourths of recommerce spending is on categories outside of clothing, such as furniture, electronics, home improvement and sporting goods, among other segments. “Secondhand is also entering the consideration set for bigger purchases: before buying a physical item costing $100 or more, 44 percent of U.S. shoppers check whether they can find it secondhand first,” the report noted.
The report’s authors also said the secondhand market provides substantial financial flexibility to American households. It operates as a two-way value system where consumers stretch their budgets by buying used items and earn extra income by selling goods they own. A vast majority of U.S. shoppers have items they could resell, with over half estimating their unused belongings are worth at least $500.
Rather than spending these earnings on luxuries, sellers mainly direct these funds toward essential household expenses such as paying bills, building savings, paying down debt or funding entrepreneurial ventures and side hustles.
The report noted that this financial buffer is vital as families navigate persistent economic pressures, inflation, and high living costs. Economic concerns have driven seven in ten Americans to participate in the resale economy over the past year, a trend especially pronounced among Gen Z consumers. Looming concerns over tariff-related price hikes on new goods are steering consumers toward secondhand alternatives.
This makes the resale market an increasingly appealing strategy for managing household budgets during uncertain economic times.
And as the resale landscape grows more digital, consumers are seeking a balance between technological convenience and personal control. Buyers polled said they appreciate practical AI tools that simplify pricing, identification and listing descriptions but reject AI modifications that alter item images, citing a loss of trust.
Privacy remains a priority, especially for Gen Z, who prefer dedicated trading profiles over social selling. Many shoppers still favor local, in-person pickups to avoid misdescribed items and shipping uncertainties. Overall, consumers want a modern, efficient resale experience that upholds authenticity, privacy, and local trust.