eBay: Interest in used goods continues to grow

The vast majority (88%) of consumers reported reselling in the last year.

Younger consumers are entering the “recommerce” era, with the vast majority of them buying or selling a used item in the last 12 months.

That’s according to eBay’s new Recommerce 2024 report, which shows that 88% of consumers have chosen to use recommerce over the past year. Millennials are the most likely to purchase used goods, with 9% purchasing weekly and 24% purchasing monthly. Gen Z also shows significant monthly engagement, with 21% purchasing used items once a month. The report comes after it was announced by the online marketplace inaugural Recommerce Day

For most recommerce shoppers, the most important motivators are sustainability and affordability. More than six in 10 (64%) shoppers agreed that buying second-hand goods is better for the health of the planet. A similar number (62%) said the main reason for recommerce is to save money.

Other reasons include finding a specific item that is not available new (25%), finding affordable used brands (24%), and finding unique or collectible items (18%).

According to consumers around the world, the five most frequently purchased recommerce categories are clothing (48%), books (34%), footwear (24%), home and garden items (23%), and technology/electronics (22%). While interest in apparel remains strong, eBay found that year-over-year interest in collectibles and hobby goods has increased significantly, particularly among Gen Z (10%) and Millennials (6%).

In addition to increased interest from recommerce buyers, 50% of eBay sellers have seen an increase in used product sales compared to one to five years ago. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of eBay sellers say it has become easier to sell used products on the site in recent years. Nearly eight in 10 sellers worldwide say they have made their name on eBay by selling used goods.

The positive views on recommerce stem from the fact that 88% of surveyed consumers feel happy/optimistic in some areas of their lives, with the three most important being hobbies and interests (53%), personal relationships (49%) and their identity, sense of purpose and values ​​(38%).