62% Will Shop Secondhand This Holiday: Where Resale Fits in Your Product Strategy

Secondhand gifting has moved into the mainstream. According to ThredUp’s 2026 Holiday Resale Report, 62 percent of Americans plan to buy secondhand gifts this holiday season. Those shoppers aren’t spending pocket change on it either. Respondents planning to buy secondhand expect to put an average of 37% of their holiday gift budget toward secondhand items, and that rises to 45% among millennials.

If you sell a physical product, here’s the problem: most of that spending goes to marketplaces, not to the brands that made the goods. A resale strategy that includes a trade-in, refurbished or curated vintage option lets you keep some of that demand.

The Trend Breakdown: Why Secondhand Became a Gift Category

The stigma is fading quickly

A few years ago, a used gift looked like you’d cut corners. That’s changing. CivicScience data shows the share of consumers saying they were not at all likely to buy a secondhand gift fell from 68% in 2022 to 51% in 2026, while the share who are “very likely” to do so more than doubled, from 8% to 17%.

People receiving the gifts don’t seem to mind either. The overwhelming majority (84 percent) would like a gift they already loved the same or more after learning it was secondhand.

It’s about uniqueness, not only price

Saving money still matters, but it isn’t the only reason. 55% of Americans would rather receive a one-of-a-kind, vintage or hard-to-find secondhand gift in excellent condition than a brand-new, mass-produced version. Among millennials, uniqueness ranks first (59 percent vs. 52 percent for value).

That matters for how you price and position. You’re not running a clearance bin. You’re selling something people can’t find on every shelf.

Buyers with money are leading

This isn’t just a budget-shopper habit. Parents (28%), millennials ages 30 to 44 (30%), and high-income shoppers (20%) all lead their peers in likelihood to buy a secondhand holiday gift this year. ThredUp’s own sales point the same way: holiday items sold rose 37% from 2023 to 2025, compared with 22% for the full year.

The Startup Opportunity: Three Ways to Capture Resale Demand

1. A trade-in program that pays in store credit

Customers send back items they no longer use and get credit toward something new. This works well for apparel, outdoor gear, kids’ products and accessories. It also arrives at the right moment: about half (53 percent) have sold or expect to sell items they own to help pay for the holidays.

You don’t need to build the back office yourself. Services like Trove, Archive and ThredUp’s resale-as-a-service handle intake, grading and listing. Treat vendor numbers with some care, but Trove reports that 50 to 65 percent of its resale shoppers are typically new to the brand. That makes trade-in an acquisition channel as well as a loyalty tool.

2. A certified refurbished line

Electronics, small appliances, strollers, tools and premium kitchen gear are all good fits. The selling point is simple:

• Inspected and repaired by people who know the product

• A clear condition grade (for example, “Like New,” “Excellent,” “Good”)

• A real warranty and easy returns

• Packaging that looks good under a tree

  
  

Refurbished done well beats a marketplace listing because you remove the buyer’s biggest worry: “What if it’s broken?”

3. A curated vintage gift edit

This is a service rather than a factory. You source, check, clean and photograph vintage pieces, then sell them as ready-to-give gifts. Think a small gift shop with a clear point of view: vintage watches, designer bags, mid-century barware, first-edition books.

The value you add is curation and trust. Include a short card telling the item’s story and its provenance. That turns “used” into “one of a kind,” which is exactly what buyers say they want.

Sales & Go-to-Market Strategy

Lead with uniqueness, back it up with value

Your headline message shouldn’t be “save 40%.” It should be “a gift no one else will give.” Put the price advantage in the details. That protects your margin and fits what buyers actually care about.

Sell to the people you already have

Your existing customers are your cheapest first market. Email them before mid-November with:

• A trade-in offer tied to holiday gifting (“Trade in last year’s jacket, gift a new one”)

• Early access to refurbished or vintage stock, since one-off items sell out

• Clear shipping cutoff dates for Canada, the US and Europe

  
  

Make trust visible

Condition grades, real photos of the actual item, warranty terms and a gift receipt matter more here than in new retail. In the EU, the legal guarantee generally applies to used goods sold by a business too, though member states may allow a shorter period, so check the rules in each market before you launch.

Adjust by region

• United States: The data above is US-based, and demand is strongest among parents and millennials. Lean into gift guides and partnerships with creators.

• Canada: Shipping costs and delays are a real concern. Local pickup or pop-up trade-in events in a few cities can be a strong advantage.

• Europe: Secondhand platforms like Vinted are already part of daily life, so the idea needs no explaining. Compete on quality control and brand trust, not novelty.

  
  

Start small, then measure

Run a pilot this season with one category and a limited number of items. Track three numbers: share of resale buyers who are new to you, store credit redemption rate and repeat purchase within 90 days. Those tell you whether resale is a side project or a real channel for next year.