top of page
Writer's pictureInsightTrendsWorld

Insight of the Day: Why Gen Z is shopping to resell luxury brands

Findings

  1. Gen Z is leading the "shopping to sell" trend in luxury fashion, treating resale shopping as a sport.

  2. Inflationary pressures have heightened the appeal of buying and reselling luxury items for profit.

  3. Gen Z resells items faster than any other demographic, with a 50% increase in reselling on platforms like The RealReal in the first half of 2022.

  4. Popular brands include Prada, Reformation, Balenciaga, and Cartier, with breezier styles like mini-skirts gaining traction.

  5. Celebrity promotions, such as those with Kim Kardashian and Justin Bieber, elevate brand appeal and influence purchase decisions.

Key Takeaway

Gen Z is transforming luxury shopping into an entrepreneurial activity, leveraging resale platforms and brand popularity to capitalize on market demand for secondhand luxury.

Trend

Resale luxury shopping is evolving into a profit-driven activity, with younger consumers adopting a quick turnaround approach to luxury goods.

Consumer Motivation

  1. Profit Opportunity: Capitalizing on rising resale values for popular luxury brands.

  2. Affordability: Accessing luxury goods in a cost-effective way through resale.

  3. Status Symbol: Participating in the luxury market and maintaining a stylish image.

What is Driving the Trend

  1. Inflation and economic pressures.

  2. Growing awareness of the value of secondhand luxury.

  3. Social media influence and celebrity endorsements boosting brand desirability.

  4. Increased accessibility of resale platforms like The RealReal.

Who Are the People Referred to in the Article

  • Demographic: Gen Z consumers aged 25 and under.

  • Behavior: They prioritize quick reselling, trendy styles, and high-demand luxury brands.

Description of Product or Service

  1. Luxury Fashion: Prada, Balenciaga, and Reformation lead the resale market.

  2. Jewelry: High-demand brands include Cartier.

  3. Styles: Preference for breezier, trend-driven items like mini-skirts.

Age

Primarily 16–25-year-olds, forming the core of Gen Z luxury resale shoppers.

Conclusions

Gen Z's innovative approach to luxury shopping is redefining the secondhand market, combining entrepreneurship with personal style and status.

Implications for Brands

  1. Engage in Resale Platforms: Collaborate with secondhand marketplaces to capture the resale audience.

  2. Target Trends: Focus on releasing items with high resale potential.

  3. Leverage Celebrity Influence: Partner with influencers to enhance brand desirability.

Implications for Society

  1. Increased awareness of secondhand luxury as a sustainable shopping model.

  2. Shift in luxury perception from ownership to fluid, transactional relationships.

Implications for Consumers

  1. Affordability: Opportunities to own luxury goods at lower entry prices.

  2. Profitability: A chance to turn personal style into a revenue stream.

Implications for Future

The growing trend of resale shopping may push luxury brands to innovate around sustainability, direct resale partnerships, and tailored collections for high turnover.

Consumer Trend

Resale-driven luxury shopping as an entrepreneurial and affordable entry into the luxury market.

Consumer Sub-Trend

Preference for trendy, breezier styles and quick reselling to maximize profits.

Big Social Trend

Sustainable consumption through the growing acceptance of secondhand luxury.

Local Trend

Regional influences shaped by access to resale platforms and brand popularity.

Worldwide Social Trend

Global rise in secondhand luxury markets driven by Gen Z’s shift toward sustainable and accessible luxury.

Name of the Big Trend Implied by Article

"Resale Revolution in Luxury"

Name of Big Social Trend Implied by Article

"Entrepreneurial Luxury Consumption"

Social Drive

The intersection of affordability, profit-making, and status-driven shopping habits.

Learnings for Companies to Use in 2025

  1. Partner with resale platforms to control and benefit from secondhand transactions.

  2. Invest in trend forecasting to design products that align with Gen Z’s aesthetic and resell potential.

  3. Promote circular fashion initiatives to appeal to sustainability-conscious buyers.

Strategy Recommendations for Companies to Follow in 2025

  1. Collaborate with Resale Platforms: Partner with platforms like The RealReal to streamline brand presence in the resale market.

  2. Design for Resale: Create limited-edition, highly desirable items to boost resale demand.

  3. Influencer Marketing: Leverage celebrity and social media influence to drive initial sales and subsequent resale value.

  4. Emphasize Sustainability: Highlight eco-friendly aspects of resale shopping and luxury goods to appeal to Gen Z’s values.

Final Sentence (Key Concept):

Gen Z is reshaping the luxury market through a resale revolution that prioritizes sustainability, profit, and status, challenging brands to innovate and adapt to this dynamic consumer behavior.

What Brands & Companies Should Do in 2025

  1. Focus Areas:

    • Embrace the resale economy by partnering with platforms.

    • Design products with high resale appeal and cultural relevance.

    • Use targeted marketing to resonate with Gen Z’s entrepreneurial spirit.

  2. Execution:

    • Build direct resale partnerships and promote circular fashion.

    • Introduce exclusive collections tailored to social media-driven trends.

    • Strengthen brand visibility through collaborations with influencers and resale channels.

Comments


bottom of page