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Second-hand consumption as a lifestyle choice
[conference paper]
Corporate Editor
Kompetenzzentrum Verbraucherforschung NRW
Verbraucherzentrale Nordrhein-Westfalen e.V.
Abstract In the past 40 years there has been an increase in second-hand consumption among consumers (Guiot and Roux 2010), since the ‘shame and stigma associated with second-hand consumption’ disappeared and second-hand goods became ‘cool’ and ‘stylish’ (Franklin 2011, 156). In Germany, for example, the turn... view more
In the past 40 years there has been an increase in second-hand consumption among consumers (Guiot and Roux 2010), since the ‘shame and stigma associated with second-hand consumption’ disappeared and second-hand goods became ‘cool’ and ‘stylish’ (Franklin 2011, 156). In Germany, for example, the turnover of goods sold in second-hand retail outlets is expected to increase from €1.902 mio in 2012 to €2.198 mio in 2020 (Statista n.d.). Second-hand consumption is a niche form of consumption and therefore does not correspond to the norm (Crewe and Gregson 2003; Williams and Paddock 2003). Second-hand goods can be distinguished from new goods because they are pre-used and pre-owned (Luchs et al. 2011). They are usually less expensive than new products and have some traces of wear-and-tear (Estelami and Raymundo 2012). Several forms of second-hand consumption exist. These range from ‘car boot sales, charity shops, auctions, online auctions, seller websites, vintage and other second-hand shops, nearly new sales to bric-a-brac stalls run by charities or non-profit community organisations such as churches and schools’ (Waight 2013a, 299). Although these places for second-hand exchange are shaped by both buyers and sellers (Gregson and Crewe 2003, 3), the professionalisation of second-hand charity shops has taken place recently. In particular, professional online platforms such as Ubup have revolutionised the second-hand market. Ubup is a second-hand retailer that buys second-hand clothes, and then checks, photographs and labels the clothes online for a professional customer experience, just as in a regular online shop for new clothes (Ubup, n.d). Second-hand shops of all forms are increasingly attempting to copy traditional retail practices (Gregson and Crewe 2003, 75).... view less
Keywords
consumption; used merchandise; life style; consumption behavior; environmental consciousness; motivation; buying behavior; Federal Republic of Germany
Classification
Sociology of Economics
Free Keywords
Second-Hand-Markt
Collection Title
The 21st Century Consumer: Vulnerable, Responsible, Transparent? ; Proceedings of the International Conference on Consumer Research (ICCR) 2016
Editor
Bala, Christian; Schuldzinski, Wolfgang
Conference
2. International Conference on Consumer Research (ICCR). Bonn, 2016
Document language
English
Publication Year
2017
City
Düsseldorf
Page/Pages
p. 189-207
ISBN
978-3-86336-917-0
Status
Published Version; reviewed