9 Resale Industry Trends to Watch in 2026
Samuel Dickison
Intro
It’s 2026. Robots are delivering food, your glasses can talk to you, and the secondhand industry has never been bigger. As we near the end of the first quarter, we wanted to step back and see how things are shaping up. And without giving away the ending, we can say the future looks bright for store owners who are willing to adapt to new technology while holding fast to the ancient principles that drive loyalty and community.
We’ll break our analysis of this year’s industry trends down into two main categories: the market, where we look at overall direction and the upcoming Gen Z audience, and the technology, where we look at sales channels, tools, and what it will take to be competitive in this brave new world.
And before you ask, yes, we’ll talk about AI. (SPOILER: AI isn’t as big a deal as you might think. Not yet anyways.)
Where are we headed? Let’s find out.
The Market
The Secondhand Market Is Bigger Than Ever
The big news is that the U.S. secondhand market is the biggest it’s ever been and is currently worth around $61 billion—up 8.2% from 2025. Almost a third of apparel purchases are secondhand. And, going back less than ten years, the resale industry has grown by a whopping 650% since 2018. Traditional donation-based thrifting has grown by nearly 40% in that same period.
That’s a massive market, especially considering that the majority of the stores involved are small, independent operations (over 65% of stores have fewer than 10 employees). And while those numbers are pretty impressive, the underlying factors indicate that we’re still on the uphill slope for growth. Note: in this article we’ll often group resale and consignment together for purposes of a larger analysis. You can learn more about the difference here.
Gen Z Loves Buying Secondhand
Gen Z-ers (roughly those between 14 and 30 in 2026), are by far the biggest movers and shakers when it comes to the secondhand and resale market. Over 80% of Gen Z shoppers thrift (we’re using “thrift” broadly here to mean “shop for items that have already been sold once”). And over 60% of them search for a used item before searching for it new. That means that for a whole generation of shoppers, buying resale is the first choice.
There are of course many factors that go into this, but here are a few that stood out to us:
Although Gen Z spends less overall than other generations, around 70% of Gen Z shoppers described thrifting as ‘self-care’, meaning there’s more motivating their decision than simple price consciousness.
Although the online resale industry has grown steadily, 61% of Gen-Zers (aka Zoomers) prefer discovering products in-store. Part of this is a hybrid form of live shopping (which we’ll get to later).
Around a third of Zoomers treat secondhand shopping as a social activity, a natural correlation to their preference for brick and mortar and their emphasis on the therapeutic aspect of buying used.
If there’s one piece of advice we’d give to store owners about this key demographic, it’s to understand that Zoomers are actively choosing thrift, consignment, and resale over buying new and are hungry for a good in-store experience.
Resale is Insulated from Supply Chain Pressure
Although it’s nothing like the havoc wreaked during the Covid years, tariffs are having a big impact on the supply chain when it comes to new products that rely on overseas imports. Apparel and shoes prices are projected to increase significantly. And while there are definitely ripple effects everywhere, secondhand shopping is more protected than most industries when it comes to price increase.
Goodwill’s network is 50% bigger than it was before 2020, and as their CEO points out, there’s no longer a real stigma about shopping there. Combine that with the fact that there’s no import penalty on used clothes, and you have a recipe for even more energy directed towards secondhand shopping.
But an even bigger consequence of supply chain complications—thrown into stark relief by Covid and now exacerbated by tariffs—is how companies themselves are pivoting.
What does this mean for consignment store owners? The competition is about to get bigger.
Major Brands Are Joining the Fray
The common perception (even if it’s not entirely accurate) is that fashion trends start at the top and trickle down. Big fashion labels, celebrities, and influencers find new ways to push the envelope, and a few months later you see the result on your local shelves.
But with this next trend, consignment and secondhand stores get the satisfaction of knowing they blazed the trail. Major brands are testing the winds of data and joining in the fray. In 2025 the luxury resale market reached over $50 billion, making it the third largest sales channel for brands after brand store and online shopping. Across the board, big retail players are realizing the potential of this industry and making moves.
One canary is the fact that ebay now participates in Fashion Week: Milan and your grandmother’s attic have never been closer. Ebay also recently acquired the fashion resale platform Depop for $1.2 billion, adding more horsepower to High Thrift.
Brands like Rolex, Ralph Lauren, and Coach are all putting more effort into their own in-house resale platforms, and even mid-tier retailers like Land’s End are now partnering with resale-as-a-service providers to get in on the action.
For some companies, like Rolex, resale is a way to maintain the mystique of the brand on the secondhand market. For others, like Patagonia, it’s an ethical choice that also aligns with where consumers are headed. But for independent consignors the bottom line is this: you’re now competing with the big dogs.
Niche Knowledge Beats Brand Loyalty
Another possible factor in retail and luxury brands working to keep resale in-house is the fact that brand loyalty overall is in decline. It used to be that a label was enough to sway a buyer; now, there’s more at play.
The majority of Gen Z-ers, 77% to be precise, are open to trying new brands. And it’s not just that brands have less magnetism, it’s that trends and influencers have more. Almost half of Gen Z shoppers bought something primarily because of a social media trend, and far more than half (65%) described themselves as product loyal over brand loyal.
For consignment shop owners, this is good news. Gone are the days when having a particular logo on your window guaranteed a repeat crowd. Instead, loyalty is up for grabs. The likely winners will be those who know what’s trending, have a niche-level knowledge of particular categories (think handbags, china, windsurfing gear), and are able to source quality products from a variety of brands.
The Technology
Live Shopping Is a Major New Sales Channel
Kids these days are, well, kids (we’re using the term very loosely, but you get it). Which means they’re always looking for new ways to do old tasks. Enter: live shopping and selling—the phenomenon in which businesses and buyers stream their sport in real time. Ever wanted to shop with someone (looking at you Gen Z-ers) from the comfort of your couch? Now you can.
According to Whatnot, the live shopping industry reached $22 billion in 2025 across the US and Europe. For those keeping score, the US resale market was $56 billion that same year, with the US and Europe combined clocking in at around $90 billion. Whichever way you slice it, live shopping is a significant portion of that revenue.
And it’s not just engaging treasure hunters unearthing rare finds that drives that number (because, honestly, that sounds pretty entertaining); Whatnot sellers, who represent about 60% of the market, drove over $8 billion in sales on their end. And sellers who went live 3-4 times a week averaged $13,000/month in revenue.
For consignment store owners there’s a clear takeaway: firing up your phone and going live has the potential to be a major new sales channel.
Social Commerce Is Booming
While online marketing and social ads are nothing new, social commerce—selling products directly within media platforms—is only a few years old. And it’s booming.
We’ll use TikTok as a prime example. TikTok Shop launched in September of 2023 and by the end of 2024 had grown 407%. It grew another 108% last year and is on pace to control almost a quarter of the social commerce market by 2027.
Once again, Gen Z-ers are leading the charge, with over half of them using social media to make a purchase last year. Given what we’ve already learned, the reasons should be obvious:
Social commerce relies on influencers, community, and trend over brand.
Social commerce is the natural precursor to live shopping, decreasing the space between entertainment and purchase.
When asked why he robbed banks, the outlaw Willie Sutton famously replied, “Because that’s where the money is.” Consignor shop owners take note: social platforms are where the sales are—$100 billion of them.
Authenticity is Becoming a Competitive Advantage
One effect of AI is that every industry, resale included, is now under increased pressure to verify. That kitten surfing a huge wave? Probably not real. That vintage Burberry scarf? Well… that’s more difficult. But the EU already has legislation on track for 2027 that will require digital IDs for products.
While this will likely impact the luxury market much more than the resale and secondhand industry at large, we think it’s still a trend worth noting. Even if it’s Rolex watches and Chanel bags that have to lead the charge, provenance and verification will become essentials for ecommerce sooner or later.
We promised at the start we’d talk about AI and here’s our biggest takeaway: while AI has made analysis, tool creation, and forecasting more accessible than ever, one of the most immediate effects is that buyers now place a premium on authenticity. Whether that’s achieved via a digital passport or the old fashioned way, by holding an item in your hands, sellers that can build trust with their customers will have a corner on the market.
Everyone is a Data Nerd Now
A parallel effect to the AI explosion and the proliferation of new technology is that data (so much data!) is now accessible to everyone. More tools than ever, including ConsignCloud, offer detailed reporting and analysis. Business owners need never again approach a spreadsheet with nervous butterflies.
While the accuracy, quality, and thoroughness of your data is still critical—and still depends on well-built tools—the number of people now running numbers as a standard part of their operation has never been higher. If you’re not making informed decisions, know that your competition most certainly is.
Of course, for consignment shop owners, we see this not as cause for alarm but as a golden opportunity. These days there’s no need to hire a team from MIT if you want to compete. Just fire up your phone: you have more information in your pocket than your grandfather could have dreamed of.
Key Takeaways
The secondhand market is big and growing bigger ($61 billion and climbing).
Gen Z loves to buy resale (and they're hungry for great in-store experiences).
Resale is more insulated from supply chain pressures (no import penalties on used goods).
Major brands are joining the fray.
Brand loyalty is less important than it used to be.
Live shopping is a big opportunity.
Social commerce is a massive new sales channel ($100 billion and growing fast).
Start thinking now about how to establish authenticity.
Data is your (always available) friend.
Conclusion
There’s an optical illusion in business that new tools will fundamentally change the game. But after surveying the 2026 landscape we’re more confident than ever that small, independent shops still have what it takes to thrive. Your greatest assets are still niche knowledge, a loyal community, and the intentional, curating perspective that only you can bring. New tools, software, and sales channels are only there to amplify that base.
With the pace of modern commerce, trend awareness is critical. But it’s also just a fish finder; the art of rowing, casting, and reeling in hasn't changed.
We’ve built ConsignCloud to help you capitalize on everything that 2026 has to throw at you. If you’re curious to learn more, don’t hesitate to reach out.
