Fashion online resale platforms to reach nearly $31 billion by 2025

The forecast: Fashion online resale platform sales will reach $30.63 billion by 2025, growing at an estimated 24% CAGR and representing 10.0% of all ecommerce apparel and accessories sales.

Over the past decade, there has been growing interest in shopping at thrift stores, especially among bargain hunters and Gen Zers. Additionally, the perception of buying and wearing secondhand clothes has evolved to be cool and edgy, largely driven by social media.

This new interest in thrifting is spilling over to online channels, with the number of resale sites dedicated to the sale of secondhand clothing growing in the past five years.

Dive deeper:

  • Big-name apparel brands and retailers, such as Patagonia, REI, and Eileen Fisher, are also getting into the secondhand market with separate websites dedicated to selling their own brands’ secondhand items.
  • However, inventory issues will temper growth of online resale apparel. Buying preowned garments online can be a gamble because sizing, pricing, quality, and condition can vary so widely. Also, sourcing a reliable supply of sellers or secondhand inventory is also a challenge as more players enter the space.

"Behind the Numbers" Podcast