Are you putting off your holiday shopping until the last minute? If so, you’re not alone.
Nearly 53 % of people end up putting off shopping for gifts until the last minute. Not enough time and not enough money are two of the biggest reasons cited for gift procrastination, and a lot of this has to do with the mindset of holiday purchases.
Buying used items was once taboo, but lately has come into vogue. “It’s the thought that counts” has caught on in many different areas of life, including in the items we purchase. This year, you don’t have to put off your shopping due to money constraints. High-end consignment and resale companies like The RealReal are making it easier than ever to purchase unique items in ways that are convenient for the customer. Here are six reasons to consider secondhand shopping for your presents this holiday.
Reason 1: It saves you money.
Think about all the times you’ve spent money on things your loved ones don’t need — like candles, physical copies of movies, or gag gifts. 45% of consumers have admitted to overspending during the holiday season, which has put a lot of pressure on the national debt average. The pressure to buy things new has hindered people’s gift-giving in the past, but it doesn’t need to anymore. Now that you don’t have to worry about putting yourself into debt buying your loved ones presents, you can focus on buying your loved ones the things they want or need.
Make a budget and stick to it, then do your shopping. You’ll find that the more you shop secondhand, the more you can find and the happier you can make people.
Reason 2: It’s better for the environment.
One of the motivations behind luxury resale companies like The RealReal is to slow down fast fashion’s impact on the environment. In the United States alone, as much as 21 billion pounds of fabric makes up landfills. Unfortunately, fast fashion isn’t slowing down even as landfills are piling up. If consumers were to continue using clothes at the rate they have been and letting them end up in landfills, we would have to further exploit natural areas for landfill space.
Additionally, fast fashion is one of the top contributors to carbon emissions in the world. Luxury clothing and accessory consignment, instead, aims to make the sale of apparel cyclical — meaning nothing is wasted.
For the RealReal, the process looks like this: consumers send their item to The RealReal for evaluation, the piece is then authenticated, marketed, and sold to someone secondhand. The whole process is multifaceted in its benefits. It prohibits landfills from becoming overrun with usable fabric, it slows the demand for raw resources related to clothing and accessory production, and it slows carbon emissions globally. The person who once owned the item, as well as the platform the used garment is marketed on, all make a profit. Finally, the new customer receives a quality item at far less of a cost than it usually would cost.
Reason 3: It helps you focus on what your loved ones want.
Let’s face it — we’ve all been in the situation before where we’ve been so focused on getting something for our loved ones that we have lost sight of what they wanted. In other words, we’ve impulse-bought items in the past. 80% of Millennial-aged shoppers admitted to impulse buying this year, and the pressure to impulse buy during the holidays is even higher. Instead, focus on making lists (or gathering lists) of things your loved ones want. Then, incorporate secondhand shops like The RealReal into your shopping routine to get the most out of your shopping.
Reason 4: Luxury consignment lets you get higher-quality items for your loved ones.
Another symptom of impulse purchases is that you might end up getting something for lower-quality to save a little money. Knockoff and department store brands might have cheaper deals on new items, but that does not mean those products will last. Purchasing luxury items at lower costs, even pieces that are used, means you are gifting your loved ones quality gifts while still being able to save a little bit of money.
Reason 5: It is convenient.
If you live in a city, chances are you live near a consignment or thrift store. After all, there are over 25,000 secondhand stores in the United States alone. If you don’t live in or near a city, however, online consignment brands like The RealReal make it easy for consumers to purchase and receive their items quickly. You can even do your shopping while you’re on a break at work — so you have a little more time to yourself during the holidays.
Reason 6: The items you purchase will almost always be unique or hard-to-find.
One of the biggest fears that we face when it comes to buying presents for our loved ones is the fear that we’ll purchase them something they already have. Most people have received something that they already own as a present, and even more, have received duplicates of the same item. Purchasing an item from a secondhand retailer, like The RealReal, means that you will likely not be giving the same present to a loved one that someone else is. High-end fashion items usually are released on a limited basis, meaning they are harder to find in the first place. If you find a vintage item, these are not only valuable but useful and unique. Likely, if you’re buying an object used, the gift recipient will not only like it but will be receiving an item unlike anything else on their list.
Buying used is not only trendy and fashionable — it makes sense. Now more than ever, there are quality secondhand stores available worldwide that are more than willing and able to bring their customers authentic luxury goods, as well as other secondhand deals that are sure to be a hit this holiday.
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