New research from GWI, a global consumer research platform, shows Facebook Marketplace could become the go-to when it comes to second-hand purchases.
Whilst eBay remains the undisputed champion in the second-hand market, with 54 per cent of Brits using it, Facebook Marketplace has emerged as an unassuming leader. Over a quarter (27 per cent) of UK shoppers are now using the platform to purchase pre-owned items, making it more popular than second-hand and vintage heavyweights, Vinted (21 per cent) and Depop (5 cent).
These findings come in light of the HMRC crackdown on second-hand ‘side hustles’, which means sellers making more than £1,700 a year – roughly £140 a month – will be taxed.
“The latest regulations from the HMRC reflect an ongoing shift to second-hand shopping online, and a turn towards ‘thrifting’ more generally,” says Matt Smith, Trends Manager, GWI. “As one of the only major platforms not expected to hand over financial details of sellers to HMRC, our insights suggest Facebook Marketplace is likely to see a boom in users in the year ahead.”
The shift to thrifting
Thrifting has become increasingly popular in recent years, with almost a quarter (23 per cent) of UK consumers saying they have purchased a second-hand product on at least a monthly basis. In addition to this, 15 per cent say they’ve bought a pre-owned item in the last week – a 7 per cent rise since 2021.
The findings suggest that this rising trend has been accelerated by the cost-of-living crisis, as consumers search for better value products. More than half (55 per cent) of shoppers say price is the key reason for buying second-hand, far higher than those who do so for sustainability reasons (8 per cent).
The research also identifies the most popular second-hand purchase categories, with clothing accounting for almost half (45 per cent), followed by toys (19 per cent), shoes/trainers (12 per cent), smartphones (11 per cent), and accessories (11 per cent).
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