New research from eBay UK has found that 52% of people will be shopping for second-hand or refurbished products during the festive season, with saving money their top incentive (56%) for changing their shopping preferences.
Over the years, Black Friday has become the discounting event to signal the start of the festive retail rush, but this year consumers are intending to spend over £100 less on average than last year. Rising inflation and the cost of living have been earmarked as the underlying cause for the increased demand.
New data has revealed that if everyone shops only for pre-loved or refurbished items, the nation could save £8bn per year, equating to as much as £280 per household. Compiled in partnership with WRAP (the Waste and Resources Action Programme), the data also suggests these efforts could save 300,000 tonnes from landfill per year – enough to fill the Royal Albert Hall six times over and reduce carbon emissions by at least 1.5m tonnes – the equivalent to taking 323,000 cars off the road for one year.
eBay is therefore helping shoppers make purchases which are better for their wallet and the planet by only promoting refurbished and pre-loved deals for Black Friday across all its marketing content. Customers can expect refurbished items such as laptops, phones, and furniture alongside deals on pre-loved fashion from top brands.
Murray Lambell, general manager of eBay UK, said: “In its current form, Black Friday is broken, but it’s not too late to make it relevant to today’s consumer. While it was first introduced to offer consumers big savings ahead of the festive period, it no longer delivers on that same promise of value. For shoppers, it creates a frenzy with a ‘buying for buying sake’ mentality.
“The cost of living and climate crisis presents new parameters. As consumer shopping habits continue to change, we’ve seen a sharp increase in purchases for pre-loved and refurbished. It’s a positive step that allows products to take on a new life by keeping them out of landfill.”
Top: Murray Lambell, eBay UK’s general manager.
