Secondhand Shopping: Understanding Consumer Behavior toward Pre-owned Clothing in India

Abstract

India’s per capita apparel consumption has been lower than other countries, however, it is steadily rising. India is poised to be the world’s sixth largest apparel market by 2022 (pre-COVID 19 estimate). The textile and apparel sector requires large amounts of non-renewable resource inputs causing social and environmental pressures. Key Findings Our survey suggests that buyers of secondhand clothing are more likely to be young (under 35) and female. Hygiene and the condition of clothes were reported as the top two barriers for respondents to purchase secondhand clothes. Respondents wanted to be assured of hygiene and the condition of secondhand clothes before they purchased them. Respondents are motivated by low price and the reduced environmental impact to purchase secondhand clothes. Our survey suggests that environmentally conscious respondents ensured that their overall purchases did not increase when they purchased secondhand. The formal secondhand clothing market in India is still in its early stages of consumer adoption, and there are opportunities to boost new circular business models such as resale. Our survey suggests that reuse business models can offer an opportunity for stakeholders to be both a buyer as well as a seller of secondhand clothing.