ThredUp Report Reveals 40% of Holiday Budgets Will Go to Secondhand Gifts
“While the macroeconomic picture remains unclear, consumers aren't stopping their holiday traditions—they're just getting more strategic on how they participate. They're seeking the most value, and that path is increasingly through resale,” said James Reinhart, CEO and Cofounder of ThredUp. “This holiday season proves consumers are incredibly financially savvy. Close to half of all shoppers are turning old items into cash they can use for holiday gifts. This circular strategy is becoming a major part of how they fund their holiday spending.”
Key Takeaways from ThredUp’s 2025 Holiday Report:
Circular Gifting is Driving Holiday Spending.
-
Consumers plan to allocate nearly
40% of their total holiday budgets to secondhand gifts. -
Over half of shoppers (
52% ) are more likely to focus on getting more items for less money this year. -
To maximize value,
51% of shoppers plan to strategically spend by starting to shop earlier.
Secondhand is Becoming a Preferred Gift.
-
Nearly
66% of all consumers are open to giving secondhand gifts, a figure that jumps to80% for Millennials. -
The top reasons for turning to resale are saving money/better value (
62% ) and finding unique, one-of-a-kind items (56% ).
Shoppers Plan to Fund Gifts by Tapping Their Closets.
-
Nearly
47% of respondents plan to or are considering selling their own items (e.g., apparel, electronics, luxury goods) to help pay for gifts. -
This trend is overwhelmingly common among younger generations: Millennials (
70% ) and Gen Z (57% ) are most likely to embrace this strategy.
Apparel, Accessories, and Nostalgia Lead Gifting Categories.
-
The top secondhand categories shoppers are considering buying as gifts this year are:
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Accessories (e.g., handbags, jewelry, scarves):
40% -
Women's Apparel (e.g., coats, knits, denim):
36% -
Vintage items (across apparel, accessories, and home):
31%
-
Accessories (e.g., handbags, jewelry, scarves):
“Secondhand gifting isn't just about saving money; it's emotional. It allows you to find something truly unique or nostalgic that carries a story, which often means more to someone than a brand-new item,” explains Kristen Brophy, Senior Vice President of Marketing at ThredUp. “Consumers are finding that the best gift doesn't have to be new, it just has to be special.”
To access the report and review the data and resale trends shaping the holiday season, download ThredUp’s 2025 Holiday Report here.
About ThredUp
ThredUp is transforming resale with technology and a mission to inspire the world to think secondhand first, embracing the idea that the past is the future, and the future starts today. By making it easy to buy and sell secondhand, ThredUp has become one of the world's largest online resale platforms for apparel, shoes, and accessories. Sellers love ThredUp because we make it easy to clean out their closets while doing good for the planet. Buyers love shopping value, premium, and luxury brands all in one place, at up to
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251016036053/en/
Media Contact:
Laura Hogya
media@thredup.com
Source: ThredUp
