RESEARCH
ThredUp survey shows 62% of Americans planning secondhand holiday purchases
ThredUp released survey data showing that 62 percent of Americans intend to purchase secondhand items during the holiday season, according to an investor relations announcement on October 26, 2026. The Oakland-based online resale platform reported that 42 percent of respondents anticipate spending more than they did during the previous year's holiday period.
The company's findings also indicated that more than half of survey participants have already sold items from their wardrobes or plan to do so to fund holiday spending, ThredUp stated. The survey focused on consumer attitudes toward pre-owned apparel, footwear, and accessories as gift options compared to newly manufactured goods.
Mooselen analysis
The survey timing suggests ThredUp is positioning resale as a mainstream holiday shopping channel ahead of peak retail season. If conversion rates match intent, platforms could see material Q4 volume lifts, though past stated intent surveys have sometimes overestimated actual purchase behavior.
The self-funding mechanic (selling to buy) matters for marketplace liquidity. When consumers offload inventory to finance purchases, supply grows alongside demand, which supports transaction velocity and potentially lowers customer acquisition costs for platforms that capture both sides of the trade.
Public sources
MARKET
Connor Ives coats raise originality questions as vintage shapes luxury design
Designer Connor Ives has drawn attention after his coats appeared closely aligned with vintage pieces, prompting discussion about originality when secondhand garments inspire luxury design, Glossy reported in its Luxury Briefing published this week.
The episode reflects the broader influence of vintage fashion on contemporary luxury collections. As more designers mine archival and resale inventory for inspiration, the line between homage and reproduction becomes a commercial and creative question for the industry. Glossy noted the development alongside recent resale earnings and commentary from designer Emilia Wickstead on risk aversion in fashion.
Mooselen analysis
When vintage pieces move from inspiration to near-replication, brands face reputational and intellectual property exposure, especially as resale platforms surface the originals alongside new releases. Consumers and peer designers now have immediate visual access to archival garments, compressing the window in which a remake can claim novelty.
For resale marketplaces, these episodes underscore the value of provenance and authentication. Platforms that document design lineage and garment history gain leverage as arbiters of originality, positioning vintage not as raw material but as catalogued prior art in an increasingly transparent market.