These young people who no longer want to buy new |Les Echos Start

Elles chinent, farfouillent et trouvent. Des modeuses d'un nouveau genre accourent vers les portants à vêtements des fripes dans l'espoir de trouver la pièce unique, ou le t-shirt au rabais. On les repère le plus souvent dans les boutiques de seconde main, parfois déambulant dans les brocantes ensoleillées, entre les carafes d'eau et les vieilles BD de Tintin.

"It's more fun to look rather than take a tour in store with aligned clothes, and you feel rewarded when you find nice pieces," said Pauline, 26 years old.For several years, the dressing room of this communication manager has only had second -hand parts.

It all started in high school due to a tight budget.And habits have remained."Today, I have a lot of trouble putting 50 euros in a sweater at Zara, while the average price is around 15 euros on Vinted for this brand," she testifies.

Guilt

For others, ecological motivation takes over."I do not produce new products," displays Florian, a young nurse who has not set foot in a store for several years.Clothes, equipment, sports business, household appliances ... Almost everything at home had a first life elsewhere.

The challenge that gives good conscience can sometimes turn anxiety, eco-anxiety or solastalgia way ... Capucine has not arrived at this stage, but guilt is there when it happens to buy new."In these cases, I tell myself that I am not doing a good deed," says this 25-year project chief.Sometimes there is a garment that I really want but that I do not find in second hand.I try to take it as ethical as possible ... I try.»»

Classic brands adapt

Globally, the resale market is estimated between $ 30 and $ 40 billion, and should grow from 15 % to 20 % over the next five years, notes a BCG study with collective cloakroom.The young generations are the spearheads of this movement."They are more in a posture to be than to have.Having the products, it is above all to have them with the others. Ils sont en quête d'une expérience conviviale avec leurs amis pour trouver des pièces uniques ou qui ne sont pas commercialisées dans le marché du neuf»», analyse Elodie Gentina, enseignante-chercheuse à l'Ieseg.

De l'autre côté, le secteur « classique»» de l'habillement a connu une chute de 15 % de son chiffre d'affaires en 2020, remarque l'Institut Français de la mode (IFM).Traditional brands have no choice but to adapt.Experiments are flourishing in recent years.

Auchan, allied with the Patatam thrift store, welcomes in nearly a hundred second -hand business stores and this, from all brands. On peut aussi citer aussi Kiabi, Camaïeu, Cyrillus, Jules… Même H & M, le temple de la fast fashion, se pare d'affaires d'occasion depuis 2019, et propose aussi une reprise des vieux vêtements contre un bon d'achat. Tout récemment, elle a lancé l'opération « Rewear»» au Canada, un site en ligne pour revendre (et acheter) les vêtements de la marque.

New source of growth

« On doit être plus proche de nos clientes et les écouter»», avance Quitterie Barennes, à l'initiative du projet seconde main chez Pimkie, une marque prisée des 18-25 ans.After several difficult years (international store closures, layoff plans, etc.), the brand organizes its moulting towards a more eco-responsible approach.

And this goes in particular by the second hand, by providing 10 % of the space in its shops at second -hand clothes, sold by weight with the help of the specialist Eureka Fripes.And soon, the brand should offer its own clothes for second -hand sale.After an experiment in 4 stores (Paris, Rouen, Lille and Bordeaux), Pimkie announces to develop 16 new corners in the coming weeks, in Strasbourg, Toulouse or Nantes.

If it is still too much to give figures, the opportunity undeniably represents a new source of growth for the brand with behind the idea of attracting new customers and recreating traffic in store.It is on this aspect that Freepry capitalizes, a young shoot that offers a digital platform to facilitate second -hand sale for major brands and independent shops, whether for their own brand or to accommodate thrift stores.

Attract new customers

Among his offers, that of allowing a seller and a buyer to deposit and look for used clothes directly in a store.A bit like a package relay, but this time buyers can try."We observe a 12 % increase in frequentation in shops. Et une hausse du panier de 14 % pour les acheteurs»», avance Paul Karam, l'un des fondateurs.

And to add: "The brands have understood the potential of the occasion, especially when they see their clothes sold on second -hand online platforms and this market escapes them.»»

The collaboration is also organized.This summer, the Géant SEB injected money into Back Market, the start-up of reconditioned electrical and electronic products.Its Spanish subsidiary will even market directly on the platform its own small household appliances reconditioned.

The power of platforms

It must be said that second -hand sites are constantly gaining power.Vinted figures, which captured in 2018 already 56 % of this market according to IFM, have something to make you dizzy: 45 million members worldwide, including 17 million in France, the first market of this Lithuanian start-up.

Recall that the French collective locker room, focused rather on luxury, became a unicorn last spring after a fundraising of 178 million euros.Without forgetting the history Leboncoin and its 29 million users each month, where you can practically buy everything used.

Hyperconsumption?

A flourishing market therefore, but not necessarily virtuous for the planet.If everything can buy in second hand, everything can also sell.And that's the rub.For Elodie Judge, doctor at the University of Lille, author of a thesis on this subject, the second -hand sales platforms would push hyperconsumption.

"Many consumers of these platforms sell to buy behind, with the idea of going always faster, to follow the pace of fast fashion. La motivation n'est pas d'être décroissant ni d'aller plus lentement»», analyse-t-elle.

La course aux petits prix de certaines pièces pousse ainsi à se dire : « ce n'est pas grave, ce n'est pas cher»» ou bien « je peux toujours revendre»».Platforms would encourage practice. « Tout est fait pour que ce soit rapide : vous êtes noté sur le temps de réponse, pénalisé si vous n'envoyez pas les colis assez vite, quand l'emballage n'est pas soigné… Il faut être meilleur que les autres, avoir 5 étoiles»», poursuit la chercheuse.

For some sellers, the second hand becomes a real additional income. On peut citer Vinted, mais aussi le londonien Depop qui cartonne chez les ados et « développe leur esprit entrepreneurial»», estime Elodie Gentina de l'Iéseg.Others do not hesitate to speculate and buy clothes in the sole purpose of reselling them.

Tout est bon pour « jouer à la marchande»» et créer une concurrence avec les magasins : conseils pour faire des photos, rédiger les annonces, négocier, optimiser les ventes… « Vinted est l'une des plus grandes écoles de commerce de France»», grince Elodie Juge.A remark that amuses Pauline, the communication manager." It's true.When you start to sell on vinted, you do it between two things. Après, tu as envie de vendre plus et tu t'adaptes : photos léchées à la mode Instagram, publier régulièrement, identifier les bonnes heures de la journée…»»