Pimkie, Auchan, Leroy Merlin, Ikea The brands are surfing on the second-hand boom

The second-hand market is booming. According to a study by the Boston Consulting Group, it should even grow by 15 to 20% per year over the next five years.

For the fashion sector, the trend would be even higher. Indeed, the French are moving more and more towards clothes that have already had a first life to fill their wardrobe. Thus, according to the Natixis Payments Observatory, the number of second-hand clothing purchases increased by 140% in 2021 compared to 2019!

Resale websites and applications have contributed a lot to this success for several years. As proof, leboncoin, which brings together 29 million unique visitors each month, is the most consulted French site. The Vinted platform, which allows you to resell second-hand clothes, became the second favorite e-commerce site for French people in March according to Foxintelligence. Last example, Beebs, a site specializing in buying and selling second-hand babies and children, has seen +54% sales since September.

Big brands without breaking the bank

The big advantage of second-hand is the price, which is often more attractive than new. With the possibility of affording products from major brands without breaking the bank. Buying second-hand is also a more responsible way of consuming.

Faced with this consumer enthusiasm, many brands, such as Bocage, Jules, Camaïeu or Kiabi have occasionally converted to offering second-hand clothing. Recently, Pimkie has taken the plunge, offering the sale of second-hand clothes by the kilo in its stores. Also recently, Galeries Lafayette and Printemps, brands known for their luxury items, opened spaces dedicated to vintage and second-hand items.

Second-hand departments in certain Auchan, Leclerc, Carrefour or Leroy Merlin stores

And it's also moving on the side of the big guys on the web. Two French e-retailers, namely La Redoute and Cdiscount, opened a second-hand tab in 2020. Just like Zalando, the European leader in online ready-to-wear sales. Even more surprisingly, distribution giants such as Auchan, Leclerc or Carrefour have installed second-hand corners in some of their stores, in partnership with specialized wholesalers such as the French Patatam.

But the fashion sector is not the only one to convert. Leroy Merlin has just launched its resale service, called "Second-hand products". Another initiative, Decathlon offers its customers the opportunity to sell or buy second-hand products from the brand on a dedicated site. And the latest example, Ikea France announced a few weeks ago that it wanted to open a second-hand furniture store in Paris "in the coming year".

"It's literally exploding," confirms one of the co-founders of Freepry, a start-up that helps brands get into second-hand. "Today, we are working in the ready-to-wear market, but we are already in demand in other segments". A practice that is therefore well and truly set to last...