eBay has predicted UK consumers will see the value in pre-loved or refurbished goods this festive season, as new research from the marketplace revealed that the cost of living crisis has left 50% of the nation holding off on deals.
Compared with other generations, the retail sale period is looking to be most popular amongst Gen-Zs (16-26 year olds) where 68% predict they will make discounted purchases with almost two-thirds (62%) of them specifically considering making non-new purchases, suggesting a reimagined Black Friday is on the horizon.
While money-saving continues to be a top driver to shop non-new, for Gen-Zs hoping to snap up some non-new bargains this Black Friday, 19% have said it’s because vintage and pre-loved is more “fashionable” and “on-trend” today.
The marketplace added that its customers can expect to see only ‘Better Than New’ deals being showcased this Black Friday, helping customers save money and reduce waste. In fact, if everyone shops for only pre-loved or refurbished items, new data reveals that the nation could save £9bn per year, equating to as much as £320 per household.
In 2022, nine of the top 10 Black Friday deals sold on eBay.co.uk were refurbished, with Dyson products, Hotel Chocolat Velvitisers and iPhones topping the list of most popular products. The nation’s interest in pre-loved and refurbished items was also echoed across the whole of the year, with almost two million kg of fashion waste avoided through pre-loved fashion buys on eBay UK, and 2.8 million kg of waste avoided through refurbished and used tech buys – an equivalent to over 23.5 million phones spared from landfill.
This year, items such as air fryers, Airwraps, phones and vacuum cleaners will be up for grabs, alongside deals on pre-loved fashion from top brands.
Eve Williams, general manager of eBay UK said: “It’s clear that amidst a cost of living crisis, shoppers are approaching Black Friday with a money-saving mindset. What’s been really promising to see this year is that although great deals and savings are still front of mind, Gen-Zs are actually leading the charge with what we’re terming a ‘reimagined Black Friday’ – one that’s got both economic and environmental benefits.
“Last year, we made a big bet by focusing exclusively on non-new and refurbished products in eBay’s Black Friday marketing, and we saw an unprecedented appetite for it. With a new generation of more conscious shoppers emerging, we want to ensure we’re providing the best deals on our non-new and refurbished offerings, in the hopes that the trends we’re seeing with the younger generation of Brits continues to grow.”
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