The second hand furniture industry is growing 3 times faster than traditional retail sales. So what’s changed over the last few years to help the resale market flourish at such a rate?
Trends Supporting The Growth Of Second Hand Furniture In The UK
Covid-19’s Impact:
Several lockdown periods meant people spent more time at home than ever before. Home owners began focusing on updating their homes. DIY projects that had long been on hold were finally being completed.
There were more people using second hand furniture sites. Here at Preloved we saw the impact directly. The number of visitors to our site and the ads our members posted increased.
- Home Improvement category visitors +136%
- Furniture & Fittings category +117%
- ‘Wanted’ adverts for Furniture & Fittings +95%
- ‘For Sale’ adverts +229%
Supply Chain Issues:
A number of recent issues have caused problems with the global supply chain. As a result, new furniture comes with lengthy wait times. Some retailer’s average delivery time is now 14-16 weeks compared to 0-5 days for used furniture.
The appeal of readily available items through sites like Preloved has added to the demand for furniture resale.
Resale: A Friend To The Planet
It’s estimated 90% of furniture ends up incinerated or sent to landfill. The resale of second hand furniture helps prolong its lifecycle and reduces carbon emissions. Making and shipping a single piece of furniture emits an estimated 90 kilograms of carbon. That’s the equivalent of flying a Boeing 747 for an hour!
However, consumers are becoming more aware of sustainability and want to actively do more by rehoming preloved items.
Second Hand Furniture: Affordable Solution For Price Conscious Consumers
Two thirds of buyers said price was important when buying second hand furniture with price. Increased living costs in the UK means people are prioritising their spending. You can save up to 90% of an item’s RRP by buying second hand. In many instances, nearly new items can be picked up for FREE!
Many people used to take unwanted items to the skip to make room for replacements. However, it’s increasingly common for people to sell items through second hand furniture sites to make some money back. Furniture can always be repaired or updated. So long as you make buyers aware of the condition you’re bound to find a new home for it.
Post An Advert & We’ll Plant A Tree!
To celebrate National Second Hand Day 2022, we’re committed to doing more to help the planet.
From 15th-24th we’ll be planting a tree for every advert posted in our Furniture & Fittings category. Whether it’s a sofa, bed, table, or lampshade, For Sale, or Wanted, any ad posted in Furniture & Fittings, we’ll plant you a tree.
Sources: Internet Retailing, Mordor Intelligence, EU Environment Bureau
