This is just a tiny glimpse of the data available to CivicScience clients. Discover more data.
1. Interest in second-hand luxury slips slightly, except among middle- and high-income earners.
For many Americans, buying second-hand luxury items, such as clothing and handbags, is a way to access prestigious or high-quality products at a lower cost. However, new CivicScience data reveal that consumers are divided on whether to buy luxury goods new or second-hand. Today, 50% of typical luxury shoppers prefer second-hand items over buying new ones, a slight decline from 52% in 2024. But interest is growing across certain income levels. Middle-income consumers ($50K–$100K) are now eight percentage points more likely than they were a year ago to prefer second-hand luxury, while high-income consumers ($100K+) are four points more likely to be interested.
Use this Data: CivicScience clients use real-time data like this to identify emerging behaviors across income groups and tailor acquisition and conquest strategies to meet shifting demand.
2. Roughly half of Americans plan on shopping second-hand or resale items in the next 30 days.
Second-hand shopping also extends beyond luxury items. In fact, new CivicScience data show half of Americans plan to shop at a second-hand or resale outlet in the next 30 days. Lower-income shoppers tend to favor thrift stores, flea markets, and swap meets, while higher-income shoppers lean more toward online resale platforms (e.g., Facebook Marketplace, Poshmark) and antique stores. Meanwhile, estate sales, garage or yard sales, and liquidation or bin stores draw similar interest across all income levels.
Take our Poll: Are you a fan of thrift store shopping?
3. eBay loses ground as online auction activity grows and alternative sites gain traction.
Usage of online auction sites has ticked up slightly in 2025, with 33% of consumers reporting they’ve used one in the past 12 months, up from 31% last year. eBay still dominates the category, but its share of auction site users has dipped six points since 2024, now down to 66%. At the same time, shoppers are at least three percentage points more likely to say they’ve made purchases through platforms like Auction.com, Sotheby’s, and AuctionNinja.com compared to a year ago.
Let us Know: Have you ever sold anything on eBay?
