A Global Snapshot of the 2025 Resale Market

Join us today as we get out our Magic Eight Ball and try to predict how global trends will affect the second-hand state.

Fashion first

The Times They Are A-Changin'... at least according to Timothée Chalamet (sorry, make that Bob Dylan…). Whoever said it though, it’s true. Consumer confidence in the big brands has NEVER been lower. According to last year’s State of Fashion Report from McKinley, 40% of regular big fashion consumers spent less on clothing and accessories. This figure represents a forty-year low and is a key indicator that the mood is shifting when it comes to the fashion industry at least. One big reason for the slump in spending is the meteoric rise of the second-hand clothing market. Most analysts agree that pre-owned fashion now accounts for 10% of the global fashion industry and the shift looks certain to continue to grow.

Hard Tech

In the land of the geeks, the second-hand store is king. The global slowdown in technological advances means there’s less of a rush to opt for the next big gadget. For years, Moore’s Law taught us to expect the processing power of computers to double every 18 months, but Moore’s Law has stalled and is no longer the case. Now, all eyes are on quantum computing for the next leap forward. Until then, the only obvious upgrades these days come courtesy of cameras and AI apps. For now, the jury appears to be out on whether the latter of two evils is worth the four-figure investment. This is likely one of the reasons why consumers are choosing to get their upgrades on the second-hand market.

The Luxury market

In most years, the high-end world of esoteric/alternative investments often remains buoyant regardless of the status quo. For most folks, the idea of investing in stuff like fine art, whisky, sports cars, and memorabilia might seem like a risk, but the numbers don’t lie. Year after year, this lesser-known investment sector grows steadily and, despite all the chaos ahead, the trend shows no signs of slowing. Of course, succeeding in the esoteric investments sphere requires more than a financial advisor and we recommend getting to know your stuff before throwing anything into the ring.

Motoring on...

If you thought the ascent of the electric vehicle might herald the end of the second-hand car dealer, you thought wrong. Despite the best efforts of lithium miners, environmentalists, and Elon Musk alike, the demise of the cheap runabout had been greatly exaggerated. What’s more, many of the first-generation and early movers in the hybrid field are now old enough to find themselves on online marketplaces right alongside their one conscientious owner.
In context, the last few years have not been kind to the second-hand car salesman. Globally, there are 400,000 fewer used cars for sale because over the last two years fewer new cars were produced. This factor led to slower depreciation for the few new cars that were produced which in turn meant that used cars commanded higher than usual prices. Obviously, with a narrower gap between new and used vehicles, the smart money often opts for something shiny straight from the factory floor. However, in 2025 it looks like global automotive production is back in full swing and consequently this should end the value gap between old and new. In short, 2025 is a good time to pick up a banger. One last factor destined to raise merry havoc in the global Automotive industry is the introduction of tariffs by the US government. Which leads us nicely into our next segment.

The Trump card

There’s no getting around it, the recent USA election affects us all in many ways. While there’s no real way to know for sure what the long-term implications of Trump’s tariffs are going to have on the economy in general, we can hazard some educated guesses. For now, his eyes seem fixed on China, Canada, and Mexico. Of course, Trump’s 25% and 10% price hikes are going to cause short-term pain for the unlucky trinity, but it won’t take them long to work out other deals. While we’re no financial advisers, it’s not rocket surgery to suggest some of the business lost could find its way to the EU and the UK. For a start, it’s far from implausible that a giant economy like China could attempt to circumvent US tariffs by trying to funnel goods destined for America through the EU or the UK. Of course, it remains to be seen if the EU and the UK can escape Trump’s tariffs themselves. Another way China, Canada, and Mexico can attempt to avoid US tariffs is to develop new, or improve existing, trade agreements and partnerships with existing allies. It’s easy to imagine Canada in particular extending a maple branch towards the EU, but you never know we may all be eating a lot more Churros soon too! Whatever happens in the USA, it’s possible the EU will suffer as a result. However, some wishful thinkers predict that by contrast the UK might benefit from Trump's tariff plans. Trump’s rhetoric, at least in part, seems a lot kinder to the British. Regardless, since most of the UK’s US exports are classed as luxuries and aimed at high-net-worth individuals there’s some who say the UK may actually be the sold winner of Trump’s trade wars. Thinking logically if your main exports target buyers who are less likely to be put off by higher prices, then it’s easy to see why some believe the UK could be quid’s in!

One thing’s for sure, higher prices will make all second-hand and used goods much more desirable in the long term, whether this pushes the overall costs of preowned gear up is a matter for future historians, but it’s safe to say whatever stigma remains is likely to crumble.

Side hustles

As discussed above, we can’t predict how the global money markets will cope with Trump’s tariffs and trade wars, but the universal concern is that a recession is likely. If an international slump does occur, history suggests it could be good for the preowned market. Not only will conscientious consumers take more care with their buying power and lean into preloved purchases, but more people struggling on the poverty line will be more inclined to offer their goods for sale. Let’s face it, we may all need a way to raise some much-needed extra cash in the years to come, so now is the time for hoarding treasure.

In conclusion

2025 is a dice roll. No one can say with concrete certainty they know what lies in the months ahead. If we had to guess, and I guess we do, then we predict buying power will veer towards a stronger second-hand economy, and new products will suffer as a result. It’s a punt, but an educated one, consumer trust in corporations is already at an all-time low, technology isn’t breaking new ground with every passing second, and it’s clear that we’ve all woken up to the fact that we need to be more careful with our planet. All of these factors favour the used market and we’re confident that no matter what happens in the USA, folks will feel a lot safer spending their cash on the devil they know. Oh, and don’t forget you can sign up for your free Riloop account today and start finding your own bargains or building your personal side hustle empire right now!