Shifting, Thrifting Shoppers
Trump's tariffs could fuel a secondhand surge and a return of the repair economy
Trump’s sweeping tariff plan is driving up prices on imported goods. It may cause shortages, too, prompting U.S. consumers to turn to secondhand marketplaces, thrift stores, and discount retailers as affordable alternatives. This shift is fueling a rapid expansion of the resale economy, benefiting companies like eBay, ThredUp, Goodwill, and TJ Maxx, while signaling a broader transformation in how Americans consume.
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The latest salvo in the trade wars is here, and it’s not just aimed at Beijing.
Donald Trump’s tariff plan, which includes a blanket 10% duty on all imported goods and targeted hikes on Chinese products exceeding 100%, isn’t just about punishing geopolitical rivals or reviving American manufacturing. It’s about reshaping consumer behavior. And it’s already doing that in one overlooked corner of the economy: resale.
Yes, the same thrift stores and resale apps once associated with student budgets and vintage hunters are suddenly poised to become economic powerhouses.
Secondhand is the new smart.
Tariffs as a Catalyst
Let’s be clear: tariffs are taxes. They don’t directly punish foreign manufacturers—they raise prices for American consumers. And with Trump’s plan to revoke the “de minimis” rule, which allowed cheap Chinese goods under $800 to enter the U.S. tax-free, entire business models built around ultra-low-cost e-commerce, from Shein to Temu, are being upended.
Apparel is particularly vulnerable. According to the American Apparel & Footwear Association, 97% of clothing and 98% of shoes sold in the U.S. are imported. Tariffs on China, Vietnam, and others mean consumers can expect sharp price increases on everything from jeans to sneakers.
This is a setup we’ve seen before when consumer finances were strained. During the Great Recession, resale boomed. According to the National Association of Resale and Thrift Shops (NARTS), 66% of thrift stores saw sales increase by an average of 31% during the downturn. Today’s economic anxiety, compounded by tariff-induced inflation, and possible stagflation, is primed to produce a similar response, but potentially at a much larger scale.
Resale’s Resurgence
Americans are already thinking twice about buying new. According to ThredUp’s 2025 Resale Report, 59% of consumers—and 69% of Millennials—say they would seek more affordable secondhand options if new government policies, like tariffs, make new apparel more expensive. Younger generations are especially leading the charge, with Gen Z and Millennials planning to allocate nearly half (46%) of their apparel budgets to secondhand purchases over the next 12 months.
Alon Rotem, ThredUp’s Chief Strategy Officer, summed it up best in a recent interview with The Guardian: “If ultra-fast fashion is now 30% more expensive, it really makes the value proposition that much more compelling for resale.”
That value is translating into real market growth. Online resale expanded 23% last year—its fastest pace since 2021 during the pandemic—and is now projected to nearly double, reaching $40 billion by 2029. The report also shows that 48% of consumers now find secondhand shopping just as convenient as buying new, thanks to AI-powered personalization and smarter search tools.
Platforms like eBay, Poshmark, and The RealReal stand to gain immediate traction as higher-end consumers seek quality goods without the tariff premium. So, too, do physical thrift giants like Goodwill and the Salvation Army. These organizations already serve as de facto safety nets for millions of Americans. With prices rising, their role may soon become foundational.
Savers Value Village, a for-profit thrift retailer that went public last year, is seeing early signs of a sales lift. Winmark Corporation, which owns consignment franchises like Plato’s Closet and Once Upon a Child, is similarly well-positioned. Each has the infrastructure, supply chain, and consumer trust to absorb an influx of new shoppers and sellers alike.
The Return of “One Giant Yard Sale”
Retailers themselves are recognizing the shift. According to ThredUp’s 2025 report, 54% of retail executives now view resale as a more stable and predictable source of clothing than traditional imports, especially amid ongoing tariff uncertainty. Nearly half (44%) are actively looking to reduce their reliance on imported goods, and many are integrating trade-in incentives or secondhand inventory as part of their customer acquisition strategy.
Tariffs are also reviving another very American tradition: the local, peer-to-peer sale.
Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and OfferUp are all reporting upticks in listings and activity. OfferUp, in particular, is seeing higher usage in categories like furniture and appliances—exactly the areas where tariffs are hitting hardest. Their 2024 Recommerce Report shows that 58% of users cite price as the primary reason they buy secondhand.
As new goods get pricier and more people clean out their closets to make extra cash, America could become, as one analyst put it, “one giant yard sale.” The stigma of secondhand—what little remains—is eroding fast.
And let’s not overlook the generational driver here. Gen Z and Millennials already like thrift and resale, not just for the cost, but also for sustainability and style. When their favorite Shein or Temu finds suddenly cost more and ship slower, many will turn to Poshmark or Depop instead. Not out of necessity, but preference.
Beyond Fashion: Who Else Wins?
The ripple effects go beyond clothes. As new cars and auto parts get more expensive, companies like CarMax, AutoZone, and O’Reilly Automotive are seeing more foot traffic and higher sales. Consumers are choosing to repair, not replace. That means more oil changes, more purchases of used tires, and more demand for mechanics.
Repair services across categories—appliances, electronics, even shoes—stand to benefit as well. The “right to repair” movement, which advocates for consumers' right to access parts, tools, and documentation to repair their products themselves, regardless of the manufacturer, just got an unexpected ally in trade policy.
Even the shipping sector sees upside. With fewer cheap imports flooding U.S. mailboxes and more domestic secondhand packages changing hands, UPS, FedEx, and the U.S. Postal Service could all see increased demand for domestic deliveries.
Off-Price Retail’s Strategic Position
If you’re not buying secondhand, you’re likely buying discounted. That’s where TJ Maxx, Ross, and Burlington step in.
These companies source unsold inventory, often from other retailers or overstocks, and sell it at steep discounts. Most importantly, they usually aren’t the importers of record, which means they avoid much of the tariff burden. That allows them to continue offering low prices even as others raise theirs.
Off-price retailers are uniquely positioned to gain market share during a trade disruption because they have flexibility in sourcing and aren’t locked into traditional buying cycles.
In other words, while department and retail stores panic over pricing, off-price chains are quietly buying up their distressed inventory.
An Economy in Transition
Tariffs are usually framed in geopolitical or economic terms: who wins, who loses, who pays. But there’s a deeper story developing here. It’s about a consumer base in flux. About a generational reimagining of value, ownership, and sustainability.
And it’s about resilience.
In the short term, the resale and repair economy will act as a pressure valve, allowing Americans to bypass some of the financial pain these tariffs will bring. In the longer term, we may see a structural shift in how goods are consumed and recirculated. If that happens, resale won't just be a response to crisis—it'll be a new baseline.
The resale boom is not a fad. It’s not just vintage-loving Gen Zers or budget-hungry parents. It’s a systemic shift toward a more circular, flexible economy—one that’s better suited to the current volatility.
Whether by design or by accident, Trump’s tariffs are accelerating that transition. And the winners? They’re not just the thrift shops and resale apps. They’re the companies—and consumers—smart enough to adapt.