8 in 10 Americans Are Turning to Secondhand Shopping to Beat Rising Prices

Consumers are shopping used, hosting yard sales, and giving up storage units to manage rising costs and economic uncertainty

BELLEVUE, Wash., May 3, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- StorageUnits.com, a reliable and user-friendly platform for finding the best and most convenient storage facilities, has released new findings revealing that 8 in 10 Americans plan to shop secondhand in 2025 to offset rising costs. The survey of 2,000 U.S. residents found that with prices climbing and fears of a recession mounting, consumers are changing how they shop—and store—household items.

Nearly half (45%) of respondents say they've already shopped secondhand in 2025, and another 33% say they plan to. Among secondhand shoppers, 48% say they'll shop secondhand more than in previous years, while another 49% expect to maintain similar activity levels. The most common places to buy secondhand include thrift stores (76%), yard or garage sales (50%), Facebook Marketplace (47%), and eBay (41%).

The primary reason for secondhand shopping is saving money (69%), but many also cite enjoyment of the experience (50%), high traditional retail prices (48%), and expectations of further price hikes due to tariffs (48%). In addition to cost-saving, 24% say they shop secondhand for environmental reasons.

Secondhand shoppers are most often purchasing clothing and shoes (69%), followed by home decor (53%), books or media (52%), furniture (41%), and tools or equipment (38%). Electronics (31%) and collectibles (38%) also make the list, though fewer shop secondhand for appliances (21%) or children's items (14%).

"Secondhand shopping has quite a few benefits. The price of a gently used item is typically 50% to 75% less than the brand new original retail price," says Reagan Phillips, home organization and storage expert at Storage Units. "People also generally feel good about purchasing a secondhand item because they have helped keep that item out of the landfill by recycling it. Lastly, some people enjoy the art of thrifting and buying unique items, some of which may increase in value over time."

In addition to shopping used, many Americans are planning to host their own yard sales. About 30% say they're likely to hold a sale this spring or summer, including 13% who say they're very likely and 18% who are somewhat likely. Their top reasons include reducing clutter (72%), earning extra income (70%), selling unused items (63%), clearing out storage (34%), and managing rising living costs (25%).

Storage use is also shifting as Americans cut costs. About 1 in 5 respondents rented a storage unit in the past six months, and of that group, more than half have already stopped renting (23%) or plan to soon (32%). The most common reasons include saving money (46%), high rental costs (36%), no longer needing the space (33%), consolidating belongings (22%), or selling or donating items (18%).

This survey, commissioned by StorageUnits.com and conducted online via Pollfish on April 24, 2025, collected responses from a nationally representative sample of 2,000 U.S. residents. To view the full study, please visit: https://www.storageunits.com/8-in-10-americans-are-turning-to-secondhand-shopping-to-beat-rising-prices/

StorageUnits.com is an emerging startup dedicated to helping consumers across the United States discover the best and most convenient storage options in their local communities. The website provides comprehensive resources and tools for traditional self-storage, full-service storage, and moving solutions. For more information, please visit http://www.storageunits.com.

Media Contact

Amanda Baker, Storage Units, 8775408170, [email protected]

SOURCE Storage Units