ThredUp: 62 percent of Americans plan to buy secondhand holiday gifts

Secondhand has become a go-to choice for holiday shoppers in the US — at least that’s what ThredUp’s 2026 Holiday Resale Report shows.

According to the report unveiled this week, 62 percent of Americans plan to buy secondhand this season. In addition, 55 percent would rather receive a one-of-a-kind, vintage or hard-to-find secondhand gift in excellent condition than a brand-new, mass-produced version.

Shoppers who plan to buy secondhand expect to spend 37 percent of their holiday gift budget on pre-owned items on average, rising to 45 percent among millennials. Thirty percent of respondents expect secondhand to help them buy gifts for more people, up from 23 percent last year.

“For years, a secondhand gift was the budget choice. Now it’s the thoughtful one,” said James Reinhart, ThredUp co-founder and CEO, in a statement. “People want gifts that feel personal and one-of-a-kind, and secondhand is where they’re finding them.”

When receiving a secondhand gift, consumers value uniqueness nearly as much as savings, and millennials rank uniqueness first. The report also found that 84 percent would like a gift they already loved the same or more after learning it was secondhand.

The report points to a busier holiday season overall. Respondents expect more than twice as many social occasions in November and December as in a typical two-month period. Seventy-four percent said they made at least one tradeoff last holiday season, most often going without something for themselves (38 percent) or spending less on a gift than they wanted. Forty-two percent expect to spend more than last year.

Closets as holiday cash

Resale is also helping consumers pay for the holidays. Fifty-three percent have sold or expect to sell items they own to cover holiday costs, rising to 66 percent of Gen Z and 69 percent of millennials. On ThredUp’s Direct Listing, the top earners heading into the holidays include handbags from brands such as Tory Burch, Coach and Longchamp, along with occasion and contemporary labels such as Dôen, Veronica Beard and Ulla Johnson.

“The clothes you’re not wearing can help fund the gifts you’re giving,” said Danielle Vermeer, ThredUp head of product. “With Clean Out and Direct Listing, it’s easy to turn pieces you no longer wear into extra holiday cash. There’s something really fun about knowing that what’s sitting in your closet could become someone else’s next great find.”

ThredUp’s own data also shows seasonal momentum. The platform’s holiday sales grew faster than its full-year sales over the past two seasons: holiday items sold rose 37 percent from 2023 to 2025, compared with 22 percent for the full year.

The report combines consumer survey data from third-party retail analytics firm GlobalData with ThredUp’s proprietary marketplace data. GlobalData surveyed 2,123 US adults from September 4 to 18, 2026. The sample was nationally representative by age, gender, location and income. Year-over-year comparisons are based on respondents’ recollection of the 2025 holiday season.