Online resale platform ThredUp reports that consumers plan to allocate nearly 40 percent of their total 2025 holiday budgets to gifting secondhand items, up from the 30 percent they typically spend on resale shopping.

That assessment and supporting data were made available in the company’s newly released 2025 Consumer Holiday Report, which is based on a survey of 2,000 U.S. consumers conducted by GlobalData. The report also notes that, despite economic uncertainty, 2025 holiday spending will remain “resilient,” with a major shift toward circular shopping.

“While the macroeconomic picture remains unclear, consumers aren’t stopping their holiday traditions —they’re just getting more strategic on how they participate. They’re seeking the most value, and that path is increasingly through resale,” said James Reinhart, CEO and co-founder of ThredUp. “This holiday season proves consumers are incredibly financially savvy. Close to half of all shoppers are turning old items into cash they can use for holiday gifts. This circular strategy is becoming a major part of how they fund their holiday spending.”

Key Takeaways from ThredUp’s 2025 Holiday Report include:

Circular Gifting is Driving Holiday Spending

  • Consumers plan to allocate nearly 40 percent of their total holiday budgets to secondhand gifts.
  • Over half of the surveyed respondents (52 percent) are more likely to focus on getting more items for less money.
  • 51 percent plan to start shopping earlier this year to maximize value.

Secondhand is Becoming a Preferred Gift-Giving Alternative

  • Nearly 66 percent of consumers are open to receiving secondhand items as gifts, up from 80 percent in previous ThredUp surveys among Millennials.
  • The top reasons for turning to resale are saving money/better value (62 percent) and finding unique, one-of-a-kind items (56 percent).

Gift Givers Plan to Tap Their Closets

  • Nearly 47 percent of respondents plan to or are considering selling personal items (e.g., apparel, electronics, luxury goods) to offset the cost of holiday gifts. This trend is common among Millennials (70 percent) and Gen Z (57 percent), who are most likely to use this strategy.

Apparel, Accessories and Nostalgia Lead Gifting Categories

  • The top secondhand categories shoppers are considering buying as gifts this year are Accessories (40 percent), women’s apparel (36 percent), and vintage apparel, accessories, and home goods (31 percent).

“Secondhand gifting isn’t just about saving money; it’s emotional. It allows you to find something truly unique or nostalgic that carries a story, which often means more to someone than a brand-new item,” explains Kristen Brophy, SVP of marketing at ThredUp. “Consumers are finding that the best gift doesn’t have to be new, it just has to be special.”

To read the full 2025 Consumer Hoilday Report produced by ThredUp, go here.

Image courtesy Shop Your Closet/Alyssa Beltempo