New data from Amazon has found that 53% of the British public enjoy looking for second-hand deals, with 34% saying they always seek second-hand or refurbished offers first.
The study also found 93% of people surveyed check ‘used’ prices against new when shopping online, with 34% refusing to pay full price for anything, be it clothing, tech or homeware.
Additionally, one in three people (34%) saying they would gift a quality second-hand item to a loved one – up from 20% who said they would be happy to do so last year.
However, only one in five (22%) surveyed would mend an appliance if it breaks.
Instead of fixing it, 19% of adults surveyed say they throw away items such as toasters and kettles when they break, while 36% say they recycle them.
Subscribe to Sustainability Beat for free
Sign up here to get the latest sustainability news sent straight to your inbox everyday
The most common reasons for giving up on a repair were not knowing where to start and worrying that attempts to repair something would in fact make it worse.
Amazon Europe head of returns and repairs Sam Littlejohn said second-hand shopping is like a “treasure hunt”.
“You never know what unique and valuable items you’ll discover while giving a second chance to pre-loved goods.”
“When you buy second hand, you’re not just saving money, you are also giving a product a second chance,” Littlejohn added.
The new data from Amazon comes as it recently opened its first physical Second Chance Store to help customers shop pre-loved items, offering customers the opportunity to get as much as 50% off a wide range of returned products.
“Some of the most popular products that people search for on Amazon are also available as quality second-hand items,” Littlejohn said.
