The Asia Pacific secondhand goods market size was USD 47.8 billion in 2025 and is expected to progress at a CAGR of 9.1% during the period 2025 to 2035. The regional industry is expected to increase up to USD 113.8 billion in 2035. This growth mainly arises due to changing consumer attitudes toward affordability, sustainability, and the emergence of online reselling websites providing easy access to used products as well as acceptability.
At a regional level, population patterns like an expanding youth demographic, higher digital literacy, and greater cost-sensitiveness are driving demand for secondhand products. Buyers are becoming more conscious of the sustainability value of circular consumption, yet another factor solidifying marketplace appeal for secondhand fashion, electronics, home decor, and luxury items.
The post-pandemic economy has, moreover, driven thrift and resale culture into the mainstream, especially in urban areas. Online platforms and mobile applications are the backbone of the industry growth, providing curated lists, authentication, and peer-to-peer trading platforms.
Firms such as Carousell, Mercari, and local platforms in China, India, and Southeast Asia are building solid ecosystems that bridge convenience, trust, and social commerce. AI-based pricing technologies, logistics integration, and consumer-to-consumer models have pushed resale from an unofficial business to a legitimate industry.
Both sustainability and style drive demand for secondhand fashion and electronics. Millennials and Generation Z lead the way for a move to secondhand as a lifestyle decision rather than an economic necessity. Luxury resale continues to grow with technologies for authentication, enabling consumers to access branded products within attainable prices while sellers tap residual value.
The cultural and economic diversity of the Asia-Pacific creates distinct micro-markets. Condition and quality are paramount in Japan and South Korea, while price and availability rule in Southeast Asia and India. Digitization, the infrastructure of trust, and evolving consumer values with a focus on reuse instead of replacement will fuel growth as much as the presence of regulatory issues and the informal sector remain.
Functionality and trust in condition at the product level are of utmost significance in the secondhand consumer electronics industry. Refurbished accessories, laptops, and smartphones account for a substantial portion, driven by low-cost savings and high-tech trends. Purchasers desire third-party assured quality and guarantees, while vendors benefit from simplified resale programs and trade-in promotions.
In medical goods and disinfection products, resale is left for non-perishable goods or secondhand medical equipment under tight regulations. The products must be of satisfactory safety and hygiene standards, with documentation necessary to obtain buyer confidence. Institutional customers such as clinics and NGOs often shop on certified sites to satisfy equipment needs at discounted prices.
Secondhand environmental monitoring gear and industrial equipment are increasingly recycled and resold by auction or niche B2B sites. Value-for-money asset recovery and circular economy initiatives are the best bet in these niches. While price is no longer a key driver, buying decisions also tend to be greatly influenced by useful life, re-certification, and system compatibility with new gear in the interest of environmentally friendly reuse.
The industry is also prone to some serious risks, the most salient of which is quality verification and counterfeiting. Since price becomes a driving influence in this marketplace, the threat of misrepresented or non-functional products can ruin trust and deny repeat business. Establishing credible verification systems and third-party certification is thus essential to mitigate this risk.
Regulatory inconsistency across countries is another problem. Without common standards for resale, taxation, and compliance with safety regulations, scalability is discouraged for regional platforms. In sectors like electronics and medical devices, strict import/export controls and liability concerns can suppress cross-border trade and institutional buyer involvement.
There is a cultural stigma for secondary consumption in a few groups where used goods are perceived as inferior or unacceptable. Although this belief is declining, especially among young consumers, piercing these attitudinal barriers will require sustained branding effort and influencer-driven normalization. Businesses failing to make resale desirable and value-added risk facing limited mainstream adoption in more traditional segments.
From 2020 to 2024, the industry developed strongly on the basis of increasing environmental consciousness, increasing incomes, and the trend towards sustainability. The COVID-19 pandemic was one of the prime drivers in shifting consumer behavior, with consumers becoming increasingly conscious of their spending and more likely to seek out low-cost and sustainable alternatives for new products. The introduction of online platforms such as OLX, Carousell, and Facebook Marketplace enhanced the ease and convenience with which consumers can buy and sell used products, leading to an accelerated growth in the industry.
The industry is expected to expand between 2025 and 2035 on the back of increasing digitalization, smartphone penetration, and the green movement. The youth and technologically savvy population of the region makes sure that the demand for used products will also keep growing, with luxury used goods, electronics, and clothing being the focus. Blockchain technology and NFTs can revolutionize the method of authenticating secondhand goods so that it becomes transparent and reliable. Moreover, recommendations driven by AI, along with virtual try-ons, will further boost the consumer experience so that customers are able to discover secondhand items best matching their requirements and likings.
Comparative Market Shift Analysis (2020 to 2024 vs. 2025 to 2035)
| 2020 to 2024 | 2025 to 2035 |
|---|---|
| Sustainability, affordability, e-commerce platforms, environmental awareness, and peer-to-peer resale. | Digitalization, AI-driven recommendations, blockchain authentication, and growth of luxury secondhand markets. |
| Tech-savvy, environmentally conscious consumers, younger generations, and budget-conscious buyers. | Young, high-income consumers, green consumers, and those searching for luxury, unique, and authenticated secondhand products. |
| Fashion, electronics, furniture, home furnishings, and luxury products. | High-fashion clothing, luxury products, refurbished electronics, and eco-friendly home furnishings. |
| Growth of online marketplaces, mobile apps, and digital payment solutions. | Blockchain for verifying items, personalized recommendations from AI, and fashion virtual try-ons. |
| More demand for second-hand goods in line with the sustainable movement. | Eco-packaging, circular business practices, and upcycled and vintage commodity growth. |
| Peer-to-peer web platforms, sole-purpose second-hand e-commerce platforms, and retail stores. | Omnichannel retail experiences, blockchain platforms, and second-hand virtual try-ons. |
The South Korean industry will be expanding at 9.3% CAGR during the study period. Strong smartphone penetration, robust digital transformation, and growing sustainability awareness are fueling demand for secondhand products in urban and suburban regions. South Korean consumers are increasingly embracing circular economy strategies, driven by a generational change in consumption behavior and a need for value without compromising quality.
The secondary industry, previously centered on informal peer-to-peer networks, has seen structured development with the emergence of curated web platforms offering authentication, delivery services, and consumer-friendly interfaces. Technology-fashion convergence is driving high-energy momentum, particularly in the high-end apparel and electronics resale industries.
Big homegrown platforms are scaling up business, aided by tech-powered pricing algorithms and predictive analytics. Startups and retailers alike are integrating secondhand verticals within original commerce platforms, allowing consumers to recycle or exchange items directly at the point of sale. Government-backed initiatives promoting reuse as well as sustainable consumption habits are also driving industry growth.
The environment-conscious youth segment is also driving long-term demand patterns, supporting growth into deeper rural industries. Cross-border resale potential with the adjoining industries also raises the prospect. Overall, the orderly scalability of the industry, along with benign digital infrastructure, provides a high growth trajectory.
The Japanese industry will grow at 8.7% CAGR in the forecast period. Japan retains an old thrift and reuse culture, dating from economics as well as traditional values. The secondhand industry is being preferred by a consumer segment that attaches importance to product quality and upkeep, generating high-value resale stock in categories such as electronics, fashion design, collectibles, and home appliances.
Institutionalized brands have established a resale infrastructure with authentication, inspection, and internet marketplaces. Physical secondhand stores remain dominant, but online resale is gaining traction rapidly due to generational convenience and payment behavior through digital media.
The application of artificial intelligence, data-driven product recommendations, and rewards for customer loyalty is engaging more users on resale platforms. Greater emphasis on sustainability and waste reduction-aligning national environment policies with new momentum-is boosting the circular economy. Big box retail chains are also entering the resale arena, extending product lives and reducing excess inventory.
The secondhand luxury business is going through a strong growth cycle, driven by domestic demand as well as by foreign buyers interested in high-end Japanese-maintained products. Moreover, the reputation of Japan as a country with consumer confidence and quality warranties creates a solid basis for secondhand adoption. With well-developed logistics and digital infrastructure backing it up, the business is expected to grow steadily until 2035.
China's industry will advance at 10.2% CAGR during the study period. As one of the fastest-growing economies in the region, China's secondhand industry is undergoing swift change, driven by shifting consumer behavior, technological advancement, and growing sustainability awareness. Younger generations are embracing resale as a lifestyle and economic choice, opting for platforms that offer convenience, transparency, and reliability. Urban centers such as Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen are at the forefront of adoption, with resale surging in activity across fashion, electronics, and lifestyle product categories.
Online retail titans and technology firms are also propelling scaling in the marketplace through embedded resale functionality, user verification, and recommendation through AI. Policy reform in favor of waste reduction and recycling is aiding in propelling a favorable policy framework for resale firms. Moreover, rising disposable incomes and access to global resale culture are propelling a cultural move towards mindful consumption.
The luxury and tech gadget resale industries are increasing especially robustly, driven by a digitally aware population. As logistics networks expand into rural areas, access to secondhand platforms is also expanding, expanding the user base and industry coverage. The convergence of massive digital infrastructure, consumer openness, and regulatory encouragement places China as the leading driver for the expansion of the regional secondhand industry.
Beauty and health products will occupy a leading share of 19.8% in the Asia Pacific second-hand goods industry in 2025, immediately followed by apparel/fashion at 17.4%.
Most of the second-hand sales in the Asia Pacific are attributed to the use of beauty and health. That's why many consumers are now gaining the impetus to try out old or overstocked beauty products--mostly unopened or slightly used--compared to the price at which many other people bought them.
Within Carousell (Singapore), Mercari (Japan), and Xianyu (China). Brands such as Estée Lauder, The Ordinary, or Laneige frequently feature platforms on which consumers resell their unused stock or gift sets because they were inspired by the rising trend of minimalist consumption and decluttering (inspired by Marie Kondo's KonMari method).
Apparel and fashion account for 17.4% of the industry, a primary pillar supporting the second-hand industry in the Asia Pacific. Platforms that further this cause include Zalora Pre-Loved (Southeast Asia), Zozoused (Japan), and YCloset (China), through which Gen Z and Millennials are increasingly adopting circular economies.
Typical second-hand items include clothing, handbags, and shoes regarded as high-value brands, including but not limited to Uniqlo, Zara, Gucci, or Nike. This booming fashion is fueled by the combined effect of making luxury and high street affordable while awakening the consciousness of most people to saving the planet. It even finds a sustaining hand through social media influencers of thrifting and online thrift hauls who normalize the act of second-hand fashion as one of the trendy things to do.
In the Asia Pacific, between 2025 and 2035, it is projected that online marketplaces will account for 38.5% of the second-hand goods industry share across the region, while thrift/resale stores will capture 30% of the same.
There are five online marketplaces: Mercari of Japan, Xianyu of Alibaba (China), Carousell (Singapore), and OLX (in and for countries within Southeast Asia), which have changed the environment for goods resale. These portals have a highly mobilized front end, a payment gateway industry, product recommendations based on artificial intelligence, and social rating and chat features, which all facilitate the transactions between buyers and sellers.
Consumers do not have to scour numerous physical sites to browse tons of used products, such as but not limited to fashion, electronics, beauty goods, and baby products, with more transparency and assurance. In addition, the popularity of livestream commerce and influencer-led second-hand good promotions on sites like TikTok and WeChat is hastening the acceptance of digital resale. Top brands such as Patagonia and Lululemon work with the revised media resale platforms or even take a step deeper by initiating their re-commerce movement to drive people towards buying certified pre-owned articles by direct online means.
At 30%, it is solidly incorporated as an essential offline channel- through thrift and resale stores- in countries like Japan, South Korea, and Australia, where much of the culture is based on physical shopping. BookOff, 2nd STREET (Japan), and Savers (Australia) are typical stores that offer well-known, sometimes high-end fashion accompanied by refurbished electronics up for resale in third locations. The sensation of "try before you buy," coupled with memories and excitement from "thrifting," keeps appealing to a younger industry and those searching for bargains within urban areas.
Advancing under the power of digitalization, environmental awareness, and cost factors appealing across consumer industries, the industry is doing very well. At the top of this industry is Carousell, where one can find all sorts of secondhand wares, from electronics to clothes, on a platform that can quickly create and sustain brand loyalty across Southeast Asia.
Then, there is OLX and Tokopedia, which get into the game, taking advantage of their mammoth consumer base and the diversity of their listing inclusions. The rest is Amazon Marketplace, which keeps on expanding its secondhand product assortments into renewed goods and refurbished offerings modeled from its existing e-commerce advantage.
There are niche players such as Reebelo and Cashify functioning in the secondhand electronics industry: quality assurance and warranty give them credibility in the minds of buyers. In highly specialty niches, for instance, BookMooch caters to bookaholics, while PetSmart and Pet Lovers Centre handle the supplies industry for secondhand pets.
As for Yahoo! Auctions Japan, it continues to be the greatest authority in the resale industry in Japan, with an extensive list of secondhand items. In value terms, however, competitive differentiation is increasingly based on the credibility and ease of use of the platform, integrated logistics solutions, and buyer-seller trust mechanisms. Companies around the Asia-Pacific have invested enormously in technology improvements and strategic partnerships to strengthen their marketplace ecosystems as a result of rising consumer interest in value-based and sustainable shopping.
Market Share Analysis by Company
| Company Name | Estimated Market Share (%) |
|---|---|
| Carousell | 16 - 19% |
| OLX | 13 - 16% |
| Tokopedia | 11 - 14% |
| Amazon Marketplace | 9 - 12% |
| Yahoo! Auctions Japan | 8 - 10% |
| Other Players | 30 - 36% |
Key Company Insights
Carousell takes the lead in the APAC secondhand goods industry, with shares estimated between 16 and 19%. Its dominant regional location in Southeast Asia, category expansion, and acquisition of OLX Philippines and 701Search have given the company an edge. Carousell's localized approach, combined with technological improvements like AI recommendations and seller authentication tools, strengthens its position in the industry.
Both shared some huge parts of the industry by offering category mixes extensively; OLX and Tokopedia reserved approximately 13-16% and 11-14% shares, respectively. Its hold is strengthened by the 9-12% Amazon Marketplace expanding aggressively even on refurbished consumer electronics. Yahoo! Auctions Japan, on the other hand, is still a force in Japan with its loyal auction-happy consumer base. Investments in AI moderation, end-to-end logistics, and seller training programs are key competitive levers across leading players.
By product type, the industry is segmented into apparel/fashion (women’s, men’s, baby/kids), house, garden, do-it-yourself, consumer electronics, media and entertainment, consumer appliances, beauty and health, toys, leisure, sports, and fitness, and pet supplies.
By sales channel, the industry is categorized into thrift stores/resale stores, online market places, consignment shops, and other channels.
The industry is expected to reach USD 47.8 billion in 2025.
The industry is projected to grow to USD 113.8 billion by 2035.
The industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of approximately 9.1% during the forecast period.
Beauty and health products are a key segment in the industry.
Key players include Carousell, Amazon Marketplace, OLX, Tokopedia, Reebelo, Sangeetha Mobiles, Cashify, Hamleys, BookMooch, Qoo10, My Toys, Nykaa, Flipkart, PetSmart, Pet Lovers Centre, Anchanto, Rakuten, SaSa, Kakaku.com, Toy R Us, and Yahoo! Auctions Japan.
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Asia Pacific Secondhand Goods Market
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