On the hunt for a Bargain : A quantitative study on Generation Z’s impact on the Second-Hand industry during the Pandemic

Abstract: The purpose of this study is to examine and investigate if there has been a growth within the second hand industry during the pandemic and if so, investigate what factors there are that have contributed to the growth. The target group of this study is within generation Z and their view on second hand. The study is based on the number of gaps that had been identified with help on earlier research on the subject. Numerous people in the literature and articles are eager to present that the second hand market has increased, but why it has increased and what has caused generation Z to shop more second hand is more challenging to answer. Furthermore, an analysis has been conducted in order to cover the gaps that have been identified. The study is based on a quantitative study with generation Z as respondents. The results from this study shows that the generation has begun to shop more second hand over the last years than they have been doing before. This is due to the fact that the generation is very active on social media where second hand has become a trend. New websites have emerged and it has become increasingly accessible to find good second hand bargains. It has also become increasingly common to seek inspiration on social media to find a foundation where they can express themselves with clothes and products. The results also show that there is a growing interest in products that are sustainable and environmentally conscious. It can be said that there are a number of factors that have played a major role in the growth of the second hand industry.