The ThredUp 2025 Resale Report makes one thing clear: resale is no longer optional for retailers aiming to stay relevant, profitable, and sustainable.
Consumers are already driving the shift - secondhand is expected to make up 10% of the global fashion market by 2025 . But what about the brands and retailers themselves?
According to the report:
72% of retail executives who don’t currently offer resale plan to launch a program in the next 5 years.
The problem? Most of them don’t know how.
Retailers recognise the need for action - from customer demand and sustainability mandates to the threat of losing brand equity on third-party resale platforms, the pressure is mounting.
But the biggest roadblock isn’t belief. It’s execution.
- How do you price take-back items?
- What kind of products should you accept?
- How do you scale operations without taking on too much too soon?
- Should you partner with a third party or build it in-house?
- How do you own the resale experience while keeping it cost-effective?
These are the questions we hear daily at Tern - and they’re exactly why we exist.
You don’t need to roll out a complex resale ecosystem overnight. In fact, you shouldn’t.
Start with a single category or a small customer segment.
Gain insights on what comes back, how customers respond, and where the friction lies.
Then iterate, refine, and grow.
Learn more here: cf-assets-tup.thredup.com
At Tern, we’ve built the tools to help you run a resale or take-back program your way - from flexible intake forms and conditional pricing to built-in logistics support and resale-ready listings. Whether you want to resell, recycle, refurbish, or donate - we’ve got you.
Resale isn’t just about extending product life. It’s about owning the relationship - with your product and your customer beyond the first sale.
Brands that take ownership of the secondhand journey gain:
- Valuable product lifecycle data
- Direct relationships with secondhand customers
- More control over pricing, quality, and brand perception
- Revenue from products they’d otherwise lose track of
You don’t have to do it alone. But you do have to own it.
Let’s grow the future of retail together. Contact us hello@tern.eco
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Explore the ThredUp 2025 Resale Report
