Rebooting Re-Commerce: Resales & Rental Revisited

Published 29 April 2021

Author

Rebecca Hobbs

Driven by a heightened desire for conscious consumption post-pandemic, the re-commerce market is evolving rapidly: globally, resales alone will grow by 93% to $64bn by 2024. Covering white label solutions supporting brands’ reselling ambitions, retailer rental schemes, swap-based services demonstrating how to monetise circularity and collab-primed e-marketplaces, we distil the need-to-know developments in fashion, sports and furniture.

In a major departure from the formerly frosty relations between luxury players and resale marketplaces, collaborations between fashion houses and third-party resellers including TheRealReal are springing up. These branded e-stores are enabling brands to dip a toe into re-commerce, attract younger consumers and re-establish cult status in the process – see Ralph Lauren x Depop.
Forward-thinking brands are reaping resale rewards: wresting back brand image control from generically styled marketplaces, generating both commission and new revenue streams via store credit schemes, and capturing fresh consumer data. This quickly evolving space – formerly dominated by eco-centric outdoors brands – holds major mileage thanks to growing sustainability and budget-conscious cohorts (see Key Stats).
Next-gen e-commerce platforms are allowing eco-conscious consumers, and those newly cognisant of cash flow (a growing group due to pandemic-induced recessions) to monetise their closets via peer-to-peer rentals and possession-swapping. Meanwhile, digital wardrobing apps are adding resales, rental, repair and donations to their services to bridge the gap between the thrill of newness and rising guilt about conspicuous consumption.
Growing even during lockdown, rental is predicted to soar during the next decade (see Key Stats) as affluent consumers, able to WFH, perceive days away from home as an opportunity to dress up. Additionally, more functional categories – childrenswear and home – offer renters and eco-conscious consumers a flexible alternative to ownership – with rent-to-buy a key advantage.   

Rebooting Re-Commerce: Resales & Rental Revisited

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Sed ut perspiciatis unde omnis iste natus error sit voluptatem accusantium doloremque laudantium, totam rem aperiam, eaque ipsa quae ab illo inventore veritatis et quasi architecto beatae vitae dicta sunt explicabo. Nemo enim ipsam voluptatem quia voluptas sit aspernatur aut odit aut fugit, sed quia consequuntur magni dolores eos qui ratione voluptatem sequi nesciunt. Neque porro quisquam est, qui dolorem ipsum quia dolor sit amet, consectetur, adipisci velit, sed quia non numquam eius modi tempora incidunt ut labore et dolore magnam aliquam quaerat voluptatem. Ut enim ad minima veniam, quis nostrum exercitationem ullam corporis suscipit laboriosam, nisi ut aliquid ex ea commodi consequatur? Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem eum fugiat quo voluptas nulla pariatur?

Topics

Ecommerce
Home & Interiors
Retail
Visual Merchandising
Service Design

Want to see the full report?

Offering access to over 350 consumer and cross-industry reports annually, Stylus Membership is your window to tomorrow’s most exciting opportunities.

We already arm more than 500 of the world’s most forward-thinking brands and agencies with the creative insights they need to make transformative business decisions.

We’d love to do the same for you.

Book a demo with us today to discover more.

Membership

More Reports From Stylus

Report|Retail & Brand Comms
07 April 2026
Report|Retail & Brand Comms
31 March 2026
Report|Retail & Brand Comms
26 March 2026
Report|Retail & Brand Comms
18 March 2026
Report|Retail & Brand Comms
02 March 2026
Short Read|Retail & Brand Comms
26 February 2026
Report|Retail & Brand Comms
19 February 2026
Report|Retail & Brand Comms
13 February 2026
Report|Retail & Brand Comms
12 February 2026
Report|Retail & Brand Comms
26 January 2026

Ad Week Europe 2026: Retail & Brand Comms Directions

Advertising Week Europe 2026 (March 24-26, London) explored paradigm shifts and new horizons for marketing, branding and creative technologies. We highlight the most searing insights through topics including pop-cultural eco communications, de-stereotyping disability, influencer mapping, sports fandoms and new...

1/10