This moment of economic uncertainty could drive more Americans to buy used. But experts say secondhand stores won’t be immune from tariffs either.
Amid tariffs, trade wars and general economic uncertainty, many Americans are thinking extra carefully about how to spend and save their money.
Consumer confidence tumbled in March, with the Conference Board’s Expectations Index — based on consumers’ short-term outlook on business, income and the labor market — dropping to 65.2 out of 100, the lowest in 12 years.
And that was before President Trump announced a new round of sweeping tariffs, prompting retaliatory taxes from multiple countries — including China and the European Union — and fueling concerns about a possible recession. While he announced a 90-day delay this week, a 10% baseline tariff remains in effect on goods from all countries.
Tariffs are poised to increase the price of all sorts of goods, from groceries to technology to apparel. The U.S. imports nearly all of its clothing and shoes from other countries — including from China, which is not exempt from the tariffs and now faces a rate of 145%.
« The current situation is unprecedented because, simply put . all the major suppliers of apparel to the U.S. market, they will face a tariff hike », explains Sheng Lu, professor of fashion and apparel studies at the University of Delaware. « Very likely, these additional sourcing costs will pass on to consumers. »
Price hikes may inspire savvy shoppers to buy more items secondhand, whether in person at thrift or consignment stores or online from retailers like Poshmark, eBay and ThredUp.
Many people — especially members of Gen Z — are already doing so. A 2025 report by Capital One Shopping Research found that approximately one-third of all clothing and apparel purchased in the U.S. over the past year was secondhand.
A record 58% of shoppers bought secondhand apparel in 2024, according to ThredUp’s annual Resale Report, released in March.
The report predicts that the market will only continue to grow globally and in the U.S., at least in part due to new government policies around tariffs and trade that are « expected to provide a healthy tailwind to secondhand. »
The ThredUp study found that 59% of consumers — and 69% of millennials — would seek more affordable options, like secondhand, if new government policies make apparel more expensive. Secondhand shopping has historically seen boosts during periods of economic uncertainty, like during the COVID-19 pandemic.
