ThredUp Releases Data Revealing Insights on Tariff Implications for Consumers, Retailers
62% of consumers say they’re concerned that new government policies around tariffs and trade will make apparel more expensive.
80% of fashion retailers expect new government policies around tariffs and trade to disrupt their global supply chain.
February 24, 2025 (OAKLAND, Calif.) – ThredUp (Nasdaq: TDUP, LTSE: TDUP), one of the largest online resale platforms for apparel, shoes, and accessories, today pre-released data from its upcoming 2025 Resale Report, revealing early insights about how tariffs are impacting consumers and the broader retail industry. The findings are based on a survey of 3,034 U.S. consumers over the age of 18 and a survey of 50 top U.S. fashion retailers and brands – both conducted by third-party retail analytics firm GlobalData.
“With tariffs and inflation dominating the national conversation, consumers are concerned about price hikes across retail – especially for new apparel, which tends to rely on a global supply chain for sourcing, manufacturing, and distribution. In this environment, secondhand not only becomes a more attractive option for shoppers seeking out affordable and high-quality clothes; but it also provides retailers with a smart approach to delivering value to their customers while managing exposure to an unstable international trade dynamic.” – ThredUp CEO James Reinhart
New data from ThredUp’s upcoming 2025 Resale Report show:
Tariffs are expected to provide a tailwind to the secondhand market as shoppers seek more affordable options.
30% of consumers say worries about the economy impact how much they spend on apparel, while 51% say higher prices due to inflation impact how much they spend on apparel.
62% of consumers say they’re concerned that new government policies around tariffs and trade will make apparel more expensive.
59% of consumers say if new government policies around tariffs and trade make apparel more expensive, they will seek more affordable options like secondhand. This figure is highest among Millennials at 69%.
Consumers plan to spend 34% of their apparel budget on secondhand in the next 12 months. This figure is higher among younger generations (Gen Z and Millennials) who say they'll spend nearly half (46%) on secondhand.
Faced with supply chain disruptions, retailers see resale as a more stable and predictable way to source apparel inventory.
80% of retail executives expect new government policies around tariffs and trade to disrupt their global supply chain.
44% of retail executives say they’re looking to reduce reliance on imported goods.
54% of retail executives believe resale offers a more stable and predictable source of clothing in the face of potential tariff fluctuations.
ThredUp will release the full results of its 2025 Resale Report this spring.
About ThredUp
ThredUp is transforming resale with technology and a mission to inspire the world to think secondhand first. By making it easy to buy and sell secondhand, ThredUp has become one of the world's largest online resale platforms for apparel, shoes and accessories. Sellers love ThredUp because we make it easy to clean out their closets and unlock value for themselves or for the charity of their choice while doing good for the planet. Buyers love shopping value, premium and luxury brands all in one place, at up to 90% off estimated retail price. Our proprietary operating platform is the foundation for our managed marketplace and consists of distributed processing infrastructure, proprietary software and systems and data science expertise. With ThredUp’s Resale-as-a-Service, some of the world's leading brands and retailers are leveraging our platform to deliver customizable, scalable resale experiences to their customers. ThredUp has processed over 172 million unique secondhand items from 55,000 brands across 100 categories. By extending the life cycle of clothing, ThredUp is changing the way consumers shop and ushering in a more sustainable future for the fashion industry.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not historical facts. The words "believe," "may," "will," "estimate," "continue," "anticipate," "intend," "expect," "predict" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and assumptions and are neither historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Except as required by law, ThredUp has no obligation to update any of these forward-looking statements to conform these statements to actual results or revised expectations. These forward-looking statements should not be relied upon as representing ThredUp’s views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.