Stories

Australians are embracing a booming trend of second-hand buying and selling to help boost their incomes, save money, and get more for less.

PayPal research shows that more than a third (35%) of Australians have sold second-hand goods in the past year and could earn more than $1,300 on average by selling unused or unwanted goods around the house.

Two-in-five (43%) Australians have bought something second-hand in the past year, with one-third (31%) saying they will buy more second-hand if the economy continues to worsen.

Why are Australians shopping second-hand?

• 3-in-5 (63%) cite saving money as their key motivator.
• Around 40% turn to the second-hand market for product-life sustainability.
• A third (35%) for higher quality with lower prices.
• About a quarter (24%) of Australians purchase second-hand due to rising living costs.

Aussie shoppers are also seeking ‘dupes’, short for duplicates on TikTok, to help control costs, with two-in-five (43%) Australians favoring lower-cost alternatives over high-end brands.

Fashion items enjoy the highest market demand in the circular economy and online fashion platforms facilitating second-hand transactions, such as Depop, are highly popular with young Australians.

Depop, which only allows payments via PayPal in Australia, now boasts over 35 million registered users, with 34 million items available for sale, and up to 180,000 new listings every day. In total a whopping $3.5 billion has been made by the Depop community since it launched in 2011.

This experience rings true for Aira Bonifacio, Depop user and founder of ‘Baddie Threads’, a small business based in Sydney selling crochet balaclavas and head pieces alongside second-hand fashion.

“I am a single mum so having this side hustle has helped me show myself and my daughter that there are other ways to make money and have financial security. Having one job sometimes isn’t enough. You can always turn things around if you have a hustle mentality.”

“Shopping second hand started because it was trendy and better for the environment, but now it’s much more than that. It’s about saving money and still being able to find a smart and creative way to stay in style while on budget.”

Another reseller and creator, Kara Otter, has transformed her side hustles into her sole source of income and the thriving family businesses, Karameleon Vintage on Depop and her own Karameleon swimwear and fashion label, over the past 10 years.

“My cousin and I run the business, my sister helps out, and then my mum ships all of our orders from my grandma’s house, which has a whole Depop room. At first it was just a fun way to make a bit of extra money with another cousin.

“Selling on Depop and Etsy, and accepting PayPal, meant we could build an international customer base. None of this would have happened if it wasn’t for that. People trust PayPal and they know that if something doesn’t come through, they can get their money back.”

Safety continues to be top of mind for Australians as they navigate the world of second-hand goods, and more than a quarter (26%) say they feel safer buying second-hand if PayPal is offered as a payment option. Platforms such as Depop use PayPal to provide secure online transactions and protect buyers and sellers.

Bonnie Brady, Consumer Shopping Expert at Australia says, “It’s great to see the circular economy thriving, and the environment benefitting, as shoppers continue to explore new and creative ways to buy and sell second-hand.”

With any form of online shopping it’s important to keep safety top of mind, and we're so pleased to see resellers and platforms like Depop choosing PayPal as a way to protect shoppers and stay safe online.