Why buy used goods?

eBay is built on it. Thrift stores and flea markets, the same. What motivates people to buy used goods?

Sometimes it’s about saving a dime. But other times, these old goods are labeled “vintage” and sold for more than a new equivalent.

I think a bit of it is nostalgia. People like to believe there is a story behind what they own. But is this about a true longing for a sense of history, or about having a story of our own to tell? Afterall, it is so much more interesting to say, “I got that table at a flea market in Nice. It used belonged to…” than to say “I got it at Ikea.”

Some of these nostalgic-minded consumers would also spout the familiar phrase: “They don’t make things like they used to.” For them, in spite of the fact that the goods are old, they still believe they will hold up better because they were made from better materials, with handmade techniques.

Buying used/discarded/vintage goods is also a bit of a trend. A fashionista thing, with the vintage clothing and housewares. Buying something odd, something that doesn’t look like it was freshly manufactored. It’s cool. It’s cutting edge. It’s anti-establishment.

Then there’s the “green” movement. For those who subscribe to this school, buying used goods or saving something from the landfill is about protecting the environment. Reducing our output. Not being wasteful. But others would argue that this is just a covert way to continue mass consumerism. To overpay for something you probably don’t need because it is made from recycled goods. Though I would argue that there is still some righteous motivation here…