Document Type
Honors Thesis
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to provide insight into the current online controversy debating the effects of online secondhand resellers on brick-and-mortar thrift stores. While this debate has been featured in consumer media sources (e.g., Heydari, 2022), there is a lack of scholarly research on this topic. This study seeks to fill that gap by examining the effects of online secondhand resellers on brick-and-mortar thrift stores, particularly concerning price increases, product availability, and quality of items. Online qualitative surveys and interviews were conducted to develop an understanding of the perceptions on this topic held by both online resellers and thrift store employees. Resellers were recruited through social media and provided the survey link to take at their convenience. Thrift store employees were recruited through Instagram, LinkedIn Messaging, and in-person recruitment. Ultimately, two in-person interviews were completed, as well as 15 online surveys. Coding and thematic analysis were utilized to determine the impacts of the data collected. Analysis suggests a minimal perceived connection between online resellers and rising thrift store prices and decreasing quantity and quality. However, the limitations of this study (e.g., a small sample, qualitative data focusing on perceptions, unknown demographics of respondents) make it so that no firm conclusions can be drawn. Further research will need to be conducted.
Repository Citation
Connor, Neely, "Unraveling the Impacts of Online Secondhand Resellers on Brick-And-Mortar Thrift Stores" (2025). Honors Theses - Providence Campus. 72.
https://scholarsarchive.jwu.edu/student_scholarship/72
