In releasing its 2026 Recommerce Report, eBay asserted that resale is becoming more deeply embedded in everyday life and shopping across the United States and globally.
Overall, 70% of global shoppers surveyed said they consider secondhand shopping at least somewhat important for balancing household budgets. Younger shoppers continue to lead the shift to recommerce, with 53% of 18- to 29-year-olds expecting to purchase more secondhand products over the next 12 months versus 36% of consumers overall.
Other key survey findings include:
- 47% of consumers buy secondhand goods at least monthly, up from 35% in 2025.
- 76% of consumers have shopped for previously owned products in the past year.
- 89% of consumers plan to spend the same or more on resale goods next year.
The new research shows the meaningful role recommerce can play for sellers, too, eBay pointed out. In the survey, 45% of U.S. eBay sellers said resale provides supplemental income, while 25% said resale income has provided vital support to their households. Although millions of sellers worldwide use the platform, small businesses generate 70% of eBay sales. The report findings, eBay maintained, underscore how recommerce helps buyers stretch their budgets while also creating economic opportunity through selling.
The opportunity may encourage more activity, eBay suggested, as 85% of sellers surveyed sourced secondhand inventory from their own belongings, highlighting the potential to put more unused goods into circulation.
Beyond the economic advantages of recommerce, sustainability remains a big part of the resale story, according to eBay, with 83% of consumers agreeing that recommerce has real environmental benefits. With recommerce, and retail in general, growing more social and interactive, 54% of consumers polled said community and shared connections, such as live shopping, are important to their resale engagement.
“Recommerce has been core to our marketplace for 30 years, and this year’s report makes clear that its role in people’s lives is only growing,” said Jamie Iannone, eBay CEO, in announcing the report publication. “With more than 2 billion live eBay listings, consumers around the world are embracing secondhand for the affordability, quality, trust, and discovery it offers. eBay is proud to help power that global shift by connecting people with the products they love and the economic opportunity that recommerce creates.”
