(Re)framing used goods: marketing strategies in second-hand retail

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to identify marketing strategies incentivizing consumers to purchase used goods and explain how socio-material arrangements frame second-hand retail (SHR). The growing significance and professionalization of SHR underscore the pivotal role of marketing, necessitating an exploration of how second-hand stores can stimulate the consumption of used items.

Design/methodology/approach

Ethnographically inspired fieldwork was conducted across a second-hand shopping mall with 17 stores in Sweden, utilizing actor-network theory (ANT) concepts to examine marketing activities and how these form strategies.

Findings

The findings reveal two marketing strategies: enrolling sustainability supporters and second-hand shoppers. Additionally, the findings provide examples of how SHR can be framed as environmentally friendly, socially sustainable, value for money, creatively experiential and facilitating sustainable consumer behavior.

Practical implications

Understanding the framing processes inherent in second-hand retailing presents opportunities to reinforce the transition to a circular economy. Second-hand retailers can leverage marketing to imbue used goods with greater significance for consumers, which necessitates marketing competencies.

Originality/value

The paper delves into activities that enhance the attractiveness of used goods, a research area that warrants increased attention.

Citation

Hedegård, L. (2024), "(Re)framing used goods: marketing strategies in second-hand retail", International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, Vol. 52 No. 13, pp. 136-153. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJRDM-05-2023-0300

Introduction

Second-hand retail (SHR) is crucial in transitioning to a circular economy because it realizes the take-make-waste system (D’Adamo et al., 2022). Therefore, used goods are now included in traditional retailers' ranges (Pal, 2017), and second-hand sales are stronger than ever (Persson and Hinton, 2023). This expansion has brought second-hand stores closer to mainstream retail (Guiot and Roux, 2010) and caused diversification and professionalization. Hence, second-hand stores' processes and management (Parsons, 2004), business models (Yrjölä et al., 2021) and visibility in the marketplace (Valor et al., 2022) have changed.

However, consumers still hesitate to buy used goods (Armstrong et al., 2015; Hur, 2020), raising questions about how marketing in second-hand stores can be effectively accomplished. This question is vital to understanding SHR and implementing a circular economy. Previous research on second-hand markets illustrates valuable practices and conditions of SHR. Still, research has not explained how used goods can be marketed in stores. To bridge this gap, the paper aims to identify strategies to incentivize consumers to purchase second-hand goods and explain how the socio-material arrangements frame SHR. Three research questions help to achieve the aim: How can second-hand stores encourage consumers to buy used goods (RQ1)? In what ways is SHR framed (RQ2)? What role does socio-material arrangement play in framing second-hand stores (RQ3)?

A review of previous research on SHR reveals two valuable research streams exploring the organization of store concepts and consumers' acquisition of used goods. Yet, neither stream has theorized second-hand retailers' marketing work.

The first stream of studies examines various types of SHR stores (Parsons, 2002, 2010; Brembeck and Sörum, 2017; Podkalicka, 2022), with a recurring argument being the trend of professionalization in second-hand stores, imitating mainstream retail (Horne, 1998; Broadbridge and Parsons, 2003). Still, SHR remains unique, requiring retailers to manage an unstable supply and demand (Appelgren, 2019), conflicting rationalities (Hedegård et al., 2019) and customer–competitor relations (Crewe and Gregson, 1998). The studies also highlight second-hand retailers' efforts to make used goods valuable (Paras et al., 2018). Used goods are valorized by linking them to historical eras and styles (Choufan and Tila-Cohen, 2023) or presenting them as sustainable, fashionable or affordable (Schadenberg and Folmer, 2022). These activities positively impact second-hand shoppers' motivation, trust and spending (Kim et al., 2021b), but are knowledge-intensive, requiring specific skills and know-how (Larsen, 2019).

The second research stream focuses on second-hand consumers' motivations, behaviors and barriers. Studies have identified multiple second-hand consumer categories varying in shopping frequency, interest and reasons (Ferraro et al., 2016; Saarijärvi et al., 2018). These consumers shop for used goods through various channels (Cassidy and Bennett, 2012) and express three main motives: sustainability, hedonism and economics (Cervellon et al., 2012; Silva et al., 2022). While motives are often combined, entertainment, economic and hedonistic motives dominate over non-consumption, social and environmental reasons (Rizzi et al., 2020; Syahrivar et al., 2022). These motives and behaviors vary by social group, location (Williams, 2003; Mukherjee et al., 2020), country (Xu et al., 2014) and generation (Liang and Xu, 2018). Barriers include perceived risks related to cost, aesthetics, hygiene, social status and a lack of knowledge (Silva et al., 2021). Laitala and Klepp (2018) summarize the contrasting consumer perceptions of used goods, viewing them as either expensive or cheap, unhygienic or healthy, unstylish or unique, outdated or fashionable and socially stigmatized or ethically favorable. In conclusion, existing research highlights the specific conditions of second-hand stores and consumers' varied motivations and behaviors, requiring tailored SHR marketing strategies.

This paper seeks to enhance the understanding of SHR by exploring marketing strategies and how the interplay of humans and non-human objects, like store fittings and displays, frames second-hand stores. To achieve this, inspiration is drawn from actor-network theory (ANT), which traces collaboration between humans and non-humans (Latour, 2005). In particular, the concept of assemblages is used to emphasize how second-hand marketing emerges from a broad array of socio-material activities in a store, ranging from organizing the store setting to social media publishing and events.

To identify strategies and illustrate framing, material from an ethnographic study of ReTuna, a second-hand shopping mall in Sweden hosting 17 stores, is used. ReTuna offers a unique long-term opportunity to study second-hand stores, and the Swedish context enables an examination of how these stores engage consumers with different second-hand motives. The paper shows how SHR can meet varying demands through two marketing strategies: enrolling sustainability supporters and enrolling second-hand shoppers. These strategies are exemplified through five framings: second-hand as environmentally friendly, socially sustainable, value for money, creatively experiential and facilitating sustainable consumer behavior. These findings theoretically conceptualize second-hand marketing strategies and identify activities that second-hand retailers can use to incentivize consumers.

An ANT perspective

ANT is a heterogeneous family of concepts used to understand how social phenomena, like retail, are shaped (Law, 2008). In retail research, ANT has been used to explore transformations (Hagberg and Fuentes, 2018; Kervenoael et al., 2018), material objects (Cochoy, 2008) and store strategies (Hagberg et al., 2017; Madsen, 2021). From this perspective, SHR involves processes where humans and material objects collaborate in unstable, network-like relationships. Colors, furnishings, signs and products interact with staff and consumers in producing SHR. This “production” is dynamic, driven by participants and evolves as interactions or participants change (Latour, 2005). For instance, a decision to replace price reduction signs with sustainability signs can shift how consumers perceive a store, but this perception can also be altered by a viral social media post. The ANT perspective facilitates research beyond predefined actors like staff and consumers, avoiding human-centric views in understanding retailing (Alhonnoro et al., 2020). Therefore, the term actant is employed for humans and non-humans to emphasize that all entities can act or be acted upon (Czarniawska and Hernes, 2005).

Three ANT concepts – framing, assemblages and enrollment – are borrowed to analyze SHR marketing. Framing refers to performances influencing how others define a situation (Goffman, 1959/1990). In a marketplace, framing distinguishes entities (like used goods) and actors by giving them a particular definition (Callon, 1999). Assemblages are temporary sets of human and material objects that come together when acting (Latour, 2005). This means that SHR marketing results from how products, furnishings, displays, staff and other actants shape it. A store might have co-existing assemblages without predefined borders or characteristics as interactions form them. Assemblages differ based on their configurations and interactions (Latour, 2005). For example, assemblages strengthen with more participants and tighter relationships (Kjellberg and Helgesson, 2007) and transform through actions within them (Madsen and Petermans, 2020). Assemblage participants compete, cooperate or replace each other, like tags and sales assistants informing about product properties (Soutjis et al., 2017). Enrollment involves negotiations and tricks persuading humans or material objects to join an assemblage (Callon, 1984). Assemblages must continuously enroll participants to grow or replace lost ones (Mallard, 2016). However, success isn’t guaranteed, as humans and material objects sometimes act unpredictably (Cochoy, 2010). For instance, sustainability signs may fail to convey the intended message. Thus, this paper acknowledges that co-existing assemblages perform marketing, each with “its” framing of SHR. Schadenberg and Folmer (2022) describe a typical case where a charity store frames its shopping as a social benefit enabler while its web store frames it as a vintage treasure hunt.

Method and material

The paper emerges from an ethnographic-inspired study (Arnould and Wallendorf, 1994) of ReTuna, a second-hand shopping mall in Sweden. An ethnographic-inspired method allows for an explorative approach and provides first-hand details of SHR marketing. Ethnography in retail research (Hietanen et al., 2016; Welté et al., 2022) enables this as researchers are experiencing the phenomenon in its context via multiple representations (Healy et al., 2007). The fieldwork was conducted during eight visits to ReTuna between November 2015 and December 2021 using semi-structured interviews and observations. ReTuna served well when studying SHR as it hosted 17 individual stores. Hence, it allowed for the collection of detail-rich material on SHR marketing, which is fundamental to retail research (Minahan et al., 2013).

ReTuna collects used items and distributes them to its tenants, who then process and resell them. This unconventional sourcing aside, ReTuna aims to be a traditional shopping mall with individual outlets. This mall has a leasable floor space of 3,600 m² spread over two floors and is co-located with a waste recycling station five kilometers from the city. On average, 400 visitors donate items, while 850 people visit the mall daily.

To gain insights into the store’s marketing, 41 interviews (30–90 min each, totaling 33.5 h) were conducted with staff from all stores and the mall management. The interviews covered topics such as organization, marketing and staff’s education, skills and duties. Owners/managers were prioritized, but staff were interviewed when they were unavailable. Interviewees included mall management (4 individuals, 10 interviews), store owners (14 individuals, 15 interviews), store managers (6 individuals, 8 interviews) and staff (10 individuals, 8 interviews). Stores at ReTuna have varied throughout the years, and reoccurring interviews were conducted in persisting stores. Interviews were recorded and transcribed into NVivo software.

Additionally, 36 participant observations (totaling 71.5 h) were carried out, including informal discussions on marketing practices. Photos were taken during the observations, and research notes were made on the same day. Observations comprised eight mall overviews (totaling eight hours) and 28 store visits (totaling 63,5 h) across 17 stores. 1,470 photographs were taken to enhance detail retrieval, visually capture marketing (Geysmans et al., 2017), and aid analysis (Elliott and Jankel-Elliott, 2003). Of these, 165 photos were imported into NVivo, coded and utilized in the analysis.

Analysis was done in NVivo using an iterative process whereby codes and themes were refined, organized and merged in parallel with a close reading of the material (Gioia et al., 2013). See Figure 1 for the data structure. The initial phase pinpointed first-order concepts aligned with the informants' expressions and observation notes. Subsequently, a two-step second-order analysis was undertaken to merge and organize these concepts into themes and aggregate dimensions (Gioia et al., 2013). Hence, the gathered material was coded inductively to identify how assemblages of actants performed the stores' marketing. These initial codes were then iteratively reduced into concepts representing five themes: second-hand as environmentally friendly, socially sustainable, value for money, creatively experiential and facilitating sustainable consumer behavior. The themes made Goffman’s (1959/1990) framing idea relevant as the assemblages provided contextual frames for the stores. Descriptions of the framings were written, and the material was re-coded to identify how consumers were incentivized to purchase second-hand goods. The conclusive step of the second-order analysis identified two strategies: enrolling sustainability supporters and second-hand shoppers.

This paper aims for naturalistic and transferable generalizability (Smith, 2018) by following Lincoln and Guba (2009): using diverse empirical material, closely following processes and including viewpoints from managers, staff, consumers and externals. This multi-voiced approach (Czarniawska, 2021) and the long-term relationship with ReTuna built trust and mutual understanding. Member checking (Cho and Trent, 2006) was used to discuss findings with interviewees during follow-ups. To aid in transferring findings to other contexts, I followed Fuentes (2011), describing theoretical perspectives, fieldwork, analysis methods and interpretations.

Findings

The analysis addressed how SHR can incentivize consumers to buy used goods (RQ1), revealing two strategies: enrolling sustainability supporters and second-hand shoppers. Additionally, five ways of framing used goods as valuable (RQ2) were identified: second-hand as environmentally friendly, socially sustainable, value for money, creatively experiential and facilitating sustainable consumer behavior. Finally, the analysis explored socio-material arrangements' role in framing used goods as valuable (RQ3), illustrating how assemblages of humans and non-humans enact these framings. The second-hand marketing framework in Table 1 summarizes the findings and connects strategies and framings to consumer motivations identified in previous research. The table is followed by sections describing the strategies and the framings.

Enrolling sustainability supporters

The “enrolling sustainability supporters” strategy mobilizes consumers to buy second-hand goods by enlisting various actants, highlighting second-hand stores' environmental benefits and social support. The main arguments underscore second-hand goods and stores' eco-friendliness and social impact on trainees and those in need. Marketing activities, such as social media posts or store signs, act as mediators in these assemblages, communicating the benefits as achievable outcomes when purchases are made. The strategy maintains a transactional relationship with consumers where consumers are motivated to exchange money for used goods, supporting a more sustainable version of retail. Hence, the approach concentrates on consumers' sustainability motives, neglecting the tripartite nature and the hedonistic and economic factors identified by, for example, Guiot and Roux (2010).

Second-hand as environmentally friendly

An assemblage within a store at ReTuna, selling toys and kids' accessories, framed SHR as environmentally friendly. This assemblage included actants such as the store’s name, “Safe Kids,” and Facebook posts like: “Safe Kids is a store caring for the very youngest! Here, you’ll find things, clothes, furniture, and much more, selected to allow children to grow up in a non-toxic world … See us! #safekids #climatesmartshopping #reuse # second-hand #retuna” (Facebook, July 2016) [1]. Additionally, visual merchandise like window prints (“Chemical-free toys”) and posters suggested that second-hand toys contain fewer chemicals. Staff emphasized their use of sustainable store procedures, as illustrated by these quotes:

We use environmentally-friendly products when cleaning [donated goods] and doing that kind of work.

Interview, assistant at children's store, December 2018

I get them from Willys [a grocery chain], flyers that are too old, and I use them [for packaging] instead of buying wrapping paper.

Interview, owner of the furniture store, December 2019

Other actants included a sign at the mall entrance stating, “Here, the used becomes the new – This mall’s stores refine, repair, and transform used items into new products, which are then sold. We call it reuse – a climate-smart retail version.” Similarly, store names hinted at recirculation (e.g. ReStyle for a fashion store), and brochures detailed the mall’s/stores' efforts to prolong goods' life and demonstrated how waste was reduced.

Second-hand as socially sustainable

Another assemblage in a charity store framed SHR as a provider of social support to individuals and local organizations. Non-human actants, such as a banner on the mall’s façade displaying the store’s logo, name and slogan (“For humans, by humans, with humans”), played a key role in shaping the marketing. Within the store, window displays contributed to the assemblage by featuring the store’s name (Urban Mission Charity Second-hand) and slogan (“We give humans and stuff another chance”). These texts collaborated with visual elements inside the store, such as signs and electronic displays, to emphasize the social support facilitated by consumer purchases and to express gratitude to shoppers for supporting the charitable work.

Humans, represented by store trainees, volunteers and staff, engaged in the assemblage by interacting with customers and managing the store. At the same time, signs requested customers to be patient, acknowledging that trainees are not professionals. A notable aspect of the assemblage was the narratives provided by store managers. They described how the store developed trainees, supported local schools by lending them used items and provided financial assistance to citizens in need. Two typical quotes exemplify this:

We focus on work and language integration. Recently, many immigrants have arrived in Sweden, studying Swedish in the morning or afternoon, and then they undergo an internship in our store.

Interview, charity store manager, May 2016

We care for the citizens who get something back … many come here [to ReTuna] because they might not have much money and appreciate buying something cheap. So, we give something back to the citizens. At the same time, we develop the participants [trainees] who might have otherwise stayed at home in isolation, doing nothing, just locking themselves in.

Team leader, building material shop, November 2018

Enrolling second-hand shoppers

The “enrolling second-hand shoppers” strategy encourages consumers to purchase used goods by highlighting SHR’s cost-effectiveness, creative potential and how it facilitates sustainable consumption practices. The marketing involves enlisting used items, consumers and external actors, expanding the assemblages beyond the stores compared to the previous strategy. For instance, consumers, staff and goods collaborate in do-it-yourself workshops or redesign activities, with used goods as boundary objects (Gregson et al., 2007), connecting participants and being reference points for recirculation activities. Activities such as educational visits, events and exhibitions enroll customers, politicians, influencers and researchers in the assemblage, generating narratives about price-value relationships, innovative design and sustainable consumption practices. Consequently, this strategy emphasizes customer benefits and relationships with actants outside the stores, enrolling them as shoppers and marketing practitioners (Hagberg and Kjellberg, 2010). Thus, the strategy alludes to consumers' economic and sustainable considerations, entertainment and hedonistic motives, identified as driving second-hand consumption (c.f. Gregson et al., 2013).

Second-hand as value for money

At ReTuna, this assemblage comprised actants from various stores, communicating opportunities for consumers to buy inexpensive goods and find bargains. Store staff and managers especially highlighted the goods' low prices and their benefits for low-income customers. Social media posts featured offerings on reduced price products, and digital auctions enrolled consumers to engage in bidding races. Additionally, some stores hosted posters and signs informing visitors about reduced prices, sales and offerings. An example is the recurring “Crazy Monday” event, organized monthly, where many stores slashed their prices to boost sales. A quote illustrates this:

[At Crazy Mondays], we usually set the discount at twenty or thirty percent on furniture, mostly 20. Then we take 50 percent off everything else and usually manage to sell a lot. After Crazy Monday, we have a clean-up day to clear out and restock.

Interview, lifestyle store manager, November 2018

Second-hand as creatively experiential

A fourth framing focused on design and uniqueness to encourage second-hand consumption. Such an assemblage was found in ReTuna’s florist store, where actants emphasized the artistic and design potential of SHR, highlighting opportunities for experimentation in material composition, usage and expression. The assemblage centered on products, featuring combinations of used goods and fresh flowers, such as second-hand wine glasses paired with hyacinths for Christmas. The store milieu enhanced the assemblage with a mix of items not typically associated with flowers (e.g. a stuffed reindeer with a colorful scarf among pots and decorations). It highlighted innovative repurposing of used items, like a broken bottle turned into a decoration with a string of lights. These combinations illustrated how used goods could be rejuvenated. Store staff inspired and guided customers in creatively re-circulating used goods, offering insights into their properties, functions and potential repairs or redesigns. Examples included a customer salvaging a chandelier after seeing a creation in the store and staff publicly redesigning kitchen accessories into decorations. Visual merchandise also contributed, with signs encouraging consumers to explore hidden items and tags explaining the crafting and uniqueness of the products.

External actants were enrolled as event participants, social media followers and reporters who shared stories about the store’s creative endeavors. For instance, the story of leather-bound pots made from torn jackets and unwanted pots spread through storytelling and reached international media. Social media posts urged customers to share their store memories or express their experiences through lyrics, inventive texts, and detailed photos of product designs and uses. Do-it-yourself (DIY) events, fashion shows, workshops, contests and guided tours invited customers to experience the recirculation of goods. A quote illustrates this:

I have many customers who come here to hang around, and they are the best ambassadors because they speak positively and share their experiences with everyone they know. Others become curious and visit as well, often purchasing to please themselves. Once they've been here, they, too, talk about it, and so it goes on.

Interview, florist store owner, November 2018

Second-hand as facilitating sustainable consumer behavior

A final framing presented SHR as a facilitator of sustainable consumer behavior, exemplified by an assemblage embodying the mall. This assemblage extended beyond the stores through various actants, including social media posts and signs at collection sites, fences and the façade. These actants explained how ReTuna facilitated sustainable practices by organizing material recirculation. Temporary exhibitions, circular economy events and guided tours engaged customers in re-circulating goods and promoting sustainable consumption. Similarly, mall fittings and signs inspired consumers to re-circulate waste. Staff showcased items saved through refurbishment, repair and redesign activities. A quote about DIY activities at the mall illustrates the dual benefits for stores and consumers:

[Activities] bring in extra revenue for all the stores because whatever we do – like clothes swapping events – boosts sales. It benefits the stores and the café. I think it has an impact because those who come on Wednesdays [DIY activities] might be here for two sessions, then return saying: now I think entirely differently. Now, I don't buy new clothes, even if we were just working with tin cans or something else. It has an enormous effect, and that's amazing.

Interview, owner of pop-up book store, December 2019

Additionally, external actants were enrolled. For example, a former municipal official sent information and photos to an English influencer, whose viral blog positioned ReTuna as a notable example of retail’s contribution to sustainable consumption and the circular economy. Researchers, politicians and industry representatives also praised and shared stories about ReTuna’s recirculation efforts, highlighting how SHR enables consumers to participate in the circular economy. A quote from the mall manager exemplifies this ambition:

The idea has been to inspire and demonstrate that reusing items is possible. Used items can seamlessly fit into modern surroundings, being both aesthetically pleasing and inspiring. We strive to live by the principles we promote, making everything in the mall's public areas available for sale, recognizing the continuous influx of used goods.

Interview, mall manager, December 2019

Discussion

The findings reveal two strategies to incentivize consumers to purchase used goods: enrolling sustainability supporters and second-hand shoppers. These strategies are illustrated through five framings: environmentally friendly, socially sustainable, value for money, creatively experiential and facilitating sustainable consumer behavior. These findings contribute to SHR research and practice, and the subsequent section delves into this.

First, this paper contributes to SHR research by emphasizing the importance of marketing strategies. Effective marketing strategies are crucial for positioning used goods as viable substitutes for first-cycle products (Paras et al., 2018), and the two identified marketing strategies provide a foundation for researchers and retailers to develop more effective approaches. This extends previous SHR research by demonstrating how second-hand retailers must navigate marketing strategies while addressing shifting consumer demands (Appelgren, 2019), conflicting rationalities (Hedegård et al., 2019), customer-competitor relationships (Crewe and Gregson, 1998) and processes of valorizing (Gregson et al., 2000; Botticello, 2012; Larsen, 2019; Schadenberg and Folmer, 2022; Choufan and Tila-Cohen, 2023).

The need for effective marketing strategies underscores the trend of further professionalization in SHR (Broadbridge and Parsons, 2003; Parsons, 2004; Persson and Hinton, 2023) regarding the specific marketing skills required among SHR staff. Skills in aesthetic expression, copywriting, storytelling, photography and event organization are integral for executing identified marketing activities. Additionally, a key insight is aligning marketing activities with consumer expectations, store design and the products offered (Newman and Patel, 2004). Hence, second-hand retailers must recognize the significance of marketing skills and integrate them into their competence development efforts (Derwik and Hellström, 2023).

Second, this paper illustrates how SHR can deploy marketing strategies to attract consumers with shifting expectations (Ferraro et al., 2016; Park et al., 2020) and varied motives (Williams and Paddock, 2003; Bardhi and Arnould, 2005; Cervellon et al., 2012; Fernando et al., 2018; Saarijärvi et al., 2018; Padmavathy et al., 2019; Schibik et al., 2022; Silva et al., 2022). However, consumers' diverse and sometimes conflicting motives for and against used goods (Laitala and Klepp, 2018) make it impossible to satisfy all expectations. Consequently, individual SHR stores cannot meet every consumer’s needs, leading to unfulfilled expectations. For instance, consumers seeking experiential shopping may have high expectations, resulting in dissatisfaction (Rosenbaum et al., 2016). This is exemplified by tourists who, after seeing photos of ReTuna’s creative and experiential stores, were disappointed when they encountered stores emphasizing environmentally friendly and socially sustainable framings. Furthermore, the “value for money” framing is less common among the studied retailers, despite research showing economic motives as primary drivers for second-hand consumption (Williams, 2003; Koay et al., 2022). Hence, there is potential for better alignment between SHR marketing efforts and consumer motivations. An avenue for future research is to explore how the identified strategies align with consumers' motives.

Furthermore, the findings emphasize the role of relationships in incentivizing consumers, as noted by Gopalakrishnan and Matthews (2018) and Syahrivar et al. (2022). Strong customer relationships can be advantageous in SHR (Crewe and Gregson, 1998) as consumer involvement enhances hedonic (Gregson et al., 2013) and identity motives (Lin et al., 2022), increasing purchases (Kim et al., 2021a; Schibik et al., 2022). This underscores the importance of marketing activities that build relationships, such as immersive store environments (Ballantine et al., 2015; Helmefalk, 2016; Hashmi et al., 2020; Bonfanti and Yfantidou, 2021; Faria et al., 2022), narratives (Keith and Silies, 2015; Gilliam and Rockwell, 2018), visual merchandise (Huddleston et al., 2015), events and entertainment (Triantafillidou et al., 2017; Elmashhara and Soares, 2019).

Finally, the use of ANT – particularly through the concepts of framing, assemblages and enrollment – contributes to SHR research in two significant ways. First, framing emphasizes second-hand retailers' ability to influence perceptions of SHR and used goods, demonstrating how different marketing strategies shape these perceptions at the store level. This builds on the findings of Valor et al. (2022), who argue that institutional actors like retailers, media and consumers can construct positive legitimacy for the SHR market. The findings in this paper further show how second-hand retailers can strategically shape their stores and, by extension, the market into a more attractive and growing realm of consumption by applying the proposed marketing strategies and identified activities.

Second, the concepts of assemblages and enrollment stress the central role of fluid human-material interaction in SHR marketing. They reveal how actions from actors not traditionally considered as marketing agents (Hagberg and Kjellberg, 2010) can have crucial impacts on shaping the marketing narrative. The ANT perspective highlights how SHR marketing emerges from socio-material arrangements, where human and non-human actors collaborate in producing marketing activities such as visual merchandising, events and redesign. All these elements contribute to framing SHR and the used goods offered for sale. These findings build upon prior research that has underscored the importance of socio-material interaction in SHR communication (McColl et al., 2013), store experiences (Brembeck and Sörum, 2017) and store infrastructure (Appelgren, 2019).

Conclusion

This paper identifies and explains marketing strategies to incentivize consumers to purchase second-hand goods in stores, revealing how socio-material arrangements frame SHR. Applying ANT, the paper uncovers two strategies: enrolling sustainability supporters and second-hand shoppers. These strategies are exemplified through five framings, positioning SHR as environmentally friendly, socially sustainable, value for money, creatively experiential and as facilitating sustainable consumer behavior.

The findings emphasize the significance of expanding actor-networks to perform a desired framing. The success of these networks relies on the dynamic interaction between store arrangements, used goods, staff, consumers and other human and non-human actants, all of which contribute through their actions to shaping these framings. Ultimately, this underscores the necessity of dynamic socio-material networks, where diverse actors collaboratively shape the marketing of SHR.

This paper’s focus on the Swedish context is a limitation. Sweden’s socio-economic conditions and the population’s sustainability attitudes may influence how second-hand stores frame used goods, potentially making these findings less transferable to other settings. For instance, economic necessity often drives second-hand shopping in lower-income regions (Williams, 2003), where the “value for money” aspect may be more emphasized than in the Swedish stores studied. Future research should explore how similar strategies are applied across different cultural and economic contexts.

Figures

Figure 1

Data structure

Table 1

Second-hand marketing framework

Strategy	Enrolling sustainability supporters		Enrolling second-hand shoppers
Framing	Second-hand as environmentally friendly	Second-hand as socially sustainable	Second-hand as value for money	Second-hand as creatively experiential	Second-hand as facilitating sustainable consumer behavior
Focus	Communicating the environmental benefits of used goods and store processes to encourage purchasing used goods	Communicating about the store’s social initiatives to encourage supporting sustainability by purchasing used goods	Communicating the possibilities to buy cheap goods	Activities and/or communication on design and uniqueness to encourage consumers’ consumption of used goods	Activities and/or communication to support and educate consumers on how to consume sustainably or engage in the circular economy
Consumers’ motivation	Sustainability, green consumer behavior and environmental attitude	Social sustainability and caring for others	Economic and treasure-hunting motives	Entertainment and hedonistic motives, treasure-hunting, fun, originality and self-extension	Sustainability, green consumer behavior and environmental attitude
Identified activities
Social media	Photos, films, and texts showcasing the environmental benefits of second-hand goods and stores’ processes	Photos, films, and texts showcasing the social benefits of second-hand stores’ social work	Photos, films, and texts showcasing the economic benefits, low prices and high quality/value of second-hand goods	Photos, films, and texts to spread narratives showing second-hand goods' creative and design possibilities and call for consumers’ involvement in creativity/(re)design	Photos, films and texts to inspire consumers to engage in sustainable consumption activities
Events	Educational events on products’ properties and their environmental benefits	–	Sales and auctions to trigger purchases and treasure hunts	Workshops, movie nights, presentations, guided tours, DIY courses, fashion shows and contests to stimulate creative experiences	Exhibitions, theme days, and movie nights to educate and inspire consumers about sustainable practices
External attention	–		–	Influencer activities, social media posts, TV and press reports, awards, research, and customer reviews spread stories and enhance second-hand stores’ credibility
Face-to-face communication	Staff describe the store’s environmental work and highlight the positive environmental effects of second-hand goods	Staff describing the store’s charity work and social support for consumers Trainees in the store, enacting social sustainability	Staff describe the store’s low prices and how they benefit the customers	In-store work and pop-up stores showing value-adding design and production processes	Individual in-store support when choosing/utilizing used items Educating/informing/guiding/inspiring about second-hand consumption and its benefits
Visual merchandise	Store names, product tags, posters, prints, displays and signs inform about used items' properties and store processes’ environmental benefits	Store names, product tags, posters, prints, displays and signs inform about second-hand stores’ social work	Posters, prints, displays and signs inform about sales, offerings and/or low prices	Themed displays, decorations, furnishings, unexpected product combinations, innovative products and visualizations of social events – inspiring regarding how to utilize used goods Posters, signs, banners, store names, texts/slogans, product tags and electronic displays emphasize shopping for used goods as creative	Exhibitions, brochures, and information sheets about second-hand consumption and the circular economy Posters, signs, banners, store names, texts/slogans, product tags and electronic displays emphasize shopping for used goods as a sustainable consumption mode

Source(s): Authors' own work

Notes

1. Swedish quotes have been translated by the author.