Secondhand Consumption

If consumption is understood as a process of selecting, purchasing, using, maintaining, and disposing of goods and services, secondhand consumption can be understood as the consumption of goods that have already been through this cycle and reached the point of disposal. Essentially, it is the process through which a consumer good enters a second cycle of consumption. It involves a range of consumer practices and takes place in a range of social spaces including (but not limited to) charity shops, retro-retailers, flea markets, swap meets, car boot sales, and eBay. Unlike a lot of first-cycle consumption, it occupies a mundane location in everyday life, insofar as it typically involves the exchange of ordinary goods in ordinary locations.