Mining Chinese Consumer Minds: Motivations for Selling Unwanted Fashion Items in Online Resale Marketplaces

Abstract

With the development of China’s fashion resale market, sustainable consumption patterns have gradually become popular in China. Although the prospects of China’s fashion resale market are recognized, more and more consumers are also actively participating in the circular consumption model. Consumers have multiple identities in participating in resale, and can be sellers or buyers. However, the sales intention of Chinese consumers to participate in resale as sellers is still unclear. We need to understand what value Chinese consumers are looking for in resale as sellers. The focus of this exploratory study is to understand the intention of Chinese consumers to sell unwanted fashion items as sellers to determine the key attributes that affect customer value and participation. This study applies consumer value theory to explore consumers’ sales intentions and potential themes. This empirical study collected a sample of 1217 seller resale reviews from social media platforms, using LDA text mining, textual point of view extraction, and co-occurrence plotting for data analysis. Nine potential themes were drawn. The results show that lifestyle change is the primary reason why most consumers participate in resale. The perception of their self-concept prompts Chinese consumers to participate in resale. This article provides theoretical and practical significance.

Consumer Engagement in Fashion Circularity in China: Exploring Consumer Online Fashion Resale through the Lens of Social Practice Theory

“…Fashion resale, defined as the buying and selling of pre-owned clothing and accessories, has garnered scholarly attention due to its potential to benefit the environment and surpass primary market sales [10,14]. The literature on consumer engagement in fashion resale extensively examines various aspects, utilizing approaches such as surveys, interviews, and text mining across diverse demographics and market sectors [21,29]. These studies unveiled multifaceted motivations and challenges influencing consumer involvement in OFRP.…”

“…For instance, social acceptance encourages young consumers because resale has become a social norm but deters older consumers due to social risks. When selling, consumers are more motivated to declutter, reduce ownership pressure, and feel a sense of achievement [29]. Moreover, Chinese consumers, influenced by cultural factors, face reluctance due to process complexity, minimal revenue, and stigma linked to secondhand items.…”

“…This entails encouraging more participation in both selling and buying practices to actively circulate consumers' idle wardrobes. Given the pronounced proneness of Chinese consumers, particularly the younger demographic, to lifestyle transformations and sustainable trends [29], it is imperative to elucidate the integration of OFRPs into their daily consumption routines and assess the impact of these practices on sustainable consumption behaviors. This entails a comprehensive exploration of the motivations, challenges, and social practices associated with OFRPs.…”