Have you heard about the Zara second-hand store? Here is how it works

What if when you buy a new piece of clothing you are already thinking about the day you will sell it? This is exactly the trend that has been changing the fashion market in recent years: more consumers, and especially young people, look at clothes not only as something to wear, but also as an item that can be passed on and sold.

Many do not know, but Zara has a second-hand store where they upload the product and sell it; shipping costs are on the buyer. So if you have products with the company's tags or even without them, you can sell them online and not be upset about clothes that are not worn. However, this service does not exist in Israel yet.

The global second-hand clothing market has already doubled in the last five years, and today it accounts for about 10% of all clothing sales. According to an analysis by RBC Capital Markets, the market is expected to grow by another 40% by 2030, when second-hand clothes may account for 12%-13% of all clothes sold in the world.

The reasons for this are quite clear: prices are rising, consumers are looking to save, and at the same time it has never been so easy to sell clothes that are no longer wanted. Platforms like Vinted, Depop, Poshmark, Vestiaire Collective and eBay have turned the sale of used clothes into something that can be done in a few steps from the phone.

But the more interesting change happens even before the garment reaches the closet. According to RBC, the purchase decision is increasingly influenced by the question of how much it will be possible to get for the item in the future. That is, the consumer not only asks if they like the garment and if the price suits them, but also if it will be easy to sell it in a few months.

This creates a situation where a garment actually receives two prices: the price paid for it in the store and the price that can be obtained for it later. A coat from a sought-after brand that has been well-maintained can be resold at a significant price, while other clothing may lose almost all its value immediately after purchase.

And here is the twist: contrary to what one might think, large fashion chains do not necessarily lose from the shift to second-hand. RBC notes that brands like Zara, H&M, Zalando and ASOS are actually adapting well to the change.

Zara stands out in particular. According to the analysis, it has become the second most purchased brand in the world in the second-hand market, after the American J.Crew. From the brand's perspective, the fact that Zara clothes continue to be sold even after the first purchase can actually strengthen the demand for them.

This also connects to a move that already exists at Zara: the company operates Zara Pre-Owned in some markets, a platform that allows customers to sell and buy used Zara clothes. Along with selling and buying, the platform also offers repair services and the option to donate clothes.

In other words, Zara is trying to stay in the picture even after the garment leaves the store. Instead of the connection with the product ending the moment the customer paid for it, the same garment can continue to pass between customers, undergo repair and re-enter use.

As for the Israeli consumer, a Zara second-hand store does not yet exist in Israel and is currently mainly prominent in Spain. However, the phenomenon is already familiar. Sales groups, second-hand sites and various platforms allow selling clothes that are no longer worn, and sometimes also returning part of the money spent on them. As this market grows, it may also affect the way we choose what to buy in the first place. Because perhaps in the future the question at the checkout will not only be "How much does it cost?", but also "How much will it be worth to me when I don't want it anymore?"