Evaluating second-hand luxury on online platforms from a consumer perspective

The fashion industry is a constantly evolving sector that enables individuals to express their personal style and identity while supporting economic development on a societal level. However, it is also one of the industries with a significant environmental impact, particularly in terms of natural resource consumption and waste production. In this context, sustainability in the fashion industry is addressed through the concept of circular fashion, which emphasizes the efficient use of resources, minimizing waste, and extending the lifecycle of products. Circular fashion diverges from traditional production and consumption models by incorporating practices such as product maintenance, reintroduction into the consumption cycle, and recycling processes to reduce waste. Circular fashion practices include the reuse and resale of pre-owned items, alongside the growing presence of secondhand stores and online platforms. These approaches aim to increase sustainability within the fashion industry, mitigate environmental harm, and promote the efficient use of natural resources. While focusing on sustainability, circular fashion aligns with luxury by emphasizing high-quality, durable designs that meaningfully contribute to the cycle. Luxury, often associated with exclusive designs and premium quality in the fashion world, is redefined by circular fashion in the context of sustainability and conscious consumption. Luxury products are prestigious items recognized for their craftsmanship, exceptional material quality, and unique design features. These products are not merely viewed as elements of consumption but also serve as symbols of status for consumers, instilling a sense of exclusivity in their owners. The value of a luxury product is shaped by its superior material quality and exquisite craftsmanship, as well as by brand heritage, innovation, and customer experience. Luxury products stand apart from others both aesthetically and functionally. Second-hand products are items that were previously owned by other individuals and have since changed hands through purchase or use by new owners, whether used or unused. These products stand out for being more affordable compared to new items. They are sold through charitable organizations, second-hand stores, and online platforms. Beyond their economic benefits, second-hand products are also preferred for promoting sustainability. By using second-hand items, resources are preserved, and additional consumption for new production is reduced. Second-hand luxury products not only offer economic benefits but also encourage sustainable consumption habits. They increase consumers' accessibility to luxury, help reduce environmental impact, and strengthen the circular economy approach. These items allow rare and collectible pieces to re-enter circulation, enabling consumers to explore styles from past eras and contributing to the preservation of cultural heritage. In the literature, second-hand luxury consumption is examined through environmental, psychological, and economic dimensions. This form of consumption provides consumers access to luxury brands' products at more affordable prices. From an environmental perspective, it promotes the efficient use of resources by reducing the need for new production, preserving natural resources, and lowering the carbon footprint. It also helps mitigate the environmental damage caused by the fashion industry, aligning with the circular economy model. Consequently, second-hand luxury products appeal to consumers who value conscious consumption and sustainability. Psychologically, they allow consumers to display social status and express their identity, as these items retain their status value even in the second-hand market. Thus, second-hand luxury consumption has gained prominence in the literature as a growing field of research with significant individual and societal impacts. Through online platforms, second-hand products are reaching a broader audience. Online second-hand platforms are defined as digital marketplaces that allow consumers to easily buy and sell second-hand items across various categories. In this context, online second-hand platforms contribute to the spread of sustainable consumption habits. These platforms have also gained popularity in the luxury sector, as prestigious luxury products are offered to consumers at more accessible prices while supporting sustainability. Historically, luxury was a sector limited to new products. However, thanks to these platforms and various circular business models, the concepts of sustainability and accessibility have been introduced into the world of luxury fashion. Today, a variety of new business models have emerged for buying and selling luxury goods, including: online second-hand platforms specifically designed for luxury items, businesses offering rental services for a specified period without requiring purchase, platforms facilitating the investment-driven buying and selling of collectible items such as watches, jewelry, and bags, companies providing specialized consulting services for the resale and purchase of luxury goods, subscription-based services allowing users periodic access to luxury items for a fee, and repair and maintenance services that extend the lifespan of luxury products, making them ready for resale. These innovations are reshaping the luxury market by integrating sustainability and accessibility into its core values. Various factors contribute to the rapid growth of the second-hand luxury fashion market. Environmentally conscious consumers prefer second-hand luxury products because they offer a sustainable and eco-friendly consumption approach. These items are more affordable compared to new products, making them appealing to a broader consumer base. Additionally, second-hand luxury items are often perceived to retain or even increase in value over time, leading to growing demand as they are seen as investment assets. The availability of rare and unique pieces in the second-hand luxury market is another reason for the market's expansion. For consumers interested in fashion and luxury brands, this market is particularly attractive, encouraging them to purchase these items to differentiate themselves. The ease of transactions provided by online platforms further enhances the market's accessibility, allowing both buyers and sellers to engage seamlessly. The widespread use of these platforms is thus regarded as a significant factor in the growth of the second-hand luxury fashion market. According to Değirmencioğlu and Gopalakrishnan (2020), the second-hand luxury fashion market is expanding rapidly, and the reasons behind this growth warrant further exploration. Despite this rapid growth, there remains limited knowledge about consumer motivations and purchase intentions, highlighting the need for more research in this area (Lou, Chi, Janke i Desch, 2022). Due to the growth of the online second-hand luxury fashion market, further studies are necessary to identify the factors driving consumers to purchase second-hand luxury fashion items through online channels. Considering this, examining the motivations behind purchasing second-hand luxury products on online platforms emerges as a significant research topic. Identifying the factors that influence consumers' purchase intentions on these platforms aims to provide both theoretical and practical contributions to the literature. The aim of the study is to examine and explain individuals' intentions to purchase second-hand luxury fashion products within the context of online platforms. As a starting point, motivations for purchasing second-hand luxury items through online platforms will be explored. Additionally, dimensions of online second-hand luxury consumption will be considered as mediating variables. In this way, the effect of purchase motivations on purchase intentions will be analyzed both directly and indirectly within the framework of consumption dimensions. Within the framework of the study objectives, a research model was designed, and hypotheses were developed. The research model includes four independent variables (economic motivation, critical motivation, status-seeking motivation, and fashion motivation), three mediator variables (wise consumption, sustainable consumption, and conspicuous consumption), and one dependent variable (intention to purchase second hand luxury online). In the model, each motivation is hypothesized to affect the dimensions of wise consumption, sustainable consumption, and conspicuous consumption, which in turn are hypothesized to influence the intention to purchase second-hand luxury online. The final section of the survey included questions requesting demographic information from the participants. In this way, relevant data were collected, and necessary analyses were conducted. A descriptive study was designed to identify relationships between variables and to make future predictions based on these relationships. This study, which evaluates second-hand luxury offered on online platforms from a consumer perspective, collected data through an online survey as a quantitative data collection method. The target population of the research consisted of individuals over the age of 18 in Turkey who purchase second-hand luxury fashion products via online platforms. In the online survey developed for data collection, participants were first asked whether they purchase luxury products. Next, they were asked if they purchase second-hand luxury products. The third question, serving as a filter, inquired whether participants buy second-hand luxury fashion products. Participants who responded "no" to this question were excluded from further participation. Following these preliminary questions, the survey included questions about where participants purchase second-hand luxury products, the frequency of their second hand luxury fashion purchases, the types of second-hand luxury fashion products they buy, their most frequently purchased second-hand luxury fashion category, and their preferred brand within that category. In the second section, statements aimed at measuring economic, status-seeking, critical, and fashion motivation factors were included, while the third section contained statements to assess consumption dimensions. In the fourth section, statements measuring the intention to purchase second-hand luxury online were provided, and the final section collected demographic information from participants. Statements related to the variables were formulated based on sources from the literature. A pilot study was conducted to test the clarity of the survey statements and to identify any ambiguous or repetitive wording. The pilot study, conducted with 50 participants, revealed no issues with the clarity of the survey. As a result, the survey was finalized and distributed to the target population. The survey was shared with participants via WhatsApp, Instagram, Telegram, and email. Data collection took place between June 15, 2024, and June 29, 2024. Based on the filter question criteria, a total of 285 respondents who had purchased second-hand luxury fashion products through online platforms qualified for the study. After filtering out responses from participants under 18, as well as those who provided inattentive or inconsistent answers, 277 valid responses remained for analysis. The research analyses were conducted using these 277 responses. In the research, analyses were conducted using the SPSS 25 software package and SmartPLS. The SPSS 25 package was utilized for distribution analysis and descriptive statistical analyses, while the PLS-SEM software package was employed for other analyses. The research results indicate the effects of economic, critical, and status-seeking motivation factors on the dimensions of wise, sustainable, and conspicuous consumption. Economic motivation was found to have a significant and positive effect on wise consumption but showed no effect on sustainable or conspicuous consumption. Critical motivation demonstrated a significant and positive effect on wise, sustainable, and conspicuous consumption. Status-seeking motivation had a significant and positive effect on both wise and conspicuous consumption but no effect on sustainable consumption. Furthermore, wise and conspicuous consumption were found to have a positive and significant impact on the intention to purchase second-hand luxury products online, whereas sustainable consumption had no impact on purchase intention. The study also tested whether the dimensions of wise, sustainable, and conspicuous consumption have a mediating effect on the relationships between economic, critical, and status-seeking motivation factors and the intention to purchase second-hand luxury products online. The analyses revealed that wise consumption mediates the relationships between economic motivation and the intention to purchase second-hand luxury products online, status-seeking motivation and intention, as well as critical motivation and intention. Conspicuous consumption was found to mediate the relationship between critical motivation and the intention to purchase second-hand luxury products online, as well as between status-seeking motivation and this intention. However, it showed no mediating effect in the relationship between economic motivation and the intention to purchase second-hand luxury products online. For sustainable consumption, no mediating effect was identified in the relationships between economic motivation and the intention to purchase second-hand luxury products online, status-seeking motivation and intention, or critical motivation and intention. These findings provide several theoretical and managerial contributions. The theoretical contributions can be summarized as follows: 1. Expanding the scope of studies on behavioral intention by focusing on the intent to purchase second-hand luxury fashion products through online platforms. 2. Examining the intention to purchase second-hand luxury fashion products offered on online platforms through the dual lenses of motivation and consumption dimensions. 3. Holistically analyzing consumer motivations and consumption behavior within the framework of online second-hand luxury fashion purchase intentions. 4. Contributing to the existing theoretical framework on online consumption dynamics by addressing consumer behaviors related to purchasing second-hand luxury products through online platforms. 5. Extending the scope of existing studies on second-hand luxury and online second hand luxury, which are predominantly centered on European consumers, to a local context. The study also provides valuable insights for platforms offering online second-hand luxury products, as well as for the entire second-hand luxury sector and similar online platforms. First, individuals' consumption motivations on these platforms offer critical insights for the industry. It has been observed that economic, critical, and status-seeking motivations play a significant role, and these motivations need to be considered by businesses. Additionally, the consumption dimensions that reflect how this behavior is shaped provide meaningful contributions to businesses. The dimensions of wise, conspicuous, and sustainable consumption highlight the types of consumption individuals engage in on these platforms, each offering actionable insights for these businesses. In addition to its contributions, this study has certain limitations. The first limitation stems from its focus on the fashion product category. Future studies conducted in different product categories, such as electronics or automobiles, could broaden the findings of this research. Additionally, this study addressed motivation and consumption factors using specific sub-dimensions to define purchase intentions. Future research could explore different motivations and/or consumption dimensions. Further exploration of demographic aspects could also provide valuable insights. For instance, a generational study incorporating cluster analysis could be conducted in the future. The opportunities for advancement in future studies are not confined to the limitations of this research; alternative approaches may also be adopted. For example, future research could take a different perspective by examining the motivations underlying the lack of adoption of online second-hand luxury fashion platforms. In this regard, studies could consider individuals' personality traits. People with different personality traits may exhibit distinct motivations, potentially leading to variations in their behaviors. KEYWORDS Second-Hand, Second-Hand Luxury, Luxury, Sharing Economy, Circular Fashion, Purchase Intention, Wise Consumption, Conspicuous Consumption, Sustainable Consumption, Sustainability, Status-Seeking Motivation, Critical Motivation