eBay predicts Reimagined Black Friday as cost of living crisis boosts demand for non-new products

This festive season, eBay UK is urging shoppers to consider pre-loved or refurbished goods, as new research from the online marketplace giant (involving 2,007 Brits) reveals that the cost of living crisis has left 50% of the nation holding off on deals throughout the year in order to make the most of deeper discounts this Black Friday.

Compared with other generations, the retail sale period is looking to be most popular amongst Gen Zs (16-26 year olds) where 68% predict they will make discounted purchases with almost two-thirds (62%) of them specifically considering making non-new purchases, suggesting a reimagined Black Friday is on the horizon.

While money saving continues to be a top driver, for Gen Zs hoping to snap up some non-new bargains this Black Friday, 19% have said it’s because vintage and pre-loved is more “fashionable” and “on-trend” today.*

On eBay, customers can expect to see only ‘Better Than New’ deals being showcased this Black Friday, helping customers save money and reduce waste. In fact, if everyone shops for only pre-loved or refurbished items, the company’s data reveals that the nation could save £9 billion per year, equating to as much as £320 per household.

In 2022, nine of the top ten Black Friday deals sold on eBay UK were refurbished, with Dyson products, Hotel Chocolat Velvitisers and iPhones topping the list of most popular products.

The nation’s hunger for pre-loved and refurbished items was also echoed across the whole of the year, with almost two million kg of fashion waste avoided through pre-loved fashion buys on eBay UK, and 2.8 million kg of waste avoided through refurbished and used tech buys - an equivalent to over 23.5 million phones spared from landfill.

This year, items such as air fryers, Airwraps, phones and vacuum cleaners will be up for grabs, alongside deals on pre-loved fashion from top brands. 

Eve Williams, General Manager of eBay UK, says: “It’s clear that amidst a cost of living crisis, shoppers are approaching Black Friday with a money-saving mindset.”

“What’s been really promising to see this year is that although great deals and savings are still front of mind, Gen Zs are actually leading the charge with what we’re terming a ‘reimagined Black Friday’ - one that’s got both economic and environmental benefits.”

“Last year, we made a big bet by focusing exclusively on non-new and refurbished products in eBay’s Black Friday marketing, and we saw an unprecedented appetite for it. “

“With a new generation of more conscious shoppers emerging,  we want to ensure we’re providing the best deals on our non-new and refurbished offerings, in the hopes that the trends we’re seeing with the younger generation of Brits continues to grow.”

Anne Wingfield, Managing Director, GB&I at Dyson, says: “Selling our Certified Refurbished range on eBay brings our robust and innovative engineering to a new audience.”

“Whether you’re looking for an Airwrap or a vacuum cleaner this Black Friday, all Dyson Renewed products are refurbished with our renowned quality control and the goal to help you get great value while keeping unnecessary waste out of landfill.”