From Second-Hand to Third-Hand: Reuse and Resale Cycle.

The promotion of reuse and resale has been receiving extensive attention worldwide for the sake of sustainability. The current research provides insights into this area and identifies a "reuse and resale cycle," whereby consumers are more willing to resell products they originally obtained second hand, compared to products they obtained brand new. One potential mechanism that accounts for this effect is the relatively weak connection consumers form with the second-hand items they own. Six studies confirmed this effect across various product categories. Study 1 tracked consumers' actual resale of the possessions they owned in real life. Subsequent studies provided further empirical evidence for the proposed effect, uncovered the underlying mechanism concerning the strength of the connection with the product, and showed that the effect diminished among consumers who chronically have a high tendency to link themselves with their possessions. This research advances the understanding of resale behaviors. It has implications for consumers to avoid retaining excessive possessions and for the second-hand market to develop in a healthy manner, eventually contributing to society's sustainability in the long run. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Consumer Research is the property of Oxford University Press / USA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)