The Rapid Rise of Resale: Exploring Asia's Secondhand Boom

▶ Why Resale Is Thriving Across Asia

1. Support from Millennials & Gen Z: Social media-driven thrift culture, especially strong on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram

2. Shift to C2C (Consumer to Consumer) Models: Individuals now transact directly with minimal intermediaries

3. Rise of Local Community Trust Models: Platforms are designed to reinforce trust based on shared neighborhoods or social proof

4. Diverse Cultural and Social Drivers: Includes sustainability, affordability, and a desire for uniqueness

5. ESG-Aligned Conscious Consumption: Environmental and economic values drive adoption, especially among younger users

▶ Platform Characteristics & UX Strategy

Platform	Country	Key UX Features
Mercari	Japan	Seamless nationwide shipping, personal profile histories, simple UI/UX
Carousell	Singapore	Chat-first UX, casual bartering culture, flexible categories
Danggeun Market	South Korea	Location-based matching, hyperlocal UX, community-driven design
Xianyu (by Alibaba)	China	Integrated with Alibaba ecosystem, supports proof of past purchases (limited scope)

▶ Monetization Strategy Comparison

Platform	Revenue Focus	Monetization Model	Annual Revenue (2023)
Mercari	Transaction-driven	10% seller fee	$1.192B
Carousell	UX + ad blend	Ads, premium listings, B2C support	$116M
Danggeun Market	Hyperlocal services	Local ads, recruiting panelists	$94.6M
Xianyu	Ecosystem integration	Embedded within Alibaba (no public breakdown)	Not disclosed

Revenue Growth in 2023

▶ Conclusion & Future Outlook

The growth of secondhand platforms in Asia reflects more than just frugality—it represents a cultural and technological shift toward sustainable, trust-based commerce. As consumers become more conscious of environmental impact, and as digital tools mature, we expect to see the following trends: 

1. Rise of Circular Commerce Infrastructure: More services will integrate logistics, insurance, and digital warranty tools directly into resale ecosystems.

2. B2B Integration and API Expansion: Established platforms may open their ecosystems to third-party verification services, buyer protection layers, and enterprise-level resale solutions.

3. Cross-border Resale Innovation: Localization plus translation AI, fraud prevention tools, and decentralized authentication could enable seamless resale across Asia-Pacific borders.

Resale is no longer a fringe movement—it’s maturing into a mainstream pillar of commerce with Asia at the forefront of its innovation.