Survey on Consumer Awareness and Behavior Regarding Inflation and Reuse: 'Quality Concerns' Are the Biggest Barrier to Purchasing High-Value Secondhand Goods

Mercari, Inc. (hereinafter 'Mercari') conducted a survey titled 'Survey on Consumer Awareness and Behavior Regarding Inflation and Reuse' targeting 1,040 men and women aged 20 to 60.

Survey Background

Recently, as prices for various daily goods continue to rise, more consumers are turning to 'secondhand goods' as a way to save money and make smarter consumption choices.

Among the most significantly affected categories are 'smartphones' and 'branded goods.' Driven by surging memory prices due to AI demand, the average smartphone selling price is projected to increase by 6.9% year-on-year in 2026 (※1). Branded goods are also experiencing ongoing price increases, with frequent price adjustments recently announced by major luxury brands. As the barrier to purchasing new items rises, it is expected that more consumers will consider buying secondhand goods in these categories.

Mercari operates under the group mission of 'circulating all value and expanding everyone’s potential.' Amid growing economic burdens on consumers, the company conducted this survey to understand the current state and challenges of the reuse market and to further promote the circulation of value.

※1: Counterpoint Research Japan, Global Smartphone Shipment Tracker and Forecast (December 18, 2025) https://japan.counterpointresearch.com/insights/2026-smartphone-shipment-forecasts-revised-down-as-memory-shortage-drives-bom-costs-up/

Survey Summary

- Due to inflation, about one in five respondents said they are 'considering purchasing secondhand goods more frequently.' However, about half reported not having purchased any secondhand goods in the past 1–2 years.

- Various concerns prevent secondhand purchases, including dirt and hygiene, quality, price fairness, and fears of counterfeit or replica items.

- Concerns about secondhand goods increase with higher price points. Around 70% expressed anxiety about high-end branded bags, a 27.1 percentage point difference compared to lower-priced bags.

- The main barrier to purchasing high-value secondhand goods is 'quality concerns' that individuals cannot easily assess themselves—such as internal degradation or authenticity.

- When purchasing high-end branded fashion items or secondhand smartphones, PCs, and tablets, over 80% prioritize 'quality assurance.'

- If 'professional quality assurance (refurbishment, cleaning, authenticity verification, etc.)' is provided, about half of existing secondhand users said they would be willing to purchase high-value secondhand goods.

Survey Overview

Survey Period: May 20 (Wed) – May 21 (Thu), 2026

Method: Online survey

Survey Targets:

Preliminary Survey: 10,000 men and women aged 20–60

Main Survey: 1,040 men and women aged 20–60 (※2)

※2: 520 respondents who answered 'regularly purchase' or 'occasionally purchase' secondhand goods in the past 1–2 years (reuse users), and 520 who answered 'rarely purchase' or 'never purchase,' totaling 1,040

Notes:

'High-end branded fashion items' in this survey primarily refer to bags, watches/jewelry, and clothing/shoes.

Due to rounding, totals may not sum to exactly 100%.

Detailed Survey Results

1. Inflation has increased consideration of secondhand purchases for about one in five, yet about half have not purchased secondhand goods in the past 1–2 years In the preliminary survey, when asked how inflation has affected their consideration of secondhand purchases, 6.4% said 'consider more,' 14.4% said 'consider somewhat more,' totaling 20.8%—about one in five—who reported increased consideration.

Meanwhile, when asked about their recent secondhand purchasing behavior, 51.0% answered 'never purchase,' indicating that nearly half have not made any purchases. This highlights a gap between rising interest in secondhand goods due to inflation and actual purchasing behavior.

2. Various concerns prevent secondhand purchases, including dirt, hygiene, quality, price fairness, and counterfeit fears Among respondents who answered 'rarely' or 'never' purchase secondhand goods in the past 1–2 years, the top reasons were: 1st, 'concern about dirt or hygiene' (48.0%); 2nd, 'concern about quality such as malfunctions or deterioration' (40.9%); 3rd, 'uncertainty about fair pricing' (31.3%); 4th, 'difficulty finding desired items' (24.1%); and 5th, 'concern about counterfeits or replicas' (22.4%). These findings reveal multiple barriers to secondhand purchases.

3. Anxiety about secondhand goods increases with higher price points—around 70% feel concern about high-end branded bags, a 27.1pt gap from lower-priced bags When asked about their level of concern when purchasing secondhand goods, 70.7% expressed concern about 'high-end branded bags' and 69.9% about 'smartphones, PCs, and tablets'—both around 70%. Meanwhile, 43.6% felt concern about 'lower-priced bags,' compared to 70.7% for 'high-end branded bags,' a 27.1 percentage point difference.

4. The main barrier to purchasing high-value secondhand goods is 'quality concerns' that individuals cannot assess—such as internal degradation or authenticity Among respondents who expressed concern about purchasing high-value secondhand goods (※3), when asked about specific barriers, the top concerns for 'high-end branded fashion items' were: 1st, 'fear of counterfeits or replicas' (73.3%); 2nd, 'hygiene (dirt, odor, etc.)' (59.7%); 3rd, 'discrepancy between photos/description and actual item' (53.5%). For 'smartphones, PCs, and tablets,' the top concerns were: 1st, 'risk of malfunction or failure (e.g., battery degradation)' (73.3%); 2nd, 'lack of warranty or after-sales support' (46.3%); 3rd, 'whether data has been properly reset' (42.9%).

These results indicate that 'quality concerns'—such as authenticity and internal degradation, which are difficult for individuals to judge—are major barriers preventing purchases of high-value secondhand goods.

※3: 863 respondents who answered 'very concerned' or 'somewhat concerned' about purchasing secondhand 'high-end branded bags, watches/jewelry, clothing/shoes,' and 821 who answered similarly about 'smartphones, PCs, and tablets'

5. Over 80% prioritize 'quality assurance' when purchasing high-end branded fashion items or secondhand smartphones, PCs, and tablets When purchasing secondhand goods, respondents emphasized the importance of 'having quality assurance'