How AI is Allowing Brits to take Advantage of the Growing Secondhand Market

Matthieu Rouif, CEO of Photoroom, discusses how AI is allowing Brits to take advantage of the growing secondhand market…

17 Million Brits Prefer Buying Secondhand Items, While 18 Million Believe the Best Finds are Thrifted

• 59% of Brits say a bad product photo has stopped them from buying something online
• 52% of Brits say that, besides the price, the most important factor influencing their purchase decisions online is the product image
• 20% of Brits want to sell their secondhand products but are worried the photos will look unprofessional

Festive spending is set to jump by over £1 billion pounds this Christmas according to research from accounting firm, PwC. Attributed to the slight easing of the cost-of-living crisis, as well as premium prices for clothing, food and tech, Brits are set to splurge even more than the first post-pandemic Christmas in 2021. As people look for budget-friendly and sustainable alternative to traditional holiday shopping, exclusive national research from the world’s leading AI editing software, Photoroom, discovered that 17 million (35%) Brits prefer buying second-hand items because they are better for the environment, while a further 18 million (37%) believe the best finds are on second-hand thrifting platforms. Matthieu Rouif, CEO/co-founder of Photoroom, the world’s leading AI photo editing software, discusses the rise of the secondhand market in the lead-up to Christmas and how AI photo editing helps Brits tap into this growing market.

In the digital age, much of Brits’ shopping is done online, and the world’s leading AI photo editing software found that more than 25 million say that besides the price, product images are the most important factor influencing purchasing decisions, while 59% say a bad product photo has stopped them from following through with a purchase altogether. Product images essentially become an online seller’s shopfront, which has deterred 20% of Brits from selling their own second-hand products because of their worries that the photos will look unprofessional.

As the trend of thrifting continues to grow, plenty of Brits have already turned to secondhand options as a way of extending their own budgets during a lengthy cost-of-living crisis. Photoroom’s national study found that over 4.5 million Brits now sell items online but are unable to grow their business due to their lack of photo editing skills, with 4 million stating they’ve had a sale fall through altogether because of poor-quality photos on the listing. Utilising AI editing software, such as that from Photoroom, can be the difference between making a sale and not. 

Key stats:

• 35% of Brits prefer buying secondhand items because they are better for the environment
• 37% of Brits believe the best finds are on secondhand or thrifting platforms
• 52% of Brits say that, besides the price, the most important factor influencing their purchase decisions online is the product image
• 20% of Brits want to sell their secondhand products but are worried the photos will look unprofessional
• 13% of Brits, when selling online, have had a sale fall through due to the photos on the listing
• 17% of Brits sell items online, but can’t grow their business because they lack the photo editing skills 
• 59% of Brits say a bad product photo has stopped them from buying something online 

AI photo-editing software, such as that from Photoroom, offers a powerful tool for sellers looking to enhance their listings and stand out in a crowded market. By using AI to improve the quality and professionalism of product images, sellers can boost their chances of making a sale, increasing their visibility and credibility online. Additionally, AI-driven tools simplify the editing process, making it accessible even for those without advanced photo-editing skills, enabling more people to confidently participate in the thriving secondhand economy.