A practical look at how secondhand shopping can stretch holiday budgets, support locally owned stores and keep useful items in circulation.
The holiday shopping season is a wonderful time of year, friends and family come together for meaningful interaction while practicing the tradition of giving (and receiving) gifts. The retail industry relies heavily on the economic return that the period creates. Consumers, however, are faced with a real paradox: How to responsibly manage gifting in light of rising retail costs and a pressing need for more sustainable consumption. Resale retail offers a solution to both.
Why does resale matter during the holiday season?
Winmark’s
portfolio of resale retail brands (Plato’s Closet, Once Upon A Child, Play It Again Sports, Style Encore and Music Go Round) makes it possible to shop for recognizable brands and gifts without relying only on full-price retail.
The resale model can also create value on the selling side. Customers can bring in items they no longer use and receive payment on the spot, which can be especially useful when gift, travel and activity expenses compete for the same household budget.
Our cash-for-gently-used merchandise business model also reduces retail’s impact on the planet. Not only that, but the demand for resale retail rises with the kind of economic pressures consumers experience during the holidays and in economic slowdowns.
How can resale shopping stretch a holiday budget?
All families know the added financial stress that accompanies an already stressful time of year. Gift giving, travel and extracurricular activities seem to commence earlier and stretch well into the New Year. Winmark’s resale brands create significant savings for parents, kids and families by offering gently used brand name merchandise far below standard retail prices.
According to recent holiday shopping outlook
report from PwC, overall consumer spending for the 2026 holidays will be down, with Millennial shoppers leading the belt-tightening effort. Millennials expect to reduce gift spending by 10%, the largest pullback among the generations surveyed.
That value-focused mindset creates a natural role for resale. Winmark’s focus on reselling the things people want and need — brand name clothing, musical instruments, children’s toys and merchandise, sports gear and fashions for adults — meets gift shoppers where they are, year-in and year-out.
Why is in-person resale relevant in 2026
Value is only part of the holiday story. That
same PwC holiday report underscores a building consumer desire for “IRL” (in real life) experiences and commercial interactions. More than 50% of consumers expect to visit stores in person to decide what to give, while 64% are drawn to nostalgic, screen-free gifts. Resale stores can support both behaviors by offering an in-person treasure-hunt experience and an ever-changing mix of practical, hands-on products. For shoppers, that means more ways to discover gifts with a story. For communities, it means more spending and selling activity can remain connected to locally owned businesses.
How do resale stores strengthen local communities?
For over 30 years, we’ve seen firsthand
the impact our stores have on the communities they serve. Winmark Franchise Owners are local folks who hire locally and often are deeply involved in the same community activities as their customers — sports leagues, civic groups, and school and music activities.
Importantly, our stores aren’t just another national franchise chain; they become invaluable community hubs. Many times, employees are the coaches and instructors that kids and parents see every week. Because we encourage neighbors to bring in their unused gear and outgrown clothes for cash on-the-spot, our franchisees form in-person relationships with repeat customers.
How does resale reduce environmental impact?
Resale keeps useful products in circulation longer. Instead of discarding outgrown clothing, unused gear or unwanted equipment, customers can sell eligible items to a nearby store, where those products can find a new owner.
Across its system, Winmark reports that its stores keep more than 195 million items out of landfills each year and have kept more than 2 billion items in use over time. The model is straightforward: sell, buy and repeat. Each additional use helps extend a product’s life and reduces the need to treat still-usable goods as waste.
Values-based retail requires a special commitment
From community building to cost savings to waste reduction, Winmark’s entire franchise ethos is mission driven. Our store owners are committed to operating at a higher level, one that emphasizes a truly circular, regenerative process. We look for and encourage community builders. This special business structure manifests itself in one of the highest refranchising rates in the industry – over 98% of owners renew after 10 years!
Give differently this holiday season
Resale gives holiday shoppers a practical way to combine value, discovery and community impact. Whether you are shopping for a meaningful gift or turning unused items into cash, Winmark’s resale brands make it easier to participate in a local, circular retail model.
Interested in building a resale business in your community? If you’d like to learn more about our brands and how we select our franchise partners,
we’d love to hear from you.
