| Creators: |
Traut, Stephan and Mahler, Kristina and Friess, Maximilian and Schwaiger, Manfred |
| Title: |
Second-hand luxury: investigating the trade-off
between exclusivity and sustainability |
| Item Type: |
Article or issue of a publication series |
| Projects: |
SSBI |
| Journal or Series Title: |
International Journal of advertising |
| Page Range: |
pp. 1117-1150 |
| Additional Information: |
Open Access |
| Date: |
10 April 2026 |
| Divisions: |
Wirtschaftswissenschaften |
| Abstract (ENG): |
In recent years, second-hand luxury platforms have expanded rap
idly, prompting luxury brands to reconsider their role in this evolv
ing market. While such engagement may enhance perceptions of
sustainability, it also risks diminishing exclusivity, as broader acces
sibility and lower prices challenge traditional status signals. Drawing
on Signaling Theory, we examine how brands’ closeness to the
second-hand market influences consumers’ purchase intentions for
first-hand luxury goods, mediated by perceptions of sustainability
and exclusivity. We show that second-hand engagement decreases
perceived exclusivity but increases perceived sustainability, with
tentative evidence indicating that the latter effect may outweigh
the former and thus second-hand engagements may on balance
increase consumers’ purchase intentions. However, we also find
that these effects tend to vary with consumers’ attitudes. We thus
encourage luxury brands to pursue second-hand strategies selec
tively, balancing sustainability and exclusivity in ways that resonate
with specific audience segments. |
| Forthcoming: |
No |
| Language: |
English |
| Link eMedia: |
Download |
| Citation: |
Traut, Stephan and Mahler, Kristina and Friess, Maximilian and Schwaiger, Manfred
(2026)
Second-hand luxury: investigating the trade-off
between exclusivity and sustainability.
International Journal of advertising, 45 (5).
pp. 1117-1150.
ISSN 1759-3948
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