Used Merchandise Stores NAICS 459510

Jul 10, 2025 - Back-to-School Sales to Rise in 2025: Survey

• Secondhand apparel may be a growing part of back-to-school sales, according to a new Coresight Research survey on US back-to-school spending in Yahoo Finance. The survey estimates that US back-to-school spending will grow 3.3% year over year, reaching $33.3 billion, with consumers anticipating spending more amid inflationary impacts. Focused on value amid broader economic pressures, consumers are seeking budget-friendly shopping options such as secondhand apparel. According to the survey, “Most shoppers expect to exceed last year’s spending, but inflation, tariffs and supply chain uncertainty continue to weigh on purchase decisions. These concerns are driving behavioral shifts, with many consumers planning to start shopping earlier, explore secondhand options, or adjust where and how they shop in response to higher prices and potential product shortages.” Back-to-school shopping is inching earlier, with 62% of respondents planning to shop before August compared to 53.9% in 2024, potentially motivated by concerns of potential tariffs.
• Consumer sentiment, an indicator of discretionary spending, was mixed in June 2025, according to two major indicators. The final index of consumer sentiment from the University of Michigan grew 15.9% in June 2025 from the previous month, as the Trump administration put some tariffs on hold against major US trade partners, according to CFO Dive. Year over year, the index of consumer sentiment was down 11.3%. An index measuring consumers’ expectations for the future was up 21.9% from the previous month, but was down 16.1% year over year. According to survey director Joanne Hsu, “Consumers appear to have settled somewhat from the shock of the extremely high tariffs announced in April and the policy volatility seen in the weeks that followed.” Hsu noted that consumers’ views of business conditions, personal finances, buying conditions for big ticket items, labor markets and stock markets all remain below six months ago. However, the Consumer Confidence Index fell by 12.3 points in June 2025, compared to the previous month. The index dropped in June following a gain in May, according to The Conference Board, which publishes the monthly index.

• Sales for the US used merchandise stores industry are projected to grow at a CAGR of 3.17% between 2025 and 2029, according to a forecast from Inforum and the Interindustry Economic Research Fund, Inc. The expected growth rate is slower than the overall economy‘s anticipated growth. The retail and wholesale sectors are driven by consumer spending, along with expenditure by businesses and the government. The forecast said retail spending could soften with the growth of spending on consumer services. A factor that may limit consumer spending is higher tariffs on consumer goods. On a positive note, lower inflation supports a moderate increase of real disposable income by about 2% in 2025 and 1.9% in 2026. Real income could suffer to an extent if average prices rise due to tariff implementation.
• According to the Wall Street Journal, many used merchandise stores are reporting higher traffic and a wider customer base at the start of 2025, as consumers increasingly shift to cheaper shopping options amid economic uncertainty. Reseller supplier Thrift Vintage Fashion in Miami, for example, said sales were up 31% in March 2025 and 23% in April 2025 compared to the same periods a year ago, which the company attributed to the tariff scare. In addition, resale platform ThredUp had a 95% increase in new sign-ups from January to March 2025. Accenture consultant Oliver Wright noted in the article that any stigma associated with secondhand shopping is going away, and that online searches for thrift stores and similar keywords have recently surged. Some used merchandise stores have not yet seen a notable gain in 2025. Buffalo Exchange, a chain of 41 locations, said its 2025 sales have been about on par with those in 2024, potentially due to consumers cutting back on nonessential spending.