VÁSÁRLÁSI SZOKÁSOK A HASZNÁLT RUHÁK PIACÁN. SZÉKELYFÖLDI ELŐZETES HELYZETKÉP
CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR ON THE MARKET OF SECOND-HAND PRODUCTS. PRELIMINARY DATA FROM THE SZEKLERLAND REGION (ROMANIA)

Author(s): Laura Nistor, Gyöngyvér Bálint, Blanka Bálint
Subject(s): Social development, Economic development
Published by: Scientia Kiadó
Keywords: consumer behaviour; second-hand products; thrift towns; sustainability; consumer ethics;
Summary/Abstract: The Szeklerland region of Romania – Covasna, Harghita, and to some extent Mureş counties – is one of the poorest in the country. There are towns that are referred to in the common slang as “thrift towns”. The flourishing of second-hand retail can be linked, obviously, to the lower income of the citizens, however other motivations, e.g., sustainability, consumer ethics, and issues of availability (e.g. other types of shops) can also be suspected to impact second-hand shopping. The purpose of the present online survey was to investigate which are the major motivations of shopping for second-hand clothes and how such practice is structured among the respondents. An online survey strategy was employed among Hungarian ethnicities from the above-mentioned counties, and the data suggest that austerity is an important explanation of second-hand shopping: respondents usually spend little money in second-hand shops and are motivated by a good price/quality ratio. The lower price of the second-hand products allows them to acquire a lot of products, so second-hand shopping helps accumulate a lot of products. On the other hand, there are some rising motivations in accordance with the actual discourse of second-hand shopping: the possibility of recycling and hedonistic motivations like treasure hunting, and searching for unique items are also involved in structuring this consumption practice.

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