Thursday, November 17, 2022
This Friday the now classic Black Friday is celebrated and the starting gun is given to the weeks with the highest consumption of the year: we start with pre-Christmas and Christmas purchases and continue with the January sales. Avoiding impulse consumption and looking for a more responsible purchase is key both economically and sustainably.
From Wallapop, the online buying and selling platform, they have prepared the study ‘Consumption of reused products’ in which it is revealed that 60% of Spaniards intend to buy more reused products than new ones in the next 3 years, a a much higher figure than that collected in the study La Red del Cambio carried out annually by the same platform. Just a year ago, in 2021, only 20% said they planned to buy more second-hand products than brand new in the next 5 years.
A change in trend motivated by the current economic moment, but also by the environmental situation that the planet is experiencing. “The rise of the circular economy can be explained by taking several factors into account. Interest in reused products has been boosted by the current context of inflation, accompanied by a rise in concern for sustainability. In this sense, we know that 62% of consumers are influenced by the environmental impact of products in their purchasing process, and that 96% would opt for sustainable products if they were more economically accessible”, according to data from La Red del Cambio.
The ‘Consumption of reused products’ study also shows that 51% of those surveyed are going to give away second-hand products this year and 56% are considering buying them on Black Friday. «We are convinced that this year reused products will be the protagonists, since it is about quality purchases, which make us feel good at all levels and are positive for everyone: for the buyer, the seller and, of course, the planet. Pre-released products have broken into decisively and are widely approved by the population, who see in them the opportunity to be responsible with their consumption, taking advantage of what is already made, without the need to manufacture new items”.
age matters
According to the results of the study carried out in November, in times of greatest consumption, as well as the Christmas season, the millennial generation remains the most committed to sustainability. “In fact, the data reveals that among those surveyed who say they will buy reused products this Black Friday, 38% correspond to this generation,” they reveal from the buying-selling platform.
«However, in general terms and as our annual study La Red del Cambio reveals, it is generation Z, which includes those born between 1995 and 2012, who leads the consumption of reused products, since 71% of those surveyed assures that they will buy more second-hand products in the next 3 years, while 64% already actively acquire them”, they affirm.
Tips not to fall into temptation
If you are going to make a purchase in any type of store on the occasion of ‘Black Friday’, you are interested in knowing that every year the OCU monitors prices prior to this day to find out if the offers are or, on the contrary, they are trying to sell a pig for a poke In 2021, for example, they were collecting prices during the 30 days prior to ‘black’ and detected that 32.5% of the 17,000 products analyzed raised their price, while 11.8% lowered it. Overall, an average increase of 3.3% was detected. In order not to get carried away by flashy advertisements and to consume with our heads, they give a series of recommendations: 1. Comparing is saving: consult through comparators, locate the best products for you and the store that offers you the best price. 2. If you doubt whether the price you have seen is good or not, you can consult the OCU price advisor. 3. Make sure that the original or the discount percentage appears next to the discounted price: if it is not, no matter how much they say, it is very possible that it is not discounted. 4. Find out about the store’s payment, exchange and return policy. 5. If there is any change in the establishment’s policy during the Black Friday campaign, they must notify you of it. 6. If you buy online, you have 14 days to return the product if you are not satisfied. 7. If you buy in a physical store, keep in mind that they are not obliged to change the product, unless it is defective. 8. Make sure you buy online from sites that offer you a guarantee. 9. Keep the ticket or invoice: it is your proof for any claim. 10. What is not reduced are your rights: the product you buy must have the same quality and have the same guarantee as if you bought it outside the promotional period. In the face of any problem, do not cross your arms: ask for the complaint form and fill it out.