Second-hand interactions

Abstract

We present a qualitative study of reacquisition-the acquisition of previously possessed goods-involving indepth interviews with 18 reacquirers within or nearby Pittsburgh, PA, USA. Based on critiques of sustainable consumption and our findings, we reframe technology consumption as acquisition, possession, dispossession and reacquisition. We present four reacquisition orientations describing our participants' motivations and practices: casual, necessary, critical, and experiential. We then present a range of findings including issues with work, time and effort involved in reacquisition, and values and practices of care and patience associated with invested reacquirers. We conclude with implications for designing technologies to support current reacquisition practices, as well as broader opportunities for HCI and interaction design to incorporate non-mainstream reacquisition practices and values into more mainstream technologies.

Unique and Cheap or Damaged and Dirty? Young Women’s Attitudes and Image Perceptions about Purchasing Secondhand Clothing

“…Price was considered both a major advantage and encouragement to purchasing secondhand and also, albeit to a lesser extent, a disadvantage and barrier to purchasing. Cost is a key reason why people purchase secondhand clothing [32,46,48], and, locally, a turn to secondhand shopping has been connected to the rising cost of living in Australia [49]. Terms like "cheaper", "save money", and "less expensive" were often used to describe the advantages and encouragements of purchasing secondhand clothing.…”

Study of Consumer Preferences to Support the Marketing Strategy of the Thrift Clothing Business

“…Various contradictory research findings and the emergence of the thrift shopping trend are what are causing marketers and academics to conduct research on this trend shift because of course from a business point of view, the right marketing strategy based on an understanding of the environment and consumers is very important (Janković et al, 2016;Mohr et al, 2021). Previous research states that not all consumption behaviour of these goods is caused by environmental awareness or sustainable consumption, but some consumers enjoy unique, authentic, and quality goods that can be obtained from buying used clothes at thrift shops (Pierce & Paulos, 2011). This shows that many things affect consumer purchasing preferences so it is very necessary to investigate further.…”

Sustainable Making? Balancing Optimism and Criticism in HCI Discourse

“…note that contemporary DIY communities have inherited a spirit of resistance from older hobbyist communities such as amateur radio and computer hackers: "today's DIY cultures reflect the anti-consumerism, rebelliousness, and creativity of earlier DIY initiatives, supporting the ideology that people can create rather than buy the things they want" [p. 1]. Pierce and Paulos [2011] describe people who view the use of previously owned goods as a conscious act of opposition to the status quo of consumerism. These "critical reacquirers" are motivated by "strong political, social and moral considerations, such as where and how a product is made and the working and living conditions of those that actually manufacture and produce it" Paulos 2011, p. 2388].…”

“…In the case of Ikea hacking and Steampunk, practitioners are said to make an aesthetic critique of the "homogenous" quality of mass-produced goods. The "critical reacquirers" described by Pierce and Paulos [2011] are said to make an ethical critique of, for example, the living conditions of factory laborers. But in most of the cases presented in the discourse, the arguments and political aspirations that motivate these practices have yet to be examined in much detail.…”

“…[p. 4825] Although researchers have yet to offer definitive answers to these questions, the discourse has mostly taken an optimistic tone regarding the environmental benefits of maker activities that extend the life of digital materials. For example, the potential sustainability of DIY practice has been observed by several authors in relation to repair [Jackson 2012;Maestri and Wakkary 2011], reuse [Kim and Paulos 2011;Pierce and Paulos 2011], and maintenance [Huh et al 2010], among others.…”