Shopping enjoyment – a key driver for circular fashion

Second-hand, pre-loved, renting, and borrowing – there are many names for this. More and more Swedes want to buy circular fashion and many companies are competing for those customers. Not least in the digital arena, where long-established platforms such as Blocket and Tradera have been challenged by more niche alternatives such as Sellpy, Vinted, and services like clothing libraries, to name a few.  
Niklas Sörum is an Associate Professor of Business Administration and leads the Digital Consumption research group at the University of Borås. In a new study published in the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, he examined how 24 people use digital platforms that sell and rent circular fashion. By focusing on consumers’ early and changing behaviours, the study captures the experimental and flexible nature of their engagement with circular platforms – something often overlooked in research based on established habits. 

Unclear pricing leads to dissatisfaction

One of the more surprising insights from the study is that the platforms’ features do not only promote engagement with circular consumption but also counteract it.  
Engagement depends on how well platforms balance convenience, control, and emotional connection. 
“Despite the fact that the platforms are designed to facilitate this, the study shows that the features sometimes unwittingly discourage consumers. It shows how fragile engagement can be in circular platforms,” said Niklas Sörum. 

Three examples of hindering functions

• Filtering tools that do not show available sizes or products create frustration.
• Pricing algorithms that undervalue user-submitted garments lead to dissatisfaction.
• Personalisation that misunderstands the user's style reduces emotional connection.

That commitment to circular shopping is so fragile leads to one of the study's other insights: why people shop circularly. 
“Contrary to the assumption that circular fashion consumption is primarily driven by environmental or economic motives, the study shows that aesthetic appreciation, identity creation, and emotional connection are also important aspects. Users engage with the platforms to, for example, discover new brands and styles, express their personal style, and to feel inspired and excited about shopping,” said Niklas Sörum, noting that this is no different from traditional shopping. 

Previous research on circular fashion consumption has often focused on individual attitudes, motivation, and psychological factors. The current study differs by combining Social Practice Theory (SPT) with an affordance perspective (focus on digital platform features) which provides socio-technical understanding.

Concrete tips for businesses

Companies ought to design and improve platform features strategically to support user expectations and promote circular consumption patterns. Misalignments (e.g. poor filters or unclear pricing) can reduce engagement.
To create long-term engagement, platforms ought to offer flexible, transparent, and emotionally rewarding experiences that reflect users’ values and identity.
Businesses ought to invest in user-centred development, and see proto-practices – that is, emerging practices that are not yet fully established – as a chance to shape future consumption patterns and differentiate themselves in the market.

Read more

Read the article “Proto-practices of Online Circular Shopping: An Affordance-Based Perspective” Niklas Sörum –  Profile Page
Digital Consumption Research Group