Publication: Behind the Fashion Treasure Hunt: Exploring the Business Practices of Independent Secondhand and Vintage Fashion Retailers in Berlin and Their Response to the Industry Changes
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Type
Thesis
Degree
BA
Date
2025
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Published Version
Abstract
This thesis explores the business practices of independent secondhand and vintage
fashion shops in Berlin. Semi-structured interviews with business owners,
employees, and people participating in the industry in other ways were conducted.
The gathered data was analysed using the thematic analysis method to try to
understand how businesses of this type operate and how their owners manage
changes in the industry.
The findings presented in this thesis explore the operational practices, curation,
sourcing, pricing and promotion strategies of the independent secondhand and
vintage fashion shops in Berlin, as well as the influence of digital secondhand
marketplaces and e-commerce retail on physical secondhand fashion businesses
and the changes in the secondhand fashion industry caused by those technologies.
Understanding the current practices, struggles, concerns, and perceptions of
changes of the business owners of vintage and secondhand fashion stores will help
to further explore the market, benefit the retailers, and encourage further research
of the topic.