Do you go to Antique shops?

You’ll be interested in Ross, Bolton, and Meloy’s work.  They found that “The market for secondhand items – goods previously owned by others- is rapidly growing. Disordered environments, characterized by disorganized or messy product displays, are frequently found in secondhand stores. . . .  A set of four studies finds disorder (vs. order) in the secondhand retail environment has opposing effects – enhancing consumers’ perceptions of finding hidden treasure but also heightening risk perceptions. However, the positive effects of disorder from increased hidden treasure perceptions do not overcome the negative effects from risk. For secondhand retailers who may face barriers to tidying up, what can be done to alter these inferences? We test and show that secondhand retailers can reduce risk and/or boost hidden treasure perceptions by a) offering a return policy or b) by signaling seller inventory knowledge.”

Gretchen Ross, Lisa Bolton, and Margaret Meloy.  “Disorder in Secondhand Retail Spaces:  The Countervailing Forces of Hidden Treasure and Risk.”  Journal of Retailing, in press, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretai.2022.12.002