An Analysis of Second-Hand Luxury Goods Sales Data Using Network Motifs

Abstract

In the market for used luxury goods, companies buy these goods from owners who no longer need them and then sell them as second-hand luxury goods. This trading market is effective in realizing a recycling-oriented society in that it reuses unused goods instead of disposing of them. In addition, consumers can sell or buy used luxury goods at low prices, and the interests of both consumers who want to sell their goods and companies who want to buy and sell them coincide, allowing both parties to benefit economically. Based on this data, we can potentially find new economic values. However, until now such data has not been fully exploited. In this study, we first analyzed the data on the sales of second-hand luxury goods owned by companies and aimed to apply it to the strategic planning of the companies. To identify which trading patterns are economically advantageous for both consumers and buying/selling companies, we applied a network motif analysis model and focused on the combination of goods to be purchased. As a result, we discovered clusters of second-hand luxury goods that are expected to generate high corporate profits. These findings contributed to the development of trading strategies for companies.