“Should I give it away or sell it?” A strategic perspective on consumers’ redistribution of their unused objects

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Although both scholars and practitioners have shown considerable interest in consumers’ disposition behaviors, little is known about how consumers decide between different modes of redistribution, such as selling, giving, or donating. This study aims to understand the complexity of consumers’ redistribution practices by taking consumer agency into account and, in doing so, emphasizing the strategic dimension of redistribution practices. Drawing from a set of qualitative methods, we show that redistribution of unused objects is a strategic action governed by a portfolio of resources and competences that consumers deploy, resulting in three different redistribution strategies: market-oriented, convenience-oriented, and community-oriented. We also demonstrate that each strategy comes with different market or non-market-oriented practices and highlight the role of closeness with the recipient in consumers’ decisions. Doing so, we help charities and retail managers understand what limits redistribution practices and how these practices can be encouraged.