Which solution for the second-hand retail model in Turku, Finland in the digital age?
Finland is one of the leaders in the second-hand market in the world (Finnish Commerce Federation, 2025). While online second-hand platforms are experiencing explosive growth, traditional self-service rental shelving in Finland is facing slow growth. This article explains about that by exploring the deep-insight psychological barriers from consumers in Turku and proposes digital solutions, which help this business model regain market share and achieve sustainable growth in the future.
Search costs, cultural differences, and language barriers are the main reasons.
Turku, Finland, which is a multicultural city with many foreigners, a potential market with a significant customer base for the second-hand market, is growing quickly. The practical research on both local and foreign customers in Turku reveals three fundamental reasons why consumers hesitate to visit traditional second-hand stores. Firstly, the chaotic layout of these stores, which made customers spend a lot of time searching for the product, also caused them to be tired physically and mentally. Secondly, the fact that traditional stores only use Finnish in their announcements and marketing campaigns, which makes it difficult for international customers to understand the message. Finally, cultural barriers such as superstitious beliefs, for example, the fear of buying items from the deceased or items of unknown origin, hinder customer understanding. These three main reasons have driven consumers to online platforms, where convenience, clarity, and speed are key strengths.
Phygital is a core solution
To break these consumer barriers and satisfy their needs, in the digitalization age, Phygital is the proposed solution to help retailers bridge the gap with their customers. This involves applying and integrating digital technology, a perfect combination of Physical and Digital. Specifically, Digital technology is the solution that, by using social media and implementing marketing activities with short videos and realistic images of products or store spaces on platforms like Facebook, TikTok, or Instagram, will reassure consumers before they visit, help to build trust, and reduce concerns about unhygienic second-hand or cramped products. Showcasing unique products also stimulates curiosity and encourages them to visit the shop daily.
Besides the daily videos and real-life images, displaying and arranging unique items in a systematic, clear, coherent, and organized manner will help customers minimize their search costs. Furthermore, using both English and Finnish in announcements and marketing activities will also help them access and understand the products and the store, making shopping easier and more convenient for them.
Conclusion
In conclusion, kirppis in Turku, Finland, are not just a business model; they play a crucial role in developing a circular and sustainable culture in Finland. In the future, as sustainability trends continue to grow and the customer base becomes younger, improving and integrating digital technology into their business operations to meet the diverse needs of young customers and the international community is very important and should be done as soon as possible. This will create numerous business opportunities for second-hand retailers and can thrive as a foundation for the local economy in Turku.
Reference:
Finnish Commerce Federation, 2023. (2023, September 21). Finland is one of the world’s leading second-hand markets. Kauppa. https://kauppa.fi/en/uutishuone/2023/09/21/finland-is-one-of-the-worlds-leading-second-hand-markets/
Finnish Commerce Federation 2025, (September 18) Circular trade has grown rapidly – does Chinese junk also threaten the second-hand market? | Kauppa. (2025, September 18). Kauppa. https://kauppa.fi/en/uutishuone/2025/09/18/circular-trade-has-grown-rapidly-does-chinese-junk-also-threaten-the-second-hand-market/
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