Recirculating products: valuation practices and the socio-material making of second-hand products
Fuentes, Christian LU
and Hedegård, Lars
(2025)
In European Journal of Marketing
59(13).
p.391-418
- Abstract
- Purpose:
This paper aims to contribute to the understanding of the recirculation of products by empirically exploring, conceptualising and explaining how second-hand goods are made in practices and processes of valuation.
Design/methodology/approach:
The paper takes a practice theory approach to valuation and draws on an ethnographic study of ReTuna, a second-hand shopping mall, to explore the valuation processes involved in the recirculation of products.
Findings:
The analysis shows that the valuation of second-hand items is accomplished through
multiple sets of sorting, modifying, pricing and marketing practices. These practices involve registers of valuing, draw on and depend on valuation devices and... (More) - Purpose:
This paper aims to contribute to the understanding of the recirculation of products by empirically exploring, conceptualising and explaining how second-hand goods are made in practices and processes of valuation.
Design/methodology/approach:
The paper takes a practice theory approach to valuation and draws on an ethnographic study of ReTuna, a second-hand shopping mall, to explore the valuation processes involved in the recirculation of products.
Findings:
The analysis shows that the valuation of second-hand items is accomplished through
multiple sets of sorting, modifying, pricing and marketing practices. These practices involve registers of valuing, draw on and depend on valuation devices and valuation competence, and are guided by regimes of valuing that support the coordinated evaluation and devalorisation/revalorisation of second-hand items.
Research limitations/implications:
This paper shows the importance of considering valuation to understand how the recirculation of products can be accomplished. It develops a novel theoretical approach – a practice theory approach to valuation – to explore how and under what conditions donated goods are transformed from discarded and devalued goods to valuable, exchangeable second-hand products.
Practical implications:
For those interested in promoting a circular economy generally, and retailers and
marketers of second-hand goods more specifically, understanding the process and complexities of valuation is crucial to develop methods, procedures and techniques to evaluate and valorise sourced goods properly. Mapping out the revaluation processes is therefore key when working strategically to develop, stabilise and calibrate processes of revaluation.
Originality/value:
The paper contributes to circular economy research by explaining the social and material processes of valuation underlying the recirculation of products. It demonstrates how valuation is accomplished, what elements this involves and how it is coordinated. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/55d2b286-b4fb-49db-a2b7-30c0427d0654
- author
- Fuentes, Christian
LU
and Hedegård, Lars
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025-09-11
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- European Journal of Marketing
- volume
- 59
- issue
- 13
- pages
- 391 - 418
- publisher
- Emerald Group Publishing Limited
- ISSN
- 0309-0566
- project
- Sustainable Clothing Future
- Service Studies Consumption
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 55d2b286-b4fb-49db-a2b7-30c0427d0654
- date added to LUP
- 2025-10-09 15:04:03
- date last changed
- 2025-10-10 14:14:01
@article{55d2b286-b4fb-49db-a2b7-30c0427d0654,
abstract = {{Purpose:<br/>This paper aims to contribute to the understanding of the recirculation of products by empirically exploring, conceptualising and explaining how second-hand goods are made in practices and processes of valuation.<br/><br/>Design/methodology/approach: <br/>The paper takes a practice theory approach to valuation and draws on an ethnographic study of ReTuna, a second-hand shopping mall, to explore the valuation processes involved in the recirculation of products.<br/><br/>Findings: <br/>The analysis shows that the valuation of second-hand items is accomplished through<br/>multiple sets of sorting, modifying, pricing and marketing practices. These practices involve registers of valuing, draw on and depend on valuation devices and valuation competence, and are guided by regimes of valuing that support the coordinated evaluation and devalorisation/revalorisation of second-hand items.<br/><br/>Research limitations/implications: <br/>This paper shows the importance of considering valuation to understand how the recirculation of products can be accomplished. It develops a novel theoretical approach – a practice theory approach to valuation – to explore how and under what conditions donated goods are transformed from discarded and devalued goods to valuable, exchangeable second-hand products.<br/><br/>Practical implications: <br/>For those interested in promoting a circular economy generally, and retailers and<br/>marketers of second-hand goods more specifically, understanding the process and complexities of valuation is crucial to develop methods, procedures and techniques to evaluate and valorise sourced goods properly. Mapping out the revaluation processes is therefore key when working strategically to develop, stabilise and calibrate processes of revaluation.<br/><br/>Originality/value: <br/>The paper contributes to circular economy research by explaining the social and material processes of valuation underlying the recirculation of products. It demonstrates how valuation is accomplished, what elements this involves and how it is coordinated.}},
author = {{Fuentes, Christian and Hedegård, Lars}},
issn = {{0309-0566}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{09}},
number = {{13}},
pages = {{391--418}},
publisher = {{Emerald Group Publishing Limited}},
series = {{European Journal of Marketing}},
title = {{Recirculating products: valuation practices and the socio-material making of second-hand products}},
url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/229351530/33_Recirculating_products_-_Fuentes_Hedg_rd.pdf}},
volume = {{59}},
year = {{2025}},
}