Happy Black Friday, y’all 👋. I hope you found a little space to rest after Thanksgiving before heading into the weekend rush.

The focus of today’s deep dive is how Gen Z is rewriting the Black Friday script through secondhand shopping and what that shift signals for retailers heading into peak season.

Let’s get into it.

Driving the news: Kailyn Rhone reports for The New York Times that Gen Z shoppers are embracing secondhand shopping this holiday season, shifting away from luxury stores and big-box aisles toward thrift shops, consignment stores, and resale apps. An eBay report shows that 86% of Gen Z buyers are more likely to purchase a secondhand gift this year. Research also indicates that Gen Z’s holiday spending is expected to fall 23%, putting greater emphasis on cost, durability, and unique items with character. Link

The stakes: This shift challenges retailers who depend on traditional Black Friday traffic and trend driven consumption. Younger shoppers are favoring value, quality, and personality over volume, novelty, and standard promotion cycles. Resale platforms, consignment networks, and brands with structured secondhand programs stand to benefit from the shift. The economics of gifting are moving toward durable and distinctive goods that meet constrained budgets and a desire for individuality.

The friction: Gen Z’s expectations conflict with retail models built on speed and mass merchandising. Traditional operators optimize for high turnover and seasonal inventory. Gen Z is optimizing for longevity, identity, and affordability. This creates tension in assortment planning, marketing strategy, and margin management as retailers attempt to serve two very different consumer mindsets at once.

What this unlocks: Retailers can expand verified resale channels, authenticated secondhand offerings, and refurbished programs. Platforms rooted in sustainability and storytelling gain cultural traction. Brands that frame secondhand as a premium giftable experience unlock loyalty from younger shoppers who value distinctiveness over newness.

The bigger picture: Gen Z’s embrace of secondhand reflects a broader reset in consumption norms. Thrift becomes identity. Sustainability becomes baseline. Financial caution becomes culture. The rise of used goods as first choice gifts signals a long term shift in holiday economics. If the pattern holds, retailers may need to rethink how the season works, not just how they market it.

For everything else, see below 👇:

AI

1. Agents, Robots, And Us: Skill Partnerships In The Age Of AI — (Sarah Bregel for Fast Company) — Link

2. How Assembly, IPG, Horizon And Others Use AI And Will Spend On Ads In 2026 — (Catherine Wolf and Li Lu for Digiday) — Link

3. Epic CEO Tim Sweeney Says Steam Should Drop Its ‘Made With AI’ Tags — (Dominic Preston for The Verge) — Link

Retail

4. ‘American Customers Are Madder Than Ever — (Katie Deighton for WSJ) — Link

5. Shoppers’ Holiday Spending Could Help Keep The Economy Humming — (Sydney Ember for The New York Times) — Link

6. Goodbye, Price Tags. Hello, Dynamic Pricing. — (James Robinson for The New York Times) — Link

Media

7. The Rise Of Cinema’s Sad, Searching Stoner Dad — (Savannah Walsh for Vanity Fair) — Link

8. Paramount+ Becomes Official Partner Of English Soccer Club Arsenal — (Lily Ford for The Hollywood Reporter) — LinkSocial Media

Style

9. The 10 Best Dressed Rappers Of The 21st Century — (Mike DeStefano, Ian Stonebrook, and Antonio Johri for Complex) — Link

Culture

10. Thanksgiving Box Office: ‘Zootopia 2’ Rules With $19.7 Million, ‘Wicked: For Good’ Crosses $200 Million — (Brent Lang for Variety) — Link

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