Framing luxury in the resale era: Matching influencer type with regulatory focus in second-hand luxury consumption

As second-hand luxury (SHL) gains popularity among consumers seeking both sustainability and prestige, understanding how to effectively market SHL products becomes increasingly important. This study examines how different types of social media influencers (SMIs) - informers (information-oriented) versus entertainers (entertainment-oriented) - affect consumer purchase intentions toward SHL. Drawing on regulatory focus theory, we also investigate how consumer motivation (prevention vs. promotion focus) moderates these effects. Across two scenario-based experiments (Study 1: n = 213; Study 2: n = 177), we demonstrate that influencer effectiveness depends on both product framing and consumer motivation. Informers are more persuasive when SHL is presented as sustainable and practical, while entertainers are more effective when SHL is framed as aspirational and luxurious. Furthermore, consumers experience stronger purchase intentions when there is a regulatory fit: prevention-focused consumers prefer informers, while promotion-focused consumers respond more positively to entertainers. These findings advance SHL and influencer marketing research by highlighting the importance of influencer-consumer congruence based on perceived influencer role and consumer motivation. Practical implications are offered for SHL retailers and luxury brands regarding influencer selection and audience segmentation strategies.