Buy Nothing is a network of social media groups (mostly found on Facebook) where people can list items they no longer require. The items don’t have to be physical – members are encouraged to offer their time and talents or loan items for a short time. Describing itself as ‘the world’s gift economy platform’, Buy Nothing was the brainchild of two women in Washington, US. Since launching in 2013, it’s grown to over 6,700 Buy Nothing Facebook groups in 44 countries – fueled in part by the COVID-19 pandemic. An app was launched in the US in June 2021 then rolled out across the globe in October.
Self-regulating communities where goods and services are exchanged for free grew during
the pandemic. Between July 2018 and July 2021, the number of people Googling ‘where
can I find free stuff?’ increased by 800%. Consumers are shifting towards an UNCONSUMED lifestyle – going off-grid, avoiding brand-new purchases, and swapping and sharing what they already have. This may be further accelerated by the on-going economic and energy crisis. Will platforms and communities be the next big thing??
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