The online resale site, thredUP, just published its
2nd Annual Resale Report.
Fun reading, for sure. While you’re going through this slick report, think about how a similar report could influence and motivate both your shoppers and your suppliers.
Maybe “Amount people saved shopping MyShop instead of retail“? or “Number of brands sold at MyShop (compared to 1,500 currently at LocalNewStore?)”
I’m loving the way this is worded: “Some brands sell immediately – within hours…! Customers understand the tremendous value in buying them resale and grab pieces with these labels the moment they see something in their size. We share a mix of the fastest-selling ready-to-wear, activewear, footwear and maternity brands below.” How could you rewrite that to suit your business?
Read the thredUP REsale Report.
Lots of copywriting inspiration on that site; be sure to explore it all
Auntie Kate The Resale Expert 
Thank you Kate for posting this but I would have loved to hear your comments about the “ecommerce resale” revolution! As a women’s consignment store owner I think these online stores will be cutting into our business soon. In fact, I’ve overheard several of my consignors and customers talking about ThreadUp and other online stores. These online stores could not only hurt the “buy local” trend but hurt all of those local charities we donate to. We’re going to keep doing what we do best…personal service with a smile! Nevertheless, these online stores are not good for the local resale industry IMHO! What do you think?
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Ronnie, you’re wise to focus on personal service with a smile! It’s easy to think “hurt our business” and “not good for local [shopping]” about ANY competition… but resale has had its place in retail for many years, through the growth and ebb of regional malls, the consolidation of locally-run department stores into, basically, Macy’s… through the excesses of consumerism and the curtailing of shopping, and through online shopping as well.
Whether or not online consigning, Facebook swap pages, seasonal consign-it-yourself sales, even things like Freecycle are good or bad for B&M shops can be debated endlessly, but the fact is, they’re here, and how do you, as a retailer with a physical location, offer better?
Sometimes you simply CAN’T… if I want a gently-used Birkin, I will find it online a lot faster than the modest thrift store in my town. But focusing on what you CAN do better, as you mention personal service, you CAN capture much of the market (and besides, how many of your customers would actually buy a Birkin handbag even if you had one or a dozen of them?)… if only because folks are driven by sight, sound, smell and touch, NONE of which online shopping can offer. (And think how much of your business is driven by serendipity… she didn’t know she wanted X until she saw X in your shop and talked about how X would enhance her life, with you?
My formula for thriving in a world where online is looming larger and larger? Service, of course, including wish lists (you’re doing, in effect, “personal shopping” for her/him), convenient hours and location, frequent reasons for consumers to remember how pleasant shopping with you is (e.g. advertising, social media, emails and snail mail), and most of all selection selection selection! You must strive for “a different store every time” to reinforce the Buy It Today, It May Not Be Here Tomorrow time incentive.
Hope I’ve given you some thoughts to up your game against the Big Girls 😉 !
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