22 NOV 2023 · Join host Andy Ruben, founder of Trove, in a groundbreaking episode where the intersection of business and sustainability takes center stage. Uncover the strategies and insights that redefine sustainability as not only essential but smart business. In this candid conversation, Andy and industry experts Asha Agrawal Head of Corporate Dev at Patagonia, Chris Riley, former strategic planning director Wieden+Kennedy, and J.R. Siegel Sr. Director of Product Innovation at Wordly, explore the evolution of circular business models, the imperative of integrating sustainability, and why it's not just a choice but a necessity for successful companies. Buckle up for a journey where innovation isn't an option—it's the key to thriving in a business landscape where sustainability is the new standard.

13 OCT 2023 · In this episode of "Let’s Talk Resale," we dive into the future of item digitization, where every product will have its own digital identity. Joined by industry leaders, we'll discuss how brands are navigating this new terrain, especially in light of emerging initiatives like the EU's digital product passports. This isn't just about meeting new standards; it's about leveraging this dual physical-digital nature, much as products like Tesla and iPhone do, to maximize customer engagement and opportunities. Tune in for practical insights and strategies every brand executive should consider. In this episode of "Let’s Talk Resale," we delve into the future of item digitization, envisioning a realm where each product possesses its own distinct digital identity. Industry leaders join us to navigate this quickly emerging new terrain. - Niall Murphy, Founder Evrythng - Lindsey Hermes, Avery Dennison - Dr. Daniela Ott, Secretary General Aura Blockchain - Natasha Franck, Founder and CEO of EON - Gayle Tait, CEO of Trove We explore how brands are adapting to this digital revolution, especially with the emergence of initiatives such as the EU's digital product passports. This is far beyond merely meeting new standards; it's about harnessing the power of this dual physical-digital essence, akin to renowned products like Tesla and iPhones, to optimize customer engagement and unearth opportunities. Tune in for invaluable insights and practical strategies that every brand executive should consider.

24 MAY 2023 · Who is the customer of tomorrow? How do they shop? What do brand - and brand values - mean to them? In this second episode of Let’s Talk Resale, we consider brands' future customers. We live amid a massive cultural shift in customers' beliefs and priorities. Digital commerce and internet ubiquity have changed the shopping experience - brands, pricing, reviews, and comments. Gen Z is coming into their earning years with a fresh point of view. In this episode, we will understand the future customer and what they might want going forward. We will hear from two industry experts -https://www.linkedin.com/in/tony-ambroza-12b89a/, whose experience is leading branding and growth for brands such as Carhartt, and author https://www.linkedin.com/in/martindnewman/, who is “One of the world’s leading authorities on customer centricity.”We also speak with three GenZers, Katie Xue, https://www.linkedin.com/in/armaana/, and https://www.linkedin.com/in/sophia-richter17/–all recent college grads. They are each involved in the art and the fashion industry. Katie leads a small, sustainable women’s wear brand called https://www.linkedin.com/company/amoy-new-york/. Armaan is getting ready to go to grad school for philosophy and art. Sophia works for The RealReal as a luxury manager. Brand narrative matters more than ever, with a new emphasis on sustainability, authenticity, and individuality. Customers want the brands to reflect their values. The question is, how will your brand evolve to excite and inspire this new generation? Want more resale content? Subscribe to our weekly Resale Edit https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/the-resale-edit-6966761821013753856/

3 MAY 2023 · ThredUp and eBay in the News: Decoding Their Moves to Uncover the Future of Resale This Weeks Key Takeaways: - Embrace in-house resale channels: While brands can learn from resale marketplaces, it's essential to bring resale in-house as it becomes a more significant portion of sales - Leverage strategic partnerships with marketplaces: As platforms like eBay continue to grow their partnerships with brands, every brand must incorporate the potential benefits of these marketplaces as a strategic component of their resale strategy The addition of Toms and The Container Store to ThredUp's RaaS partners underscores the growing significance of the resale market. As resale becomes an increasingly important part of revenue and customer engagement, brands must recognize the value of entering the resale market through RaaS programs and anticipate the need to own their resale channels to stay close to their customers.Although partnerships with marketplaces offer brands an easy entry point into the resale market, they must look beyond these collaborations in the long run. As resale becomes a more meaningful part of revenue, brands must develop their channels to maintain customer loyalty and stay competitive.Brands can initially work with marketplaces or establish independent resale channels through service providers. Regardless of their choice, brands must plan for the future and build strong connections with their customers through owned resale channels.eBay's introduction of new services like the Authenticity Guarantee for streetwear and Certified by Brand for watches, handbags, and fine jewelry demonstrates the platform's recognition of the growing resale market. By offering trust and transparency to buyers, eBay is raising the bar in the resale experience.As the resale market evolves, platforms like eBay must adapt and offer innovative solutions catering to customers' trust and quality demands. eBay's moves to be closer to brands create an opportunity for brands to strategically collaborate with marketplaces like eBay, making the most of these partnerships.The resale market is expanding, with Sam Edelman partnering with Archive and designer Altuzarra collaborating with Reflaunt. As more brands enter the resale arena, customer expectations will rise, and resale will account for an ever-growing share of the retail landscape. Brands must treat resale as a vital channel, as Sam Edelman and Altuzarra do.The future of retail is here, and brands must adapt to the resale market's rising importance by owning their channels and collaborating strategically with platforms like eBay.

18 APR 2023 · This Weeks Key Takeaways: - Selling second-hand products has the potential to attract customers in ways that one-off, sustainability-oriented products haven’t - Brands and retailers looking to increase profits can benefit from launching resale programs that include returns, as they can provide cost savings starting point

5 APR 2023 · This Weeks Key Takeaways: - Brands will continue to innovate toward a listing/trade-in value proposition that makes sense to their customers. https://trove.com/brand-resale-index/ - Although the economics differ, rental and resale both hold brand benefits in more circular models. Brands will want to pick the right model(s) that make sense for their customers

30 MAR 2023 · This Weeks Key Takeaways: - Changes at The RealReal present opportunities for others in the resale market. - Brands will need to treat emissions with the same level of importance as financial performance, as poor performance may have negative market consequences, similar to financial underperformance, down the road.

13 MAR 2023 · What is the state of resale today? Which brands are leading the industry? Where exactly is the industry heading? And … how fast? In this episode of Let’s Talk Resale, we discuss Trove’s inaugural resale Index, a report that takes a step back, assesses our progress so far, and anticipates what’s to come for the circular economy. Our discussion touches on the construction of the report and reflects on key findings with industry experts https://www.linkedin.com/in/simeonsiegel/, https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernardine/, and https://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-voeller-3b498a2a/ … hint: it all comes back to the customer. Download the Brand Resale Indexhttps://www.trove.com/brand-resale-index. Want more resale content? Subscribe to our weekly Resale Edit https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/the-resale-edit-6966761821013753856/

7 MAR 2023 · W. David Marx, author of the book Status and Culture was highlighted In a https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/04/style/hermes-bags-resale-used.html this week, on the evolving status symbol of luxury goods. According to Marx, “Someone carrying a beat-up Hermès bag suggests they are not simply wearing it because of its label. I don’t even care if it gets beat up, because I’m not using this for status marking.” As the article points out, the growing resale market has made these once highly exclusive pieces available to those without multi-generation wealth and that is altering their use of self-expression. What used to be stored in a closet to maintain pristine condition is increasingly being used in the real world. The Hermes Birkin is famously said to be inspired when actress Jane Birkin complained about needing a bag to carry around small toys for her young children. Now celebrities and social influencers are showing off the “real world” wear in their Birkins and Kellys. The bags have not changed but the way they are used and what it says about those wearing them are always changing. We won’t know for years if this is part of a larger shift in culture but it would be reasonable to assume that celebrating wear not hiding it, will be a natural evolution of more accessible brands and quality items. Subscribe to The Resale Edit Newsletter: https://www.linkedin.com/build-relation/newsletter-follow?entityUrn=6966761821013753856

28 FEB 2023 · https://www.insider.com/teenage-depop-dealer-haul-backlash-ethics-of-thrifting-2023-2, a 19-year-old Depop seller posted a https://www.tiktok.com/@jbwells2/video/7192271390354165038?embed_source=121331973%2C71011722%2C120811592%2C120810756%3Bnull%3Bembed_name&refer=embed&referer_url=www.insider.com%2Fpost%2Fpreview%3Fpost_id%3D63f9111c1aaf4e7bc6617898%26mode%3Ddesktop&referer_video_id=7192271390354165038 in late January showing off “the most insane thrift haul.” The TikTok quickly went negative, really negative with more than 5.9M views inciting a moral reaction that thrifting should be philanthropic not for profit. Jacklyn was called "greedy, lazy, and parasitic." I will spare you from the most aggressive comments but the controversy created quite a bit of debate on the ethics of resale. Sophie Benson’s article appearing this week in British Vogue, https://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/article/is-thrifting-ethical provided a thoughtful assessment of the debate. The majority of thrift stores operated by non for profits are job creation programs and these programs expand with more demand. As Benson rightly points out, “reselling requires hours of work including sourcing, prepping, cleaning, mending, styling, photographing and posting, and any markup must reflect and compensate for that labor.” As Benson points out, we aren’t talking about stockpiling baby formula or toilet paper for that matter. The fashion industry produces 150 billion garments EVERY year for 8 billion people on the planet. Thrift stores are inundated with donations, turning away a majority of clothing items as they aren’t able to sell thru them. There is no shortage of clothing. The more we thrift the more items we keep in use and this undoubtedly displaces some purchases of new items. We have massive problems in society where many can’t afford clothing and this should create outrage, and ideally support programs designed around providing clothing such as https://dressforsuccess.org/ or https://soles4souls.org/. But those willing to invest in the risk, work, and curation of maximizing value for clothing should be celebrated not shamed. Glossy asked this week, https://www.glossy.co/fashion/can-the-realreals-aggressive-cost-cutting-help-it-reach-profitability/ My favorite part of the article was the sharp question, “So how did a company that helped usher in the massive and still growing fashion resale boom end up in this predicament?” There are only a handful of successful stand-alone retailers emerged over the past 20 years and there couldn’t be a more difficult time to break out than during a global pandemic followed by a dramatic shift in the cost of capital. It’s unclear if The RealReal will reach a point of profitable growth or will eventually be a part of a larger more established luxury retailer. However, resale is here to stay and clearly creating opportunities for brands and resale platform providers who support their resale efforts. https://www.forbes.com/sites/joanverdon/2023/02/24/kids-brand-hanna-andersson-launches-its-own-resale-site/?sh=4566826647cd launched their peer-to-peer resale platform Hanna-Me-Downs, powered by Archive. The storefront is prominently displayed on the main menu navigation of the mainline site and allows sellers to list items for other customers to shop. According to the company the site launched with 1,500 items with prices averaging $18-$24. This is a seemingly great fit for resale and the peer-to-peer model given the price point. I expect over time branded storefronts such as Hanna-Me-Downs will grow consumer awareness and expectations of resale. The So What - Keeping items in use longer is essential for a more sustainable future, and those who invest their time to buy and resell clothing are doing us all a service - Brands should choose the right resale model for their business and Hanna Anderson’s peer-to-peer model will work well at the lower Kids' brand price point