SWAP TO SHOP

October 07, 2024

SWAP TO SHOP — MY 3 TOP THINGS I LOVE ABOUT CONSIGNMENT

We’re a consignment store - what does that mean exactly? Well, our customers can bring clothing into the store, and we sell it for them.

Once that item sells, we each take a split from the sale, and the customer can use that portion of the funds to spend it in-store or get paid out into their bank account.

I love consignment (obviously, I guess? I mean, I opened a consignment store so I must really back the model). I have narrowed my overall appreciation for the resale model into my top three favourite aspects;

1. It allows you to swap clothing: We all know we consume too much. That much is clear; fast fashion brands launch countless ‘sustainable’ collections to make us feel better about shopping with them, but I believe consignment is one of the solutions to our textile waste problem.

We’re seeing more of our customers using their store credit from sales to purchase items from the store; which for us, is really exciting - it shows us that customers are keen to clothes-swap! It allows them to clear out clothes that no longer serve them, and swap them out for clothing they can find a use for.

It allows people to participate in shopping, without having to contribute to resource-heavy processes like mass-production does. And in a time where people are holding their wallets closer, it allows customers to purchase clothes without money leaving their bank accounts.

 2. A  benefit of consignment I particularly love to gab about is clothing depreciation (I have a self appointed degree in clothing economics); when you purchase an item secondhand, it has already experienced depreciation (a reduction in the value of an asset over time, due in particular to wear and tear). So assuming that you look after the item, the argument is that you’ll be able to sell that item for the same or similar price - then you avoided purchasing at the RRP, you smart cookie!  

3. The ability to ‘trade up’; you could purchase a brand new dress from a fast fashion store for $79.99, or you could buy a second hand designer dress for around $90, and be able to resell it for that much (assuming you keep it in similar condition). Buying second hand allows you to purchase a pricier item than you might be able to new.

The key is to take better care of our things. If we look after them (hang them properly, wash them per their instructions) then we extend their lifecycle and increase the chance of more people owning that item after you’re done with it.