A Guide to Earth Month: 12 Ways to Leverage Resale

With Earth Month approaching in April, the focus shifts from New Year's resolutions to celebrating our planet. All eyes are on sustainability and what brands are doing to minimize their impact on overconsumption and overproduction in the fashion industry. Sustainability doesn’t have to be exclusive to April, but it is a prime time to highlight the initiatives your brand has adopted to set you apart from the crowd.

Recent surveys reveal that 81% of consumers consider a brand’s sustainability efforts before deciding to shop there and 41% of Gen Z refuse to buy from non-sustainable brands. This shift towards mindful shopping creates exciting opportunities for brands to engage with eco-conscious shoppers and incorporate sustainability initiatives. One of the most effective strategies to meet the demand for sustainability is offering branded resale.

Forward-thinking brands like Girlfriend Collective, Portland Leather Goods, and Dôen are paving the way by launching their own pre-loved experiences. By embracing resale, brands can:

• Take a step towards sustainability: Reduce waste and returns by giving pre-loved items a second chance and minimizing their environmental impact.
• Boost customer lifetime value: Offer resale as a way for customers to earn money towards new purchases.
• Reach eco-conscious consumers: Acquire new customers who value sustainability and responsible practices.
• Increase customer loyalty: Strengthen your bonds with existing customers by creating meaningful value through the gift of resale.

Whether you already have a resale platform or are considering launching one, here's your 12-step guide to maximize its impact:

1. Highlight Your Why: The majority of shoppers take sustainability into account before committing to a brand – take this opportunity to shout about your resale site and share the ‘why’ behind it.
2. Offer an Earth Month discount or flash sale on your pre-loved site: Make a splash by running a “no new clothes” campaign, motivating shoppers by offering an extra incentive on brand direct items and pre-loved items from their peers.
3. Refresh your site with seconds-quality inventory: Extend the life (and revenue) of your returns, seconds, and samples by easily uploading these to your resale site through our new Treet Resale App.
4. Increase Seller Rewards: Encourage customers to rehome their clothes sustainably with increased brand credit for sellers for a limited time.
5. Mystery Bundles: Create mystery bags of bundled items to save on individual shipping costs and emissions.
6. Craft a Newsletter: Showcase your sustainability initiatives through a newsletter to your community highlighting your resale program (and any other sustainable initiatives you have going).
7. Homepage Spotlight: Give your resale program a prominent spot on your website, whether a site wide banner or homepage takeover. Brands with a top-level header directed to their resale shop see 109% more resale purchases than those who don’t.
8. Redirect Traffic: On Earth Day, redirect traffic from your main site to your resale site and enable shoppers to explore your initiative for affordable, eco-conscious style.
9. Partner with PR teams: Leverage media attention to tell the story around your resale site as a sustainable solution.
10. Collaborate with Influencers: Partner with eco-conscious influencers to reach new audiences and spread awareness of your sustainable practices.
11. Spotlight your Impact Team: If your company has an internal sustainability team, now is the perfect moment to showcase their efforts. Utilize platforms like LinkedIn or Instagram to spotlight their invaluable work.
12. Offer Carbon-Neutral Checkout: Make sustainability seamless from the point of purchase by adopting carbon-neutral checkout options. Collaborate with solutions like EcoCart to offset carbon emissions generated from every transaction and then prompt the customer to resell their items when they are ready for something new.

The Earth Day message extends beyond a single month. Embrace the power of pre-loved treasures and encourage year-round sustainable shopping. By incorporating these strategies, you can make a positive impact on the planet while connecting with mindful consumers and growing your brand.

[.text-color-green]Ready to join the movement?[.text-color-green]

Contact us today and let's create a thriving pre-loved community for a healthier planet!