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With the meteoric rise of eCommerce, there has been a lot of focus on emerging trends that have come out as a result of it.
With more and more people buying items online, there isn’t just a market for new items but also for used products too.
ReCommerce, or re-selling used goods, is an incredibly fast-growing market, particularly among Gen Z and millennials.
Current forecasts suggest that the reCommerce market could grow to $33 billion by the end of 2021, and if so, it signals a massive shift in shopping habits.
As a result, many reCommerce apps and websites are popping up, with a particular focus on clothing, luxury items, and upcycling items for resale.
The best part about reCommerce is that there is low barrier to entry, and it can work as both a side hustle or full-time job, depending on the type of goods you work with.
This article will look at reCommerce in more depth and how it works to understand why it’s becoming so popular and how new players can enter the reCommerce market using tailored packaging solutions.
Recommerce vs Ecommerce
When considering reCommerce, the best way to think about it is as a subset of eCommerce.
ReCommerce is primarily the practice of reselling pre-owned items through online marketplaces.
Recommerce can span many different types of items. Examples of reCommerce includes taking old products and making them new again.
Although clothing tends to have the largest market share, other types of items such as furniture and art are steadily growing as well.
Therefore, it gives resellers and businesses a lot of options when entering the market and capitalize on market growth.
There are many online marketplaces available for reCommerce, which gives resellers and businesses the opportunity to potentially diversify and have a multi-channel approach.
Popular reCommerce marketplaces include The RealReal, Depop, Poshmark, Mercari, and Amazon.
Generally, each one operates with a similar model where resellers can list items for free, and the marketplace takes a percentage of the price once sold.
The reseller must ship the items to the buyer, and take care of all packaging and posting to ensure the item reaches the buyer intact.
The Benefits of ReCommerce
For those interested in sustainability and becoming more eco-friendly, reCommerce is a great option.
Businesses and individual resellers can breathe new life into old items, and extend their lifespan.
Rather than items clogging up landfills and dumpsters, reCommerce provides an opportunity to use things repeatedly.
This is especially important in sectors such as fashion.
It’s no secret that fast fashion has extensively damaged the environment and continues to have a significant impact on resources.
As a result, there is increased pressure to create and launch new designs while production/manufacturing comes at the cost of the environment.
While reCommerce can’t eliminate buying fast fashion, it can cushion it.
Resellers can sell pre-owned clothing and accessories in good condition and save them from being dumped into landfills.
Trends keep reappearing, and so much clothing can be adapted and worn that helps mitigate the impact of consumerism.
Many buyers are now eschewing fast fashion retailers and opting to buy pre-owned items.
There are many other benefits to reCommerce, such as:
- Increased sustainability: Recommerce facilitates recycling and reusing items rather than producing new ones
- Affordability: Customers can save money on pre-owned items since they are offered at a discount
- Encouraging better consumption: Recommerce encourages people to buy and sell items and garments in good condition but just aren’t used as much.
ReCommerce Packaging Solutions
Recommerce isn’t going anywhere, that much is certain.
With so many forecasts projecting increased growth for the resale market, it’s clear that this is a great time to start considering entry.
But it’s important to remember that even though this is reCommerce, buyers are still expecting an eCommerce experience.
That means ensuring that items are in good condition and arrive in great packaging.
Including upcycled and eco-friendly packaging options is crucial for resellers to stand out to customers while also ensuring sustainability.
Customers still expect items to arrive nicely packaged and safely delivered without negatively impacting the environment.
For retailers currently operating online shops, it’s worth considering how inventory can be resold – especially off-season and returns.
Selling these items through a reCommerce feature on your website can be an excellent way to clear merchandise and have some revenue coming in.
If you’re looking for an opportunity to sell these kinds of items and still deliver sustainability to customers, this could be a great way to accomplish this.
Incorporating upcycled and eco-friendly packaging is one step further in that direction.
In addition, you can use e-commerce packaging to your benefit by creating resealable packaging solutions for new items.
That way, if they are returned, they are still conveniently packaged and can be resold as needed.
And with plenty of eco-friendly, sustainable packaging options available, businesses can offer a great experience and provide excellent value through a reCommerce operation.
Looking to get your own reCommerce channel up and running but need packaging solutions to complement this new approach?
Get in contact with us today and tailor solutions to both your e-commerce and re-commerce products!
