How brands can use resale platforms as an analytics tool

A while ago I was sitting across from the person responsible for sustainability at a medium-sized Dutch clothing brand. We talked about circular economy, material selection and ambitious sustainability goals for 2030. At some point the second-hand market came into conversation and whether it was relevant.

I picked up my phone, opened the resale platform Vinted and entered the brand name. Hundreds of results appeared. I could have kept scrolling forever. The person I spoke to was visibly surprised: “I’ve never checked whether our brand can be found here.”

The market that already exists

What really strikes me is how often this happens. Many brands have little overview of what happens to their products after they are sold. Or they know it, but see it as an issue that doesn’t concern them.

Some companies are very aware that their products will be resold en masse. But you choose to ignore it. At the same time, tens of thousands of euros easily flow into marketing advertisements every day to attract new customers. Investments are made in creating demand. There is already visible, active demand on second-hand platforms. This is a missed opportunity, to say the least.

The second-hand market is now in full swing. Vinted, Sellpy and Vestiaire Collective are no longer niche providers. For a growing group of consumers, their search for a brand begins there, not on the brand’s website.

Biggest compliment

If your brand is offered hundreds of times, that says something fundamental. Someone considers your product valuable enough to keep, photograph, and resell. You don’t do that with an item that falls apart after one season or no longer sees any value in it.

Being resold is one of the greatest compliments a brand can receive. It shows that your product has quality. It proves that it remains relevant and your brand is known enough to be actively searched for.

But above all, it is an economic opportunity. Apparently there is a second market for your product. There are people who are willing to pay for a worn item. This means you not only sell a product, but also create residual value.

What you see there

My advice: take a moment to scroll through the offers. If you look closely, you’ll discover more than just second-hand clothing. You see how consumers present your product. What words they use. What characteristics they highlight.

“Lasts a long time” “Price new” “Hardly worn.”

This is unfiltered feedback, directly from the users. You don’t have to hire expensive research agencies for this. It’s authentic.

You’ll also see which articles keep popping up. Which categories remain popular. Which pieces retain their value. This is information that is directly relevant to product development, pricing and your circular strategy. Secondhand platforms are therefore a goldmine for data.

Circular economy in practice

Sustainability departments are mostly concerned with material selection, supply chain transparency and scope one, two and three emissions. That is also true. But the lifespan of a product is at least as important for its impact.

Resale makes this lifespan visible. You can see whether products remain attractive. You can see whether they retain their quality and whether people will choose them again. This is circular economy in practice.

Brands like US companies Patagonia and Levi’s have understood that resale doesn’t have to be a threat to selling new goods. Rather, it can be an extension of your own brand. It is also a way to reach new target groups and stay relevant in a changing market.

Just start

We tend to approach circularity big and strategically. With multi-year plans, pilot projects and frameworks. Part of the answer is already open to us. Open Vinted and search for your brand name.

What you see there is not a minor matter. It’s not a marginal phenomenon. It is an existing market where your brand is already active. The question is not whether resale is relevant. The question is what you will do with it.