In case you begin trying to find #thriftindia on Instagram, you will note 475k posts (as of December 18, 2021), and the quantity is growing by the day. This solely goes to indicate the rise of thrift tradition in India that’s resulting in customers making extra sustainable decisions.
What began out because of the pandemic to lift consciousness round sustainability, has now develop into an enormous phenomenon within the nation as per Femina. Buying and proudly owning upcycled or seconds is now not being regarded down upon.
Now when you have a knack for curating distinctive merchandise, we’d name that a chance to lastly begin that on-line enterprise you’ve been dreaming about. On this article, we’re going to let you know all that it’s essential to know to run a profitable thrifting enterprise on-line.
- The present state of thrifting in India and the way it works
- Established order present challenges for thrifting shops
- How one can arrange a profitable thrift retailer enterprise in India
- Main thrift shops in India to take inspiration from
- Regularly requested questions on thrifting in India
The present state of thrifting in India and the way it works
Though thrifting is quick selecting up in India, the way in which thrift shops are being run continues to be pretty inefficient.
Most thrifting companies are operating their shops on Instagram, managing the posting of merchandise, descriptions, pricing and dealing with queries as they arrive.
Right here’s what the standard course of appears like:
- Thrifting shops curate a set of a handful of merchandise
- They put up product footage, movies and different codecs to advertise them
- Customers all in favour of a product remark ‘BOOK’ or DM the shop
- The primary one to the above is reached out to for order affirmation
- The fee mode is then chosen and data is shared over DMs
- As soon as an order will get confirmed, the transport particulars are despatched out 24-48 hours after
- If the primary particular person doesn’t reply inside just a few hours to verify the order, the product will get rolled to the following particular person or auctioned
We have now additionally observed some thrifting shops observe the identical course of above on chat apps like WhatsApp and Telegram.
Seeing the variety of thrifting shops developing each week and the variety of customers all in favour of their merchandise, the long run appears promising for this enterprise mannequin in India.
However like each new alternative, there are some challenges in relation to operating and rising the enterprise.
Established order: Present challenges for thrifting shops
Thrifting would possibly come naturally to you. However when you’re interested by operating a thrift retailer as a enterprise, there are some doable challenges try to be conscious of. Listed below are just a few areas we see most thrift shops fighting:
1. Managing orders
Most thrifting shops observe the standard approach of taking orders. They put up the merchandise obtainable, asking customers to drop a remark to e-book them; the primary one then will get contacted via messages to verify the order. If the order just isn’t confirmed, the second particular person to e-book the product in feedback will get contacted.
However think about having to sift via all of the feedback that get posted inside shut seconds or minutes, then reaching out to folks one after the other to get the order confirmed – it will get overwhelming all too quickly and typically it takes these retailer house owners 24-48 hours to get in contact with clients.
Managing orders this manner isn’t just inefficient, but additionally compromises the purchasing expertise you supply to clients as a result of they maintain ready to your message proper from the second of eager to e-book a product to paying for it. All the course of is just too time consuming.
2. Amassing funds
As soon as an order is confirmed with a shopper, the shop proprietor is required to achieve out to them and allow them to know of the obtainable fee modes. This sometimes contains Google Pay, UPI, PayTM or financial institution switch generally.
However both approach, there’s a forwards and backwards, asking the purchasers which fee technique they’d like to position the order with, sending them the main points after which asking them to ship a screenshot to verify the order has been paid for.
Whereas this may occasionally appear straightforward to do whenever you obtain 1-2 orders a day, doing this at scale goes to end in dropping monitor of orders and ultimately, the cash.
3. Managing packaging and transport
Packaging and transport thrifted merchandise is an entire new stage of overwhelming duties. You might want to ship an expertise and which means packing the orders effectively with small issues like thanks notes, and so forth.
Doing this at scale after which strolling to the closest put up workplace or getting a supply accomplice to come back choose up orders as soon as prepared, may be time consuming. That’s why so many of those thrifting shops are sometimes coping with disgruntled clients reaching out to them for order standing, refunds and cancellations.
4. Speaking with clients
As soon as an order does get positioned, thrift shops need to manually attain out to the purchasers with data like monitoring numbers. Publish which, there’s a lack of communication between the shop and the client, resulting in a low model recall.
The shortage of constant communication leads to post-purchase anxiousness for many clients till they obtain their orders, and forgetting the place they made a purchase order from simply 30 days down the road!
5. Launching the drop
Each time a retailer has thrifted a brand new assortment, they should construct up an pleasure after which steadily launch it by posting them one after the other. Think about posting about 100 merchandise, every with descriptions and the influx of feedback to e-book them because the posts go dwell.
Sure, launching new merchandise will get more durable with greater drops, particularly as your viewers (and catalogue) grows.
The above challenges have led to many thrift shops ultimately shutting down, not having the ability to sustain with buyer expectations. However there’s a approach out of all of it – Arrange a web-based retailer to your thrifting retailer.
Let’s stroll you thru step-by-step to launch a profitable thrifting enterprise on-line.
How one can arrange a profitable thrift retailer enterprise in India
In case you’ve determined to begin thrifting as a enterprise, let’s stroll you thru a sequence of steps we have now seen the profitable ones observe.
- Earlier than beginning your thrift retailer
- Arrange a web-based retailer to your thrifting enterprise
- Market your thrift retailer
Earlier than beginning your thrift retailer
1. Choose your area of interest
Much like dropshipping, you have got the choice to thrift several types of merchandise. However we suggest beginning with a distinct segment to maintain your efforts streamlined. Probably the most standard thrifting area of interest is style and attire, and equipment.
Establish a class you’re really captivated with. You’ll be able to at all times add extra classes of merchandise to your retailer as you begin to perceive customers, their pursuits, the place you will discover them and what actually sells.
2. Discover pre-loved or manufacturing unit reject gadgets to promote
The following step is to begin on the lookout for markets you’ll be able to supply merchandise from. It’s a good suggestion to go to manufacturing unit reject shops or native markets within the metropolis – some which might be frequented by your target market and a few that they’re not in a position to attain.
For instance, Sarojini Market in Delhi is an superior place to search out clothes and accessories. After which there’s Banjara Market in Gurgaon which you could supply residence decor in addition to furnishings from.
One other sensible solution to discover gadgets to promote, is to have a look at the stuff you, your loved ones and mates personal. You can begin with gadgets which might be now not utilized by you or your community, however could also be of use to others.
Relying on the merchandise you promote, you may also discover liquidation gross sales/ auctions to search out branded gadgets, or work with consignment shops close to you.
3. Get your product visuals prepared for advertising
The one factor that’s going to be essential for promoting your thrifted gadgets, are visuals. Spend a while interested by the aesthetic you’d prefer to create and the way you’d prefer to {photograph} your merchandise.
Listed below are some sources that can assist you get began:
Arrange a web-based retailer to your thrifting enterprise
1. Arrange a web-based retailer
Now comes the step that may get you nearer to success – making it straightforward for folks to buy out of your thrifting enterprise. You’ll be able to arrange a web-based retailer with out having to code utilizing Shopify.
A number of hyperlinks that can assist you get began right here:
In case you need assistance establishing a web-based retailer to your thrifting enterprise, you may also attain out to one in all our Shopify specialists.
2. Arrange your fee modes
One other problem that thrifting companies with out a web-based retailer face, is providing a most popular fee mode to customers. However now that you’ve a retailer arrange, you’ll be able to supply them funds through credit score or debit playing cards, digital wallets, financial institution switch, UPI and even money on supply.
Listed below are some sources on establishing fee modes:
3. Associate with supply service suppliers
After you have all of the merchandise up in your storefront, it’s time to look into how you may be fulfilling the orders you obtain. So earlier than you begin taking orders, discover a supply accomplice to work with you.
Listed below are some sources that can assist you get began:
Market your thrifting retailer
1. Arrange your social media accounts
As soon as your retailer is dwell, it’s time to introduce your viewers to it and the easiest way to do it’s social media. Based mostly on the viewers you’re focusing on, arrange separate social media accounts to your thrifting enterprise.
A few of the standard channels to cowl embody Fb and Instagram. Since these are simpler to get began with and the vast majority of your target market is energetic on them, you’ll have the ability to attain them sooner.
2. Create a advertising plan to advertise your merchandise
The following step is so that you can make the leap. It’s time to get your product observed and for that, you want a advertising plan in place. This may provide help to maintain issues streamlined from day one, each when it comes to time and the sources obtainable to you.
That can assist you get began with a sturdy advertising plan, listed here are some sources:
3. Optimize for the search engine
Even in relation to thrifting, about 60% of the shopping for journeys begin from the search engine. So if you wish to get your retailer observed, it’s time to focus on the appropriate key phrases and optimize your retailer pages, product descriptions and pictures to rank for the excessive intent searches.
For instance, when you promote thrifted branded luggage, you’ll be able to goal ‘Prada second hand luggage’ and related key phrases.
That can assist you get began with search engine optimisation, listed here are some helpful sources:
4. Begin utilizing social media to advertise merchandise
With all of the fundamentals in place, you’re all set to drive visitors to your thrifting retailer. Make use of social media to seize consideration, posting content material persistently throughout all of the channels you’re energetic on.
Begin small by posting product pictures and describing them finest within the captions beneath. You’ll be able to then experiment with different content material codecs relying on the channel to interact your viewers higher. For instance, utilizing Reels to indicate how a product appears whereas carrying it on Instagram.
Bear in mind, the thought is to stay constant together with your content material – even whenever you don’t have a drop in your thrift retailer. Customers right now are fast to maneuver on to the following retailer!
5. Begin promoting on social and search
Rating on the search engine might take a while. Getting observed on social media platforms might take some time too. However the merchandise you’ve thrifted might or might not attraction to an viewers phase in only a week.
Think about your posts about branded winter jackets getting observed when winter is nearly over. They’re not going to promote regardless of how good the gathering and the worth is!
That is the place utilizing promoting on social media and search comes into play to get in entrance of the appropriate customers, sooner. Listed below are some sources that can assist you with the identical when you haven’t run advertisements earlier than:
6. Ask for purchasers to share their purchases (person generated content material)
Request clients who purchase from you to share their purchases on their social accounts, and tag you. It may very well be an image of them carrying the product they purchased from you, how they felt concerning the packaging or just the general expertise you delivered.
Consumer generated content material is among the quickest methods to achieve extra customers. The great half is that you simply additionally get to achieve an viewers that’s extra prone to convert as effectively!
Then there’s additionally the issue of social proof. Such content material additionally vouches for the standard of the merchandise you ship; which is of utmost significance in relation to thrifting.
7. Preserve your clients engaged in a constant method
Use the information you get throughout an order placement to maintain clients engaged going ahead. With so many thrifting shops developing, you will need to keep on high of your buyer’s thoughts to get your subsequent drop offered.
A number of methods to do that embody:
- Sending out an e mail to announce your new thrift assortment with Shopify E mail
- Asserting the gathering or availability with SMS advertising
- Making a Telegram or WhatsApp group to announce or drop sneak peeks into your thrift
Discover advertising apps right here.
Main thrifting shops in India to take inspiration from
To encourage you to show thrifting right into a profitable enterprise, we’re itemizing down a few of the standard thrifting shops in India. These aren’t all of them; however simply sufficient to possibly provide the inspiration to begin your thrifting enterprise!
- Aimee Beloved
- Lulu Thrifts
- Classic Laundry
- Thrift Banana
- Rerunn
- Thrift & Thrive
- Bombay Closet Cleanse
- Badass Babes Membership
- Kiki Kloset
- Collections Reloved
- Disco>ery
1. Aimee Beloved
A retailer that focuses on thrifting classic treasures and wearable artwork, Aimee Beloved has a singular assortment of style and attire.
2. Lulu Thrifts
A Manipur-based thrift retailer that caters to completely different types, Lulu Thrifts focuses on promoting trendy printed camisoles and summer time clothes.
3. Classic Laundry
One other retailer that’s recognized for its distinctive assortment, Classic Laundry sells garments with patterns, vibrant colours and inventive work on them.
4. Thrift Banana
Based by style college students as a response to the environmental injury attributable to the business, the shop sells clothes gadgets like denim jackets.
5. Rerunn
A clothes and accessories thrifting retailer, Rerunn curates merchandise as per the season or ongoing traits, in numerous types.
6. Thrift & Thrive
Thrift & Thrive has turned their thrifting right into a enterprise by promoting preloved branded attire from names like The North Face and plenty of others, alongside gadgets that match seasonal traits.
7. Bombay Closet Cleanse
A lady-run thrift and consignment retailer, Bombay Closet Cleanse sifts via clothes gadgets from resellers and donors throughout the globe. They’re selling round style as a lifestyle.
8. Badass Babes Membership
Discovering a distinct segment throughout the style business, Badass Babes Membership thrifts and sells cool (and badass) corsets and bralettes made out of various supplies like leather-based, satin and others.
9. Kiki Kloset
Kiki Kloset is a thrifting retailer that sells upcycled jewellery, crop tops and some different gadgets. Additionally they create and promote jewellery made out of repurposed supplies resembling {hardware}.
10. Collections Reloved
Collections Reloved has a spread of things from the very best of manufacturers in clothes, purses and equipment. They’re recognized for handpicking and curating style gadgets which might be nearly as good as new.
11. Disco>ery
A distinct segment retailer that picks out style gadgets which have a definite fashion from the Seventies and Eighties disco period. Their assortment appears straight out from the bygone period.
Discovered your inspiration and able to flip your abilities of thrifting right into a enterprise? Take step one with Shopify.
It’s the appropriate time to begin thrifting and do it proper!
If in case you have a watch for aesthetics and style sense that’s admirable, and a zeal to search out merchandise at the very best of costs, let this be your signal.
Don’t let thrifting be a passing fad. Flip your ardour right into a enterprise by getting it proper from the beginning!
In case you’re somebody who has began thrifting lately and are seeing success by promoting on Instagram, the next step to turning it right into a enterprise goes on-line and establishing a storefront that doesn’t want your clients to DM you for putting an order.
With Shopify, establishing a retailer and managing your stock is straightforward.
Get began with a free trial right now and be the one thrifting enterprise that lasts!
Regularly requested questions on thrifting in India
What’s thrifting?
Thrifting refers back to the technique of placing again pre-owned and upcycled merchandise again into use. These merchandise sometimes embody clothes, equipment, residence decor and related gadgets. From a enterprise perspective, thrifting shops promote these thrifted merchandise on-line, whereby they’re those to pick the gadgets in a selected area of interest for a goal market.
How do I begin a thrifting enterprise?
To begin a thrifting enterprise, determine whether or not you’d prefer to promote quite a lot of gadgets or give attention to promoting a particular vary of merchandise. For instance, classic furnishings, clothes, residence decor and different merchandise. Publish which, it’s essential to discover a provider or a location which you could thrift gadgets from. In India, some standard markets for thrifting embody Sarojini Market, Lajpat and related. You can too accomplice with individuals who’d like to provide away their assortment of unused gadgets.
Why do folks store at thrift shops in India?
For the reason that ban of internet sites like Shein, discovering reasonably priced but trendy garments at reasonably priced prices is sort of unimaginable. Thrifting shops supply an moral various to the necessity for staying up-to-date with style, on a finances. Other than gaining access to a singular wardrobe, customers have additionally develop into extra aware in the course of the pandemic, selecting to recycle merchandise extra usually, losing fewer sources.
What makes a thrift retailer profitable?
To run a thrift retailer, it’s essential to have a watch for choosing out merchandise that resonate with internet buyers. You might want to even have an understanding of the potential retail worth of these gadgets so that you simply value the thrifted merchandise with some revenue margin. A technique to do that is by maintaining the general value lesser than market worth, however aggressive sufficient to compensate for the hassle you made in selecting out or sourcing the product.
Is thrifting obtainable in India?
Sure. In India, thrifting is on the market and is most outstanding on Instagram as of right now however is slowly coming into ecommerce as effectively. The client phase for these companies sometimes embody college students and people beginning out their careers.
Is thrifting a development proper now?
The pandemic has turned customers in the direction of extra sustainable measures for sustaining a life-style. It has made second hand purchasing, also referred to as thrifting, a typical apply. Research present that thrifting has become a $28 billion business that’s anticipated to eclipse traits like quick style by 2029.
Is thrifting actually cheaper?
From a shopper perspective, sure, thrifting is cheaper as in comparison with the retail value of most merchandise – particularly those which might be branded gadgets. You may get a branded product for a few hundred, however it might run into 1000’s as effectively relying on the standard the thrift retailer is promoting.
From a enterprise perspective, thrifting is time consuming, however it’s cheaper whenever you’re sourcing for merchandise to promote on-line. It’s extra enjoyable since you’re looking out for one-of-a-kind gadgets and don’t have to fret about stocking up the identical stock. In case you’re a tough negotiator, the ball is completely in your court docket!
How a lot cash are you able to make proudly owning a thrift retailer?
This may occasionally differ from retailer to retailer relying on who their target market is, what merchandise they’re promoting and the way effectively they’re advertising the gadgets. It was discovered that used merchandise retailers make a revenue of three.3% and upwards on promoting thrifted gadgets on-line. With the appropriate advertising plan and a very good assortment, your month-to-month income can run in lakhs as effectively.
The place do thrift shops get stock in India?
Most thrift retailer stock comes from donations. Many individuals personal merchandise like garments, furnishings, residence decor, and so forth that they’ve by no means used or don’t make use of anymore or have too a lot of. To create space, they have an inclination to provide away this stuff. One other solution to supply merchandise is thru manufacturing unit shops, native markets and consignment shops. Thrift shops additionally upcycle merchandise to create new gadgets; for instance, patching up scarfs to create a singular design for one.
Are there any thrift retailers in India?
The variety of thrift shops in India are growing by the day. A few of the standard names being Classic Laundry, Rerunn, KikiKloset and others. Thrift shops are operating their enterprise at completely different scales.
