Elizabeth Suzann, a sustainable clothing brand, partnered with Treet, the leading branded resale platform, to launch the ES Marketplace as an outlet for their community to buy and sell pre-loved styles from one another. It has also surfaced as an efficient and lucrative way for the brand to sell discounted seconds, archived pieces, excess inventory from the pandemic, and upcycled bundles to an engaged audience.
This case study delves into the successes of the Brand Direct section of their resale program and recommendations for brands looking to do the same.
Elizabeth Suzann (ES) had considered launching a pre-loved program and an online outlet for discounted items for years. Seeing peer brands partner with Treet and knowing their customers already loved reselling ES clothing on other platforms, they decided it was time to dive in.
Elizabeth Suzann's goals for the ES Marketplace program were to:
Increase customer engagement
Reduce environmental impact
Generate revenue
Sell one-of-a-kinds, discounted seconds, archived styles, and excess inventory
Elizabeth Suzann (ES) began by selling unique items and discounted seconds on Treet, while also facilitating peer-to-peer (P2P) transactions. They have since expanded to include archived and excess inventory, as well as the "Perfectly Imperfect Collection" of upcycled seconds repaired or embellished by former ES employees and sold at a premium.
Perfectly Imperfect Collection sold out in days, smashing all expectations and boosting revenue significantly.
By sending these units to a Treet-supported warehouse, everything was taken care of from listing to fulfillment. ES has also used Treet to release items from the ES Archive and launch special campaigns for their longest-running and highest LTV customers.
ES has found resounding success with the ES Marketplace, shown by measuring high levels of buyer and seller behavior. Since launch, they have seen their audience eagerly adopt resale and circular purchasing behavior, showcased by:
65% of sellers choose brand credit over cash
60% of purchases on the ES Marketplace are repeat orders
With 2X the average e-commerce repurchase rate, ES marketplace consumers have affirmed extraordinary brand loyalty and willingness to continuously reinvest in the brand.
Additionally, they have found the ES Marketplace to be a valuable asset in offloading excess inventory, with 42% of resale items being sold brand-direct. Their innovation with brand direct listings has cultivated a high demand from their community and built a lucrative revenue stream from a new outlet.
ES envisions the ES Marketplace program becoming an integral part of its brand identity. They want customers to feel like they are shopping with ES no matter whether they are on their main site or the ES Marketplace. ES also hopes that customers will come to consider full-circle shopping more as the rule, not the exception.
In conclusion, ES's innovative use of branded resale has been a success. The ES Marketplace program has helped ES to increase customer engagement, reduce environmental impact, and generate revenue. ES is well-positioned to continue to grow the program in the coming years.
"We are proud to partner with Treet for their vision of a more sustainable fashion industry and persistence in making resale shopping a seamless, meaningful experience for customers and brands alike."
- Emily Thompson, Head of Marketing