Canada retailer The Bay is partnering with Rebelstork, an overstock, open box and used baby clothing company, to enter the resale market and give parents a new way to buy and sell baby gear.
Rebelstork’s marketplace will appear on The Bay’s website starting Sunday (Sept. 26), and two Hudson’s Bay locations in Canada will host trade-in events where parents will receive gift cards for bringing in gently used baby and kids items.
“Last year, we began to reimagine our kids’ strategy at The Bay to elevate the entire shopping experience for families,” Laura Janney, chief merchant at The Bay, said in the joint announcement. “From baby showrooms to our Rookie shops, we have evolved to be more relevant, more innovative and easier than ever to shop for all stages of childhood.”
Janney said this partnership “brings a whole new option to parents looking to make more sustainable choices for short-term product purchases, as well as options for those ready to part with gently used items that kids have grown out of.”
Trade-in value will be calculated at the events on-site using Rebelstork’s resale calculator, which factors in age, condition and operational state of the clothing.
“It’s no surprise that babies are expensive: Parents can spend upwards of $10,000 to $14,000 on their baby every year, and many parents are only beginning to realize the significance that buying secondhand or reselling gently used gear can have on the environment and on their finances,” said Emily Hosie, founder and CEO of Rebelstork, in the joint announcement. “Our mission is to help families declutter, save and make money, and ultimately contribute to the circular economy.”
Related: Secondhand Market Presents ‘Big Opportunity’ for Retailers Ahead of Holidays
The secondhand market has seen a boost over the last 18 months. One reason that secondhand supply has remained strong is that brands, manufacturers and retailers are being smarter about putting more inventory available for sale on B2B marketplaces instead of sending it to a landfill, Marcus Shen, chief operating officer of B-Stock, told PYMNTS.
Consumers are also becoming more accustomed to “trading up,” he said, especially with mobile phones and other electronics. Having a trade-in program can also help build customer loyalty, Shen added.
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