16.05.25
News
As tariffs drive up the cost of new apparel (raw materials, shipping, finished goods) and economic uncertainty reshapes spending habits, a quiet transformation is taking place – reshaping the way fashion is bought, sold and re-circulated in 2025.
And we’re not just talking the legacy leaders like Depop, Vestiaire Collective and Vinted, but also smaller, but more agile challenger brands.
But with momentum, comes saturation. As Business of Fashion points out, success won’t go to the biggest platforms – it’ll go to the sharpest. Those who innovate on customer experience, build strong communities, and articulate a point of view that sets them apart from the competition.
Holly Brunskill, Co-Founder & Managing Partner at b. the agency adds: “The rewards will go to the brands that can strike the right balance of operational efficiency and cultural fluency to build a brand world that customers want to be part of.”
So, what can brands do to tap in?
Elevating the User Experience
As resale attracts a new wave of cost-conscious consumers (many of who are arriving from fast fashion platforms like Shein and Temu) the user experience can’t be an afterthought. From onboarding to discovery to post-purchase touchpoints, the experience must feel seamless, intuitive and elevated.
Brands should prioritise UX and UI that feel less like utility, and more like editorial – building digital journeys that surprise, delight and mirror the ease of traditional retail, without losing their point of difference.
At the same time, seller-side experiences must be just as robust. Friction costs loyalty, and in this fast-growing sector, small frustrations can quickly become barriers to growth.
Engineering Distinctiveness
In a market where choice is high and attention is short, resale brands need more than inventory – they need identity. That means sharpening how they show up through culturally relevant storytelling, earned media moments, and brand worlds people want to belong to.
A transactional marketplace won’t win the next wave. The future is editorial, expressive, and emotionally resonant.
Editorialising the Experience
The new era of resale is about more than transactions; it’s about transformation. From curated wardrobe edits to behind-the-scenes product stories, the most compelling platforms are elevating resale into an aspirational experience.
Think like a media brand. Give your audience reasons to stay, not just ways to shop.
Building Loyalty Through Community
With product overlap inevitable, loyalty in the resale space will be won through values, voice, and belonging. Community-building tactics – from creator programs to platform-first events – are becoming essential tools for retention and advocacy.
Preparing for a Discovery Shift
Discovery is no longer limited to social or search. With AI shaping how people find and interpret fashion, platforms need to craft brand language and positioning that’s both algorithm-friendly and emotionally intelligent. But you can read more about that in our other blog: ChatGPT’s New Shopping Features: What We Know and How Brands Can Prepare.
This is a pivotal moment for resale, not just to scale, but to lead. The brands that come out on top will be the ones that blend cultural relevance with creative clarity, and use brand, experience, and community as competitive advantage.
At b. the agency, we help brands in the fashion space define their voice, earn their place in culture, and turn community into competitive edge. If you’re ready to move from marketplace to movement, we’d love to hear from you.
