Francesca's launches resale program

Francesca's Acquisition LLC is teaming up with a well-known resale platform to provide second-hand products.

The specialty retailer, which operates a nationwide chain of Francesca's and Franki by Francesca's stores offering fashion, accessories, jewelry, and lifestyle products, is introducing "Forever Francesca's.” This 360-resale program, supported by the ThredUp online resale platform, enables customers to shop secondhand products directly through the Francesca’s website and resell apparel for Francesca's shopping credit.

Francesca’s is leveraging the ThredUp Resale-as-a-Service (RaaS) solution, which delivers scalable, customizable resale offerings for retailers. To participate in Francesca’s resale program, customers can shop a selection of secondhand items from a designated section of the retailer’s e-commerce site.

Customers can then earn Francesca's shopping credit by sending in their used items by generating a prepaid shipping label from the Francesca’s site, filling any shippable box or bag with women's and kid's items from any brand, and shipping it to ThredUp for free. For items that sell on ThredUp, customers will receive Francesca's shopping credit that can be used both online and in-store.

"We are aware of the environmental impact apparel has on our planet, and our work with ThredUp in launching ‘Forever Francesca's’ is an important first step in doing our part to make a difference," said Jann Parish, chief marketing officer at Francesca's. "Our millennial and Gen Z customers value their eco-footprint, but they also come to our boutique for a fun opportunity to find something unique – resale is the perfect blend of both of those experiences. This strategic alignment with ThredUp allows us to innovate how we go to market and offer customers unique product solutions that meet their shifting demands."

"As resale becomes more mainstream among brands and retailers, we're honored that Francesca's chose ThredUp’s RaaS to power its resale experience and trust us in their first step towards a more circular future," said James Reinhart, CEO of ThredUp. "Francesca's customer demographic is the perfect candidate for resale, as

Consumers committed to sustainable purchases; intent varies by category

Sixty-five percent of U.S. buyers consider sustainability when making purchases, a 14% increase from a year ago, according to the Global Sustainability Study 2022 by pricing advisory firm Simon-Kucher & Partners. 

The shift in consumer behavior coincides with a shift in sentiment toward sustainability during the past year, as 73% of respondents to the survey view environmental sustainability to be 'as important’ or ‘more important’ to them than a year ago, the report said.

In the U.S., 71% of consumers surveyed indicated their purchasing behavior and choices have shifted in at least a modest way towards buying more environmentally sustainable products over the past five years.

Francesca's operates approximately 454 stores in 45 states and also serves customers online.