Journeys partners with ThredUp for resale program
A teen-focused specialty footwear retailer is launching its new resale offering with help from a leading platform.
Journeys, part of Genesco Inc., is introducing “Journeys Second-Hand,” a resale program that allows customers to shop secondhand apparel directly from its website and resell used items for Journeys shopping credit.
“Journeys Second–Hand” runs on the ThredUp Resale-as-a-Service (RaaS) offering. To participate, customers can generate a prepaid shipping label from a dedicated Journeys page on the ThredUp site, fill any shippable box or bag with apparel, shoes, and accessories from any brand, and ship it to ThredUp for free. For items that sell, customers receive Journeys credit that can be used both online and in-store.
Other retailers that have rolled out resale partnerships with ThredUp in 2023 include The Container Store, Toms, American Eagle, H&M, Kate Spade, and Francesca’s.
“We’re picky about our partnerships because we know that teens are pretty picky about where they shop, as well as what they choose to wear,” said Journeys group president Mario Gallione. “ThredUp was the right partner for us to enter the resale market based on its ability to fulfill the needs of our core teen consumers and offer the brands, styles and trends they see on social media. But beyond adding value to our online capabilities, ThredUp’s platform also supports our larger corporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives.”
“We’re thrilled to see Journeys, a footwear retailer, leverage resale as a complimentary offering to its core business,” said James Reinhart, CEO of ThredUp. “Journeys is the retailer of choice for so many of today’s young consumers, many of which value individuality and sustainability. We’re proud to power a resale solution for a company that believes in the future of secondhand and is taking meaningful steps towards a more sustainable future.”
Secondhand market to double to $350B by 2027
The global secondhand market is expected to double and reach $350 billion by 2027, with the U.S. market reaching $70 billion, according to ThredUp’s 2023 Resale Report. In 2022, the global secondhand market reached $177 billion; the U.S. market hit $39 billion.
The report found that GenZ is helping to fuel the popularity of resale — two in five items in Gen Z's closet are secondhand. More than half of Gen Z are more likely to shop with a brand that offers secondhand alongside new, up six points from 2021.
Eighty-two percent of Gen Z has considered the resale value of apparel before buying it, and 64% look for an item secondhand before buying it new.