So You Want to… Cash in Your Closet with Sky Pollard
Master of Merchandising
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Style IRL
You know that saying about money being left on the table? That’s how we feel about our wardrobe after learning that the resale market is expected to double within 10 years. So for advice on turning our Dolce into dollars, we called Sky Pollard, a former J.Crew exec now working as head of product at Nuuly Rent and Nuuly Thrift.
Here, the 40-year-old shares how to land on a selling price, why bad photos are a dealbreaker, and what’s trending in the marketplace.
What does it mean to be head of product for an app where users supply the items?
It means I oversee any of the merchandising on the app. All the tiles that link to certain assortments, the tray recommendations, and recruiting sellers. Anyone is welcome on the platform, but we [also] reach out to people we’ve found in our travels, friends and family, and entrepreneurs on Instagram. They’re not all just resellers; some are makers [or] upcyclers.
When we want to sell something, how do we determine a fair price?
Typically, as a product reaches the end of its life cycle, that first markdown is 30% off. But when you go to resale, there are so many other factors. Is it rare? Did you do anything to it [like] change the buttons or repair it? Is it a limited-edition collection that people are coveting like Target x LoveShackFancy? What’s the condition? If it’s new with tags, you might be able to get away with listing it at the ticket price.
So much to consider!
People do research as well. They’ll try to find if the item is for sale elsewhere. If it is, [they ask], “Do I want to price it the same? Do I think mine’s in better condition so I might price it a little higher?” …Do you want to sell something quickly? If so, you probably want to price it lower.
Are there certain brands or styles selling well right now?
Our sister brands—Anthropologie, Free People, Urban Outfitters—sell really well on these types of platforms. We’re also seeing a lot of success with Reformation, J.Crew, [and] Madewell. Those are brands known for their quality, and people trust that even if it’s been worn and washed, it’s going to be in good shape. Then we have a ton of vintage products.
Is a certain era trending?
On Nuuly Thrift, when you list an item, one of the features we have is the ability to hashtag. That powers our search function and our ability to merchandise. We’re seeing a lot of people hashtag their items “‘90s.” Y2K is another one, which I feel is very related to that.
Right now we’re going through our summer clothes. Should we sell them now or wait?
You don’t want to list a summer dress right now. When people are looking at resale, they’re in a buy-now, wear-now mentality. I just switched my closet over to winter, and as I was taking things out, I was like, “Eh, I’m not into this anymore,” so I decided I’m going to sell it now versus the summer stuff I put away. When the weather turns come March, I’ll list it then. For pieces in the middle, styling has a lot to do with it. If you’re going to shoot it on yourself or as a laydown, you could style it in a cozy, wintry way and show folks how they could wear it now.
What are some tips for taking good photos of our items?
High-quality, well-lit, in-focus, all the extraneous stuff cropped out. Not only does it allow the buyer to see what it is, [but] it gives an aura of quality. Stock photos are always helpful, too.
What else can make our listings pop?
The more info, the better, whether it’s measurements, detailed information about how that item works—like does it have a belt or a drawcord? What is the wear and tear? All of that, like a picture of the label, people like to see. Then use as many attributes as possible. [Nuuly Thrift] gives the seller a lot of options to pick from: dress, maxi dress, black maxi dress—all those kinds of details.