A luxury resale company hires a retail veteran to make secondhand feel exclusive
A new leader aims to make used goods feel like must-haves.
The story
The RealReal has appointed Alexis Hoopes as chief merchandising officer, bringing her experience from eBay, Mattel and Nordstrom to lead the company's luxury resale strategy.
Source: wwd.com
Our reading
Alexis Hoopes has been given the task of making sure The RealReal’s resale inventory is as curated as a museum exhibit, but with the added pressure of selling it online. It’s not enough to just have a $10 billion fashion business under your belt — now you have to make sure every secondhand handbag feels like a once-in-a-lifetime discovery.
Her new role will involve using data and technology to make sure customers don’t just find a bag, but feel like they’ve unlocked a secret. It’s the kind of pressure that could make even a Nordstrom veteran question if they’ve been wearing the right shoes all along.
Hoopes will now be responsible for turning the secondhand into the exclusive, and the exclusive into the essential — all while ensuring that no one feels like they’re buying something that’s already been loved by someone else.
