Practically everyone in the National Capital Region has either shopped at a consignment store or sold some of their old, no longer wanted threads on consignment. Aside from those stores opening the door for people to purchase brands that they may love but otherwise be unable to afford, they also have a positive impact on the environment – stopping the cycle of continuous consumption and eventual disposal of products that fills our landfills and threatens the planet.
And while these shops are vital parts of their local communities and essential beacons of sustainability along the main streets in small downtowns across America – many are hurting right now due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But they’re not alone. Many other small retailers have felt the sting of “safer at home” orders, social distancing and reduced occupancies that have resulted from the ongoing pandemic. While, conversely, some larger, multinational retailers are doing better than ever before.
What has the past year done to small retailers and resale companies? What do they have to do to compete with the larger companies in the marketplace? And will consumer habits ever return to what they were prior to the pandemic?
To get answers to these questions, ACG has invited a group of retail and resale experts to join them for a panel discussion entitled, “Retail–Resale: the Fastest-Growing Segment During the Pandemic.”