I know that I cannot be the only one who looks forward to the latest brand collaborations, whether it be at H&M or maybe at Target (like THIS one)?!! (Okay so I probably am the only one but hey, that’s cool.) Some of these brand collaborations are massive successes such as the Lilly Pulitzer for Target brand collaboration which sold out in stores within minutes while others are not so successful. This marketing strategy is on the rise and is here to stay as companies need to embrace more creative approaches to sell inventory to new audiences. As a reseller, I thought long and hard about how brand collaborations could impact me and my business, especially if I am lucky enough to find these items while sourcing.
Let’s use the Lilly Pulitzer for Target brand collaboration as an example.
So it’s 2015 and the Lilly Pulitzer for Target collaboration is about to launch. People lined up outside of Target stores for hours waiting to get inside to check out the collection. In addition, people were sitting at their computers patiently waiting to hit the refresh button as soon as the collection launched. To everyone’s surprise, the collection sold out in retail stores within minutes and the online site was shutdown due to a traffic overload. As a result, a lot of people were angry and frustrated with the brand. And so people who were lucky enough to snag an item from the coveted collection, either kept it for themselves as a trophy for their efforts or resold it online for 2-3 times what it retailed for. You heard me right, people were selling items for 2-3 times what they paid for them at Target, sometimes more.
Unfortunately, online reselling platforms were the only places that you purchase these items. And to make it worse, people were inflating prices like crazy; I’m not talking a few people, no, I’m talking everybody. Eventually, the hype wore down and so did the prices. Now, if you find a Lilly Pulitzer for Target brand collaboration piece, you can still make a good profit but not like when the collection the first launched.
So you’re probably thinking, “Why did are talking about the Lilly Pulitzer for Target collaboration?”
There is a point to this, I promise. The point is that depending on what the collaboration is and how many other people are selling items from that collection, you can make some serious money. I’m actually getting ready to list a pair of Hunter x MacKenzie Child limited edition rain boots. I was looking at comps and they are reselling between approximately $150-$200 depending on the condition. Why? Because they are no longer in production and people are still looking to purchase them.
The best thing to do if you come across an item from a brand collaboration is to research it on various online platforms. Some brand collaborations have awesome comps while others just suck. If you do your homework, trust your gut (I do 100% of the time), and keep your eyes open for awesome stuff, you never know what treasures you will find!
Be Classy, Be Confident, Be Strong
Baci,
Bianca Ida
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