. an experience of "getting a great deal" rather than a sale.
ZOZOUSED" has been in business for 10 years, and were you aware of the keyword "circulation" at the beginning?
Shimamura:When "ZOZOUSED" was first launched, environmental impact was not a matter of concern at the time. In the first place, the act of giving away one's own clothes was not that common. We started this business because we wanted to expand the options for enjoying fashion. We want to propose that secondary distribution will redefine the value of things, and that there will be a new way to enjoy fashion. This is what we want to propose.
Personally, I think it is also a great experience for people to learn about and like a brand through the brand's secondhand clothing. When I was a student, I used vintage clothing to acquire clothes of a brand that I had longed for, and I was very satisfied. I also had the courage to go to a directly-owned store.
. So it was a fascinating opportunity.
Shimamura:Yes, that's right. ZOZOUSED" also offers a service called "Replacement Discount," in which items purchased on ZOZOTOWN in the past are traded in, and the amount of the trade-in is discounted on the spot when the next new item is purchased. In order to convert the act of giving away clothes into something positive, we focus on the act of "buying" rather than selling. I believe that this creates a feeling of "I got a good deal" rather than "I sold it. In order to preserve this exciting feeling and experience, we have carefully designed our service to simplify the process of shipping items that are to be relinquished.
. It would be nice to be able to trade in products other than when purchasing them, wouldn't it?
Shimamura:We also offer a service called "Anytime Replacement Discount," which allows customers to exchange their worn-out clothes for ZOZOTOWN points whenever they want. When customers trade in items under the "Replacement Discount" and "Anytime Replacement Discount" services, we send customers these reuse bags, and all they have to do is put the items to be traded into the bag and have the delivery company pick them up.
Ozawa:It's very easy.
Negishi:Is the fabric a little frayed because it has been used so many times?
Shimamura:Yes, we do. We basically reuse everything until it deteriorates to the point where it can no longer be used. Of course, we clean them when they arrive at our warehouse. I think our business itself can be described in the context of sustainability, and I think it is important to use these materials over and over again, even for a single item.
Ozawa:Well done. From a sustainable point of view, we decided not to have shopping bags in the "Editorial Store" as well. That's why we made and sold these bags.
What is unique about it?
Ozawa:I visit various manufacturers to find products for my store, and while there is a surplus of clothes, there is also a surplus of fabric. I was told that they had to pay a vendor to collect the leftover fabric. I decided that this was a waste of money, so I took it back and used the fabric to make shopping bags. I heard that when shirts are sewn at a shirt factory in Nagano, there is excess fabric in the shape of ribbons. When I went to consult with them about making these bags, I learned about this and decided to use them as spindles. Also, do you know what a loop pack is?
Negishi:I know . It's a system for earning points, right?
Ozawa:Yes, yes. The world has become overflowing with eco-friendly bags, which has led to a situation where the question of whether they are eco-friendly or not has become a moot point. The idea is to make each bag last longer, so each bag has a chip in it, and when you make a purchase and scan it, you earn points on the bag. The points can then be donated to an environmental organization that you want to support. The cost of the materials for the bags is not paid for, so you sell the bags at the price of the costs incurred, such as transportation, sewing labor, and also the system fee for the lupac system.
