Lululemon Athletica has forayed into the resale clothing market with the launch of a plot program in California and Texas stores. As per a Forbes report, the program aims to determine the viability of this new line of business. Dubbed ‘Like New,’ the test will give owners of Lululemon’s clothing an opportunity to trade in previously purchased merchandise. Lululemon plans to invest one hundred percent of all profits generated through this program into its other sustainability initiatives.
The trade-in phase of the program will kick off next month. Lululemon will begin selling traded-in items online in June. The retailer will only resell “like new” items. The chain will clean all merchandise it collects, offering for purchase only those items that meet its quality standards and recycling the rest. The chain will analyze customer response and feedback before it seeks to scale the pilot up or to incorporate it into its standard business model.
The Lululemon test program will put the retailer in the same space as a growing number of businesses that are taking similar approaches. Last week. Nike launched Nike Refurbished, a program that enables sneaker owners to return their shoes within 60 days of purchase for resale. The items selected are cleaned and sold to customers at a discount to buying the same shoes brand new. Nike is initially offering Refurbished shoes for sale in 15 stores before it further expands later this year and in the future.












