Online marketplace Thriftify has launched in the UK to help charity shops sell donated goods online to customers – and for a fair price.
Thriftify’s aims to enable shoppers to buy secondhand products in a more sustainable way, while helping charities raise money.
It already works with 95% of charity retailers in Ireland and across more than 75 shops – and is integrated into eBay, Google Shopping, Facebook Marketplace and Amazon, with more integrations on their way for sites including Depop and Poshmark.
Thriftify founder, Rónán Ó Dálaigh, says: “Thriftify is changing the way people shop by empowering them to make a sustainable choice and contribute to the circular economy. Fashion is the second most polluting industry after oil but thankfully, consumers are becoming aware of the damaging effects of ‘fast fashion’ on our planet and are looking for alternatives. Instead of buying new, we can lower our impact significantly by opting for used items, making the most of products already out there and discouraging further unnecessary manufacturing.”
The Thriftify platform includes the ability to value goods as they are posted on the platform – items with barcodes can be scanned to post – as well as ecommerce tools and sustainable packaging made from corn. Charity shops store in their shops while selling online, and then ship once sold.
Michael McIlwaine, head of retail at Oxfam Ireland, says: “The pandemic and national lockdowns have highlighted to charity retailers the limitations of an over-reliance on brick-and-mortar outlets and the vital importance of establishing and growing an online presence. By working with Thriftify, we feel confident that our business can reach customers that we simply did not before, expanding our market, unlocking potential from quality items, and bringing revenue back to the charity where it matters most.”
