'We started a year ago with the sale of second-hand clothes, at the idea of some friends from the University. There are four of us and we studied industrial engineering at the USMA, we have known each other since we started our studies. Once talking, we came to the conclusion that we needed more money. Between all of us we thought of selling used clothes in good condition and at affordable prices on Instagram and since it was a project in which we had no expenses, we began to create the logo and Dreamy Closet was born', said María Laura, who, together with Cynthia, Analucía and Amanda, undertook a trip through their wardrobes to sell what they no longer used.
And it is that social networks have become the ideal platform for all types of businesses, although the sales of second-hand accessories and clothing have become popular in recent years in Panama, since you can get good brand outfits at affordable prices. cheap, from the comfort of home or office.
According to María Laura, at first the clothes belonged to them, but to have more variety, they began to ask their relatives and friends without charging them a commission. Then they decided to start charging commission for the clothes: 'Everything is through us, the person sends us the photos of the clothes and gives them to us so that it is easier to make the sale, then we publish it on the page. Now we sell men's clothing, hair items and accessories,' added the young student.
Mariela Arévalo, owner of Ligera de Luggage, another preloved or second-hand clothing business also on Instagram, commented that the idea was born as an alternative to generate income. 'I have a lot of clothes that I don't wear from a time in my life when I was compulsive about shopping. Some clothes are branded and in perfect condition, so I decided to try to sell them so that someone else could bring them to life for a much more affordable price than a store'.
With prices ranging from $2 to $15, second-hand clothing sales generate a satisfying shopping experience, due to the sensation of bargain generated by paying a quarter of the price of a garment, which has a higher cost in the market. According to Arévalo, at the beginning she wanted to sell the entire clothing lot, but since she couldn't get any sales options, she decided to open the page on social networks: 'I loved the experience, especially when I discovered that most of my clients are very young people who are in that preloved clothing movement, that's why many people interested in leaving their clothes to sell on consignment have signed up,' added the young businesswoman.
For her part, María Laura mentioned that the sale of clothes is seasonal: "There are periods when it is quite low and very few people write, although there are also weeks when people do not stop writing." According to her, one of the most complex challenges that she and her friends have encountered has been dealing with people: 'There are people who are not courteous or get intense because they want clothes very quickly and for us it is complicated because we all work and study,' said María Laura.
Although both María Laura and Mariela have highlighted the profitability of the business due to the low cost they incur to maintain it.
'The project has not had an investment in itself, everything has been through social networks, in case there is gasoline expense, for that shipping is charged, it can be said that everything has been profit,' stressed María Laura , co-owner of Dreamy Closet.
'In the long term, I would love to create and promote this type of space where you can go and buy used products of all kinds, although my project is slow because I work full time, so I see it as a break from my daily life where I contribute my grain of sand,' added Mariela Arévalo.
luxury wallets
Another second-hand item business that has proliferated on Instagram is the sale of luxury handbags. Bags of the stature of Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Carolina Herrera, Hermés, among others, parade with elaborate photographs and payment options in installments.
'Everything is through us, the person sends us the photos of the clothes and delivers them to us so that it is easier to make the sale, then we publish them on the page. We now sell men's clothing, hair items and accessories',
MARIA LAURA
DREAM CLOSET
Ale and Linda Morel, owners of Iconicpty, explained that the business idea started when they took a look at their closet and realized that they had several bags that had been stored for a long time: 'We thought about the way in which it could be given a second chance to those pieces that people stopped using and are stored in the closet accumulating moisture and deteriorating due to lack of use,' added Linda Morel.
Iconicpty, which already has more than two thousand followers on its Instagram page, offers a varied catalog of bags, shoes, wallets and sunglasses from exclusive designers at affordable prices and backed by authenticity.
Although in Morel's words, authenticating the pieces has been one of the biggest challenges they have had: 'Today the market offers almost identical imitations, which requires professional verification and authenticity, since we know that our clients are making a large investment when acquiring our pieces and it is vitally important that they have the confidence that the article is original. That is why we take the subject and the name of our small company very seriously,' explained the young entrepreneur.
The owners explained to La Estrella de Panamá that the business is mainly managed virtually. They publish the accessories they receive and in this way the interested parties request information on the item they like; if interest continues, they set up an appointment so they can view the articles without obligation. In the same way, with people who want to consign their luxury items. 'Generally, the sale price is divided into 65% for the owner of the accessory and 35% would be our commission,' explained Linda.
The young entrepreneurs indicated that they love being able to meet their clients and thus maintain a relationship of trust so that they know who is behind the Instagram page. They also indicated that they have a subscription system for all people who need extra time to allow them to pay their portfolio, although they manage the best prices that can be offered with this type of merchandise: 'Keeping ourselves positioned requires constant work, We are very aware of market trends, although the most important thing is to gain the recognition and trust of our clients. It requires a lot of perseverance and professionalism'. Morel emphasized.
