The cross-country skiing and ice climbing season is over, the hiking season is still wading through the mud, it’s time to clean out the closets and get rid of the equipment and clothing that we no longer use each other.
There is no shortage of websites and Facebook pages specializing in the sale of used equipment. However, SAIL has just entered the dance with its reSAIL platform.
“We have been offering outdoor products to our customers for 40 years,” recalls Nicolas Gaudreau, vice-president of marketing at SAIL. We started with our stores. After that, we increased our offering with e-commerce. Now, with the sale of used products, we are adding a third way. »
He notes that consumers are increasingly concerned about their ecological footprint.
“The sale and purchase of used products is very good for the environment because it extends the lifespan of products and avoids them being sent to landfills,” he observes. And obviously, there is also an economic benefit, consumers are looking for discounts. »
Facebook pages and resale websites, like Marketplace and Kijiji, are already addressing these concerns. Why go with reSAIL?
There are two big advantages. The first is the security aspect. There are never any negotiations between a seller and a buyer. Under no circumstances is a buyer going to come knocking at your door on a Friday evening to negotiate the price.
Nicolas Gaudreau, vice-president of marketing at SAIL
He explains that to offer a product on reSAIL, the seller takes photos and creates a file. This product doesn’t have to be from SAIL, but it’s a serious plus if it is.
“We have a large database on all the products we have sold over the last 8 to 10 years,” says Mr. Gaudreau. So, if the product is found in this database, the seller benefits from the description and photos of the initial product. »
ReSail recommends a selling price based on the condition of the product and its original value, but the seller may decide to choose a different price.
PHOTO ARMAND TROTTIER, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Expedition backpacks are often found on outdoor equipment resale sites.
The other advantage is the structured side of reSAIL.
“It’s an e-commerce site with product categories, standardization of the experience, a shopping cart, secure use of credit cards,” emphasizes Mr. Gaudreau.
These services obviously have a cost. The seller receives 70% of the sale price if he wants to receive it in cash. However, they receive 100% of the sale price if they accept a SAIL gift card.
“That’s how we cover our costs a little,” declares Nicolas Gaudreau.
He maintains, however, that the company is above all keen to support consumers in “their desire to grow in the outdoors”.
“At 25, I bought my first tent, a small tent for two,” says Mr. Gaudreau to illustrate his point. But my needs changed when I got married and had children. My tent for two is still valid: rather than putting it in the landfill and polluting the planet, I can put it on sale and buy a bigger tent. »
SAIL is, however, going a bit against the grain with reSAIL. MEC also had a used product sales program, the MEC Grand Marché, but it abandoned it in February 2022. The retailer explained that with the appearance of many other sites like Marketplace and Kijiji, the number of ads on the Grand Marché had decreased considerably.
Nicolas Gaudreau notes that SAIL launched its reSAIL program “in a humble way”.
For five months, every month, traffic has grown, sales have grown. There is a snowball effect.
Nicolas Gaudreau, vice-president of marketing at SAIL
In the past, La Cordée also organized two Barter events per year: sellers brought the products to a single location, so customers could examine them, try them on and make their choice on site.
The pandemic put an end to this tradition. The event required a lot of effort on the part of La Cordée: they had to receive the products, label them, provide checkout service, then return the unsold products.
“We do not intervene in transactions,” underlines Nicolas Gaudreau. We are a facilitator. It’s the seller who takes the item, puts it in a box and takes it to Canada Post. We provide customer service to ensure that the experience is good and we are there if the transaction goes badly. »
Visit the reSAIL website
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