Nostalgia is a bankable commodity nowadays. And nowhere is that more obvious than in the world of ecommerce. Online sellers that stock old clothes, vinyl records, and curios from the recent past can count of the power of memories to move their products; and online shoppers seemingly can’t get enough. But why do ecommerce shoppers love retro goods as opposed to brand new stuff that’s never been handled by anyone else? There are a few answers to that question and they all tie in to make the current nostalgia craze the biggest one yet.
For years (even before the internet, if there ever was such a time!) people would visit thrift stores and consignment shops to find things from past fashion trends. Most if the time, a gem can be uncovered after rooting through dozens and dozens of less desirable articles of clothing or pieces of furniture. Stores that sold records alongside newer mediums for music might have thousands of mediocre records and one good one.
People who are into nostalgia usually don’t have a problem with sorting through the rubbish. That’s part of the fun! But ecommerce stores have made it easier to find the best of what you’re looking through as well as making it easier to find specific things.
A consumer looking to buy a metal lunchbox with a cartoon from the sixties on it might be able to stumble across something so wonderfully campy in a thrift store. But online they can find the exact item and have it shipped to them without leaving their house. Thrift stores and consignment shops provide an experience of searching while ecommerce stores specializing in retro provide results.
We’re now far enough away from the nineties for many of the products and fashions that were in style then to be considered retro. Millennials who grew up during the nineties also grew up alongside the internet. So, shopping online is second nature to many of them. Savvy online retailers are on the look-out for old video game consoles and other trends that will appeal to the latest group of nostalgia hunters. While brick-and-mortar stores tend to have stock that rotates in and then out, virtual stores can provide a huge variety of options.
Entrepreneurs and business owners thinking of getting into the online nostalgia game should look into cloud based ecommerce solutions to organize, display, and sell their wares. The demand is there so get your ducks in a row before going headlong into a retro-based venture.
Part of selling second hand or dated items is making sure they’re in decent enough shape to sell. Old technology like eight tracks and game consoles are sometimes too far gone to be sold as is. Though there are enough people out there in search of parts and projects that these retired products don’t have to be junked entirely. Toys and clothing can be repaired if they’ve been used a bit more than gently but usually a customer that’s buying vintage items is trying to find something that’s not too mangled. Again, this is part of the appeal of shopping online when it comes to nostalgia: you can find what you want and in the shape you want.
The great thing about nostalgia is that it’s ever growing. Each year that passes creates more time between us and a certain period thereby turning it vintage. Ten years ago, the nineties didn’t feel very far away and now, they’re retro! Smart business owners should take note of what’s hot right now and stockpile it away. Who know? Maybe in twenty years, they’ll have exactly what all the kids of today are already getting tired of!
