22/10/2020
You will often receive these comments like "ang mahal naman, overpriced and etc.
It's easy for people to say it because they don't have any idea how we came up with our prices and the process behind it. So let me point it out.
1. Target Market
2. Value
3. Scarcity and Rarity
4. Process
5. IT IS NOT CHEAP
β’ TARGET MARKET
- If you think our items are overpriced, clearly you're NOT our target market. I understand if you think it is expensive, because our business is targeted to a NICHE MARKET, we satisfy a specific demand from a small market segment. SIMPLE AS THATββ
β’ VALUE
- Our items are based on a MARKET VALUE, a value given by the consumers itself. We wouldn't price it like that if the customers are not willing to pay for that price. All of us have different item value perception. If you think it's not worth a purchase, then it's not worth a purchase, but that doesn't mean other people perceive it the same as you.
β’ SCARCITY and RARITY
- Mainly, our prices are based on these 2 major factors. Supplies are SCARCE, there are only few local thrift shops or "ukay-ukay" here in Bacolod and neighboring cities. Everyday, we are competing with other thrifters, there are at least 50 online thrift shops on Instagram (not taking into account the hundreds of thrifters that sell here on Facebook), in Bacolod alone. Plus, it takes at least 2 weeks (some months) for the local thrift shops to restock supplies or "bukad". If you think our items are just hanging in the ukay-ukay, then think again. WE COMPETE FOR IT. WE HUSTLE EVERYDAY TO CURATE A COLLECTION. GET IT???
The second major factor is RARITY. Yes, you can easily find branded items in ukay, but the items we sell are usually hard to find. Streetwear, Vintage, and Luxury brands DON'T MAGICALLY APPEAR, it is actually RARE. So next time you tell us that "ukay lang gid na" and "tag pila lang gid na", find me an AUTHENTIC Versace Medusa Jacket for 50 pesos then sell it to me for 200 pesos, and I'll gladly pay you triple the price π Also, not all the time the item is in excellent condition, some have issues that cannot be repaired/restored.
β’ PROCESS
- It's not as simple as just thrifting for clothes. The procurement process is difficult. We travel to different cities, rain or shine, with the uncertainty of finding any item. It takes several weeks up to a month (or longer) to curate, a week to prepare for a drop, and disposing the items can take as long as 1 month. We take detailed pictures of each item (sometimes do a photoshoot which can also be expensive), we measure the exact dimensions, we wash and sanitize it individually, we check the condition of the clothes, then we prepare the details of the items for the drop, and lastly we do marketing.
Also, take into account that this process cost us money, which is an additional expense.
We didn't invest TIME and EFFORT (don't forget MONEY) just to be insulted with the statements above.
β’ IT IS NOT CHEAP
- We pay a HIGH price for our items. Even though they are just "ukay", they cost a lot to initially purchase. Local thrift shops also know how to price their items, as the demand went up, they also jacked up their prices. LAW OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND. Personally, the budget for my latest drop was 30k, not to brag but to put it into perspective that our items is NOT cheap. WE RISK AND INVEST.
β’ OTHER POINTS
- We do an honest living. We hustle hard. We may be young, but we do our best to help our parents, to the point that we are risking ourselves to the threat of COVID-19. We help and support local businesses, especially in this pandemic, local thrift shops are greatly affected by the reduced movement of people that some even closed permanently, we are their lifeline. And also, we help combat fast fashion through promoting the use of secondhand clothing. I don't get the fuss about the thrift community.
I just pointed out the basics, but I hope I made it clear on to why our items are priced the way it is. It is really not that hard to comprehend. It is sad to see that people will just ride with the hate without knowing the story behind it. CANCEL THE CANCEL CULTURE. And btw, shouldn't you hate more the fast fashion giants who are not only a major pollutant but also underpay their workers? Well, maybe it is more convenient to attack small businesses π€·ββοΈ If you still hate us, you are not a loss and we weren't born to please you π€ͺ
Leave if you can't handle this community. Easy β
CTTO
