ThredUp hopes wedding guests will say yes to resale.The platform is working to become a go-to destination for anyone looking for secondhand dresses, shoes and accessories for the summer wedding season. Not only does ThredUp’s website have a new landing page called “The Wedding Guest Shop,” but it has also rolled out a new AI tool called “Dress Code Decoder” that suggests outfits based on invitations’ dress codes, like “beach party.” In addition, ThredUp held its first wedding pop-up in New York City on May 30 and paired up with Jenna Lyons, the former president of J.Crew, on curated wedding looks.
Today, wedding-wear shopping goes beyond the big day itself, said Danielle Vermeer, ThredUp’s head of product. Guests are looking for outfits for various events along the way — like the bridal shower, the bachelorette trip, the rehearsal dinner and the welcome drinks — all while staying on a budget. As ThredUp offers peer-to-peer resale, it’s hoping its new suite of tools will help wedding guests choose secondhand over new, full-price options.
“We can see what customers are searching for, and especially this season, it’s really all about wedding and occasion wear,” Vermeer said. “Dresses are that top category right now. … This is really a full-funnel, 360 [degree] campaign to help get the word out around [the fact that], of the 4 million items on ThredUp’s site, … there is a dress for every occasion, every budget and every body.”
