ThredUp hires first chief marketer in years

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Dive Brief:

• Constituting its first chief marketing officer in over four years, ThredUp on Thursday named Noelle Sadler to the position. Sadler will report to President Anthony Marino, who previously oversaw marketing, according to a company press release.
• Sadler joins the secondhand retailer from Lulus, where she also served as marketing chief. In the past, Sadler held marketing roles at MAC Cosmetics and co-founded a subscription-based clothing clean out service dubbed Retold Recycling.
• At ThredUp, Sadler will take over the role as the company focuses on acquiring younger customers and “inspiring a new generation of consumers to think secondhand first.”

Dive Insight:

ThredUp has hired its first chief marketing officer in years as the company invests more in advertising. Sadler joins with e-commerce marketing and merchandising expertise, which she plans to use to cultivate brand awareness, improve the customer experience and build loyalty. Sadler is also poised to continue ThredUp’s recent efforts to attract young shoppers.

This spring, the company launched several marketing campaigns which targeted a younger audience. A brand awareness campaign in Seattle was timed to a climate positive concert at Coachella, and the company partnered with celebrity stylist Karla Welch to push responsible dressing practices during festival and wedding season.

“ThredUp has made great strides towards our mission of inspiring a new generation of consumers to think secondhand first. As we continue to shift consumer preference from new to used, it’s imperative that we make shopping secondhand as easy as possible and provide a delightful experience for the next generation of thrifters,” Marino said in a statement. “Resale is taking hold of the modern shopper, and Noelle’s expertise will help enhance the customer experience and in turn fuel growth among young buyers.”

ThredUp has been evolving in other ways as well. The secondhand retailer has been investing in its resale-as-a-service offering over the past few years, signing up partners across the industry, including Target. In 2021 alone, the retailer filed for an IPO, put an end to its subscription styling box and acquired European resale company Remix.

The secondhand market is growing as ThredUp does, at least by the company’s own measure. A report released by ThredUp earlier this year predicts that the secondhand market will more than double by 2026, reaching $82 billion. The company’s own research shows a great proportion of Gen Z and millennials that are interested in buying secondhand, likely driving the company’s emphasis on that customer base.

Young consumers have historically expressed their commitment to buying from sustainable brands, but at the same time have driven the success of fast-fashion giants like Shein.