THE NOBO BRINGS A ‘SWAP’ FEATURE TO LUXURY RESALE
By: Hillary LeBlanc
Fashion is a constant evolution of style and trends, which makes it very difficult to be earth friendly considering most people refresh their wardrobe seasonally. The cost of keeping up with refreshing ones wardrobe has also had an impact, especially with trade wars coming into effect, consumers are looking for ways to save a buck or two while also satisfying that need for change in what they wear.
Shoppers are inundated with eco-friendly sections of stores, being urged to thrift, find vintage pieces or to shop consignment. All of this treasure hunting can be exhausting. Though there are several to choose from, The NOBO by Noelle Bonner is offering a unique experience for shoppers.
The NOBO was founded by Bonner, who is a Communications expert as a means to offer more value to those shopping pre-loved fashion. Bonner tells us what she anticipates being the key to The Nobo's success is their 'swap' feature. This means you can list an item to sell or swap from the comfort of your home - or shall we say, from the comfort of your closet.
Bonner tells us that listing to swap is the unique element that no other platform has. “It allows you to create more value.” Shoppers list an item, take photos at home and then are able to schedule a virtual review of the item. Once the item is approved for The NOBO, a shipping label is created to have the item sent to The NOBO HQ. The item then gets sent to The NOBO for in person authentication which then allows the NOBO team to give the swapper ‘NOBO cash’.”We immediately give you cash credit value in your account that you can use to shop other swap products on the platform."
Some items currently available to swap are a Hermes Belt, Valentino Rockstud Flats, a Brandon Maxwell runway dress, Tom Ford magenta heels and a Bvlgari watch. To browse items on The NOBO you must have created an account, which sets up a profile like social media. The set up process encourages you to share a photo, top brands you are looking for, and add your sizes for easier browsing. Once set up you can browse the swap, shop or sale sections in both men’s and women’s clothing. Michelle Lyte, a member of The NOBO community swapped an Hermes belt for Channel earrings. She shared, “Listing and swapping my pre-loved items was super easy and smooth—such a great experience!”
Source: The NOBO
Further to earning NOBO cash by swapping, participants can earn NOBO cash for using the community features. "You can earn while you engage on the platform as well. We have a style feed, which kind of functions like a social media platform. It builds our community, allows you to invite your friends to The NOBO. It allows you to follow other users that you love, their closets or what they are selling or what they have available in their swap closets. So as you engage on your style feed, you actually can earn NOBO cash. We want to reward you for being an engaged member of our NOBO Insider community."
Bonner feels that the community aspect is key to growing her platform. “I knew that people who love fashion like to show their style, like to talk about their style and like to connect with others who they may admire. When Instagram first started, it felt like that. Instagram has kind of moved away from that with the algorithm and ads, but we wanted to bring that community aspect back with the ability to share information, your photos and connect with other people as well as seeing the products that they are selling.” As the platform continues to grow, Bonner shares that more features will be added that are currently in their development pipeline. The importance, for her, was creating community, adding value to using The NOBO and giving new ways for users to share their items.
The NOBO has also launched a video series entitled Inside The Closet where items available on the platform are highlighted in the video. This allows members of The Nobo to see how the garment moves and flows, and have it modelled on someone to see how it looks on body types and sizes.
The NOBO shoppers can browse well known luxury brands like Christian Louboutin, Escada, Gucci and more. Despite already being pre-loved and having items at a reduced rate, there is also a sale section. The NOBO also has a page for menswear so the website is available to all!