Can Patagonia convince consumers to “buy less, buy used”?
What happens when one of America’s most successful and beloved companies suggests that consumers reduce their purchasing of new products?
Outdoor outfitter Patagonia did just that – raising the economic ante for Corporate America with a first-of-its-kind “Buy Less, Buy Used†initiative, offered in coordination with eBay and the Common Threads Initiative.
Instead of encouraging consumers to buy new Patagonia products on the company’s e-commerce site, the company has suggested that consumers purchase used clothing and gear via eBay auction.
Not only does this represent the first time that eBay has sold items directly on another company’s e-commerce site — it represents a radical statement about the future of a U.S. economy predicated upon consumption, planned obsolescence and the relentless celebration of the new and trendy.
