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Develop Shopping App Like Thredup
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How to create an app for selling second-hand clothes like thredUP?

Sanjay Kidecha,

Fashion and style are very distinct and personal to everyone. The way people dress tells a lot about them and their personalities. Not to mention, such people like to stay updated with the emerging trends in fashion. 

But, do you know these emerging trends have resulted in fast fashion, and fast fashion is polluting the environment to a great extent? As a matter of fact, clothing and textile production release around 1.2 billion tonnes of greenhouse gasses every year. Now doesn’t that sound scary? 

You might be wondering what exactly fast fashion is. We will tell you about it in brief. 

So, fast fashion is all about quick production of new trendy clothes at lower costs in the market. Who doesn’t like to buy fashionable clothes at low prices? As a result, people all over the world buy from fast fashion brands regularly. 

On the other hand, there are people who are aware of the environmental impact of the fashion industry and have shifted to second-hand or thrift clothes. Looking at this shift, clothing businesses and startups came up with the concept to develop an app to sell used clothes at unbelievable prices. 

If you, too, are inspired by the concept of second-hand clothing and want to step into the industry, learn from the leading apps like ThredUP. It will help you lay a solid foundation to build your own app. 

Read on to know how to make an app like ThredUP, followed by its features and business model to understand the used clothes mobile app development better. We are ready to take you on this ride, are you?

How to make an app like thredUP

What is ThredUP? 

ThredUP is your user-friendly thrift and consignment store, which is great for your closet, your wallet, and, most importantly, for the planet. Founded in January 2009 by James Reinhart, Oliver Lubin, and Chris Homer, ThredUP lets the users sell women’s and children’s clothing and accessories on the app without much effort. 

At the same time, it lets the buyers purchase second-hand high-quality clothes from the app at an affordable price. Now isn’t this a win-win situation for both? On top of that, the best part is that the buyers can buy some of the rarest vintage clothing items on the app. Such pieces are hard to find in other shopping store. 

Here is what makes ThredUP unique-

  • Over 35,000 brands to choose from
  • Up to 90% off on popular brands
  • 1,000+ new arrivals every day
  • A sustainable and environment-friendly app
  • Easy and hassle-free returns
  • Free shipping on orders over $79
  • Multiple payment options 

Develop Shopping App Like Thredup

How does ThredUP earn money? Here’s the business model for ThredUP in a nutshell 

ThredUP earns money through multiple mediums. Here are the major ways it earns money- 

Firstly, it charges a commission on every transaction that occurs on the app. The commission depends on the listing price the company charges by analyzing the brand, size, seasonality, quality, and usage. 

Secondly, it also charges a fee from the customer if they want their old clothes

processed by the company within a week or so. 

features to develop a shopping app like Thredup

What are the must-have features to develop a shopping app like Thredup in general? 

An app is incomplete without its features. Don’t we all search for the features of the

things we want to buy? Similarly, users will download the used clothes buy and sell app for its features. 

Here are the must-have features of a shopping app like ThredUP- 

  • Registration and login 
  • Save and wishlist product
  • Search filters 
  • Payout calculator 
  • Item resale details 
  • Push notifications
  • Reviews and feedbacks 
  • Shop by a percentage of discount
  • Shop by deals 
develop a resale clothing App like ThredUP

How to develop a resale clothing App like ThredUP from scratch?

Encourage people to embrace second-hand clothing with a second-hand clothing app. Now is the time to initiate the app’s development. 

Quickly have a look at the important steps to develop a shopping app like ThredUP- 

-Initiate with the lean canvas model 

Once you make up your mind to develop a resale clothing app like ThredUP, you should prepare a one-page business plan lean-canvas model

It helps define the pain points and challenges you might encounter during the development. This model will require several additions later on like monetization, marketing, etc. 

-Prototyping and wireframing 

Wireframes are the app’s basic layout and structural guidelines that the designers and developers follow to develop the app. Check out the importance of a wireframe for product development here. 

On the other hand,  prototypes are the advanced design models for the final UI of the mobile app. The prototypes enable the teams to test the app’s navigation, get real-time feedback, and move ahead with the design and development. 

– Design and development of the app

The mobile app development team you hire first focus on attractive design of the app. Then they go through front-end development and back-end development. The mobile app developers focus on integrating all the basic and advanced features in the app and bringing the app to life. 

To develop a successful app, you must hire a reliable development company. Here’s a handbook to select development companies for startups that might help you. 

– Quality testing and launch

Once the app is developed, it goes to the Q A team for quality testing. The team tests the final app to ensure it’s flawless and ready to be launched. Once the testing team gives a green signal, the app is set to launch on the play store.  

cost to develop an app like ThredUP

Let’s discuss the cost to develop an app like ThredUP 

Giving an exact amount of cost might not be possible as several factors affect the overall cost to develop a resale clothing app like ThredUP.You can explore the factors that affect the variation in cost here. 

Among the factors mentioned above, one factor that plays a significant role in deciding the cost is the geological location of the developers. 

Let’s peep into the average hourly rates of the developers from different countries-

  • North America- $49- $199
  • United Kingdom- $49- $159
  • Australia- $49 to $110
  • India, Asia- $18- $30 

The data above clarifies that if you hire mobile app developers from India, the overall cost to develop a ThredUP-like app would be quite affordable. 

If you are on the lookout for an experienced mobile app development company in India, we would be excited to partner with you. We are known for having the right expertise to develop path-breaking mobile apps. 

Let’s  sum it up for you 

It’s the right time to  reduce the pollution caused by fashion industry by developing a second-hand clothes mobile app like ThredUP. You have a great opportunity ahead to become a market leader in sustainable development and help people shift to thrift shopping with your mobile app. 

Since we are a leading mobile app development company and care for the environment as much as you do, we would love to be a part of your venture.

Sanjay Kidecha

Sanjay Kidecha is the Chief Operating Officer at Kody Technolab, where he seamlessly blends his expertise in operations, finance and technology to drive innovation and operational excellence. A passionate advocate for digital transformation, Sanjay writes extensively about how various industries can leverage technology to stay ahead. His insights on emerging trends and practical guides helps leading companies navigate this fast-paced tech world.

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