---
title: James Reinhart on Turning Trash into Treasure in the Resale Industry |
description: After his clothes were rejected by his local thrift store, James Reinhart vowed to create a market for clothes between discount and luxury with ThredUP
image: https://www.nlopchantamang.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/lrg-Screen-Shot-2019-09-09-at-7_32_48-PM_20190909233308-3.png
---

![](https://www.nlopchantamang.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/lrg-Screen-Shot-2019-09-09-at-7_32_48-PM_20190909233308-3.png)

In 2009, long before the “resale market” had picked up steam, thredUP incorporated. Now, 10 years later, they’ve raised over $300m in funding, including a new $175m round announced in August. They also introduced a new platform powering apparel resale for retailers and brands.

But it took Reinhart awhile to understand thredUP’s unique advantage. How’d he do it? By constantly talking to his customers — and asking a few key questions. We talked to Reinhart about how thredUP found its footing, and how he created demand for a product that, at the time, no one was talking about.

**Takeaways**

- Want to find out who your main competition is? Ask your customers what they would use if your company didn’t exist
- To win at a secondhand marketplace, make it as frictionless as possible for sellers
- In an early-stage market, competitors are your friend: The more players, the bigger the pie

### What inspired you to get into the resale industry?

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