Buying pre-loved items is becoming increasingly popular, spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic and a better awareness of its environmental benefits.

According to eBay, there has been a 404 percent year-on-year increase in pre-loved sales since 2018, and 2020 saw as many pre-loved items as there are people in the UK going to a new home. 

This is also the case for the Warp It community, which has seen a surge in membership renewals between November 2021 and February 2022, highlighting the importance of reuse for organisations. This is due to the ongoing move to clear spaces as organisations shift to new ways of working, such as remote, hybrid and hotdesking, as part of Covid-19 recovery plans and ongoing sustainability and net zero targets.

Currently all assets in the Warp It system are first made available internally to the organisation holding them. Subsequently, if policy allows, they can be transferred to external organisations, sold to staff, or donated to charities and the third sector. 

As we continue to seek ways to improve reuse, expand options, and add value for the Warp It community, we want to investigate if there is an appetite to sell high-value pre-used assets on an open marketplace to generate revenues.

We will hold an online workshop on Wednesday 16 April at 1pm to explore if there is a need to sell pre-used assets on the open marketplace, including furniture, lab, and medical equipment dealers, and how this would work in practise.

Above: we will explore if there is a need to sell pre-used assets on the open marketplace and generate revenues. 

What are the key considerations?

• What are the parameters and standards affecting the sales of pre-used furniture, equipment, and other items?
• What are the liabilities and legal requirements?
• How will health and safety be managed and monitored?
• How will pricing of assets be decided?
• How will revenues, and transaction fees, be managed and monitored?
• How does it fit in, or compare, with existing sales channels such as eBay, Etsy, and Amazon?
• What other issues or challenges would you anticipate in selling assets?

Areas of improvement within our software may include:

• How can Warp It provide customer service support for sales of items?
• How can Warp It support tracking and controlling of sales and revenue of pre-used assets?
• Can Warp It help with storage, stock, and inventory management?
• Assets are matched using the Warp It wish list and watch list features. Can these functions be improved or expanded to include sales and revenue?
   

Interested in learning more? Join us on Wednesday 16 April at 1pm to explore if there is a need to sell pre-used assets on the open marketplace and how it could work in practise. Pop it in your diary now.

This event will be valuable for Warp It admins, lab managers and technicians, space and facilities managers, capital development departments, and building clearance teams.