The rising trend of circular economy, waste reduction, and sustainability paved the way for the secondhand sales industry many years ago. In the last couple of years alone, this particular market became more acceptable all across the globe, predominantly due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As more people shifted to online shopping, selling and buying pre-loved goods became the new norm in many emerging countries as well. This massive shift in consumer trends is predicted to grow much faster than the overall retail market as people focus more on sustainable buying as a lifestyle option.
Huge second-hand re-commerce platforms like OLX have already been in practice in Pakistan for years. Not only do they generate mega sales, they promote a healthier and affordable lifestyle in developing countries such as ours.
That being said, buying pre-loved items is still pretty uncommon in the fashion and retail sector of Pakistan. Despite our culture being the biggest propagator of sharing, wearing second-hand apparel is generally frowned upon.
In an attempt to break this stereotype, Sehrish Raza, founder and CEO of BizB, started her own online platform where she promotes pre-loved buying and selling. Her family of 5K+ sellers has helped her prove the notion that pre-loved buying is the new smart solution to a sustainable future.
More than 50% of Pakistani women are unable to actively take part in the economic growth of the country due to financial dependency. Sehrish’s aim to build a community of strong women by helping them earn money by selling off their pre-loved items is what motivated her to start BizB.
Two years ago, most of the buying and selling of women’s apparel was happening on Facebook groups. However, there was a huge problem of mistrust there in both parts of the buyers and sellers. Being a digital marketer herself, Sehrish felt the need for a mediator between both groups to ensure credibility, quality, and trust.
She took it upon herself to become the central point of connection through BizB by helping people replenish their wardrobes by promoting smart fashion in a responsible way.
Starting off as BizBride where she would sell second-hand bridal dresses online, Sehrish expanded her franchise to include everything from party wear to casual and kidswear. With a platform like BizB, Sehrish hopes to glorify every woman’s dream of expressing her personality in a variety of unique and affordable quality wear.
BizB’s work is purely transactional, connecting buyers and sellers with the guarantee of quality which is what sets them apart. BizB also happens to be a part of a fashion tech acceleration program in Paris through which Sehrish aims to take BizB to France next year.
Expressing her future plans for the start-up, Sehrish says, “My vision for BizB is global, since the one thing that is common in women around the world is their love for fashion. We aim to build a community of such women by revamping their wardrobes while promoting circular economy.”
BizB is truly one of the pioneers in building a marketplace for upcycling, one of the newest and fastest-growing trends in sustainable fashion in that market. It is through concepts like this that our country can improve its economy by great measures and promote a sustainable future.
