Hot Topic launches resale program with ThredUp

By

Jennifer Braun

Published
Oct 13, 2022

Hot Topic, the omni-channel merchandise destination for entertainment and music fans, is the latest retailer to dive into resale via a partnership with ThredUp. 

Dubbed 'Hot Topic Replay', the new 360-resale program will allow customers to shop secondhand products directly through its website and to resell apparel for Hot Topic credit. Backed by ThredUp's Resale-as-a-Service (RaaS) technology, customers will be able to purchase gently-used Hot Topic items, as well as iconic pop culture brands. 

To participate, customers in the U.S. can generate a prepaid shipping label from hottopic.thredup.com, fill any shippable box or bag with women's and kid's items from any brand in their closet, and ship it to ThredUp for free. In return, customers can earn Hot Topic shopping credit for items sold on ThredUp that can be used both online and in-store.

"Incorporating resale into our business model is another step towards sustainability and an exciting opportunity for our customers. The launch of Hot Topic Replay provides our customers the ability to give their pop culture merchandise a second life," said Steve Vranes, CEO of Hot Topic. 

"Leveraging ThredUp's RaaS was the right decision for us as they have more than a decade of experience powering resale at scale and were able to get us up and running in a short period of time.”

Hot Topic joins a number of other retailers who are diving into resale. Earlier this month, Goodwill announced that it was headed online with the launch of a new second-hand marketplace. Meanwhile, Tommy Hilfiger also jumped into resale earlier this year via a partnership with ThredUp. 

"Hot Topic is a brand that has maintained cultural relevance across decades. Their finger is on the pulse when it comes to younger shoppers who value self-expression and individuality or are seeking a dose of nostalgia," said James Reinhart, CEO of ThredUp. 

"We're thrilled to enable Hot Topic Replay and believe that entering resale will help Hot Topic build brand affinity among customers who are on the hunt for that unique band tee or collectible item, while also serving as a new growth channel for the business."