As Victoria Facebook group ‘Sell Your Old Clothes’ celebrates its second year anniversary this spring, creator and University of Victoria Business alumna Fiona Morrison will be stepping down as administrator.
The thrifty Facebook group is geared towards young, stylish women in Victoria and averages at more than 15 posts per day, with nearly 1500 active members. Students and Victoria residents alike can sell and find used items such as dresses, skirts, shirts, pants, Halloween costumes, accessories, footwear, and even bikes at discounted prices.
The group operates on a need-and-demand basis. The items bought and sold represent the style and esthetic taste that resonates through Victoria and UVic’s campus.
“I noticed the need and demand for a platform where people could buy and sell their old clothes,” Morrison says.
The used clothing market in Victoria thrives off of ‘fast fashion’—“anything that’s trendy but inexpensive,” she says. Popular and affordable brands are easily accessible for students on a budget.
“Most students in Victoria aren’t looking for timeless classic pieces that are a bit more designer and expensive,” says Morrison.
Although students are offered a multitude of ways to sell their wardrobe leftovers, many would rather make a quick Facebook post versus posting on UsedVictoria or eBay.
“We’re not searching through eBay, where your grandpa posted products and some weird person in Tennessee—it’s geared towards young, local people in Victoria,” Morrison says.
As a current Vancouver resident and creative mind behind Wolf Circus jewelry, Morrison admits that administrating the group has become time-consuming. From removing old clothing posts, to managing spammers and keeping the group focused on clothing, the administrator finds her hands full.
“It needs someone who has a lot of time on their hands and willing to do it for free,” she says.
First-year education student Hilary Thorpe has experienced frustrations with the group, but is overall satisfied with its effectiveness.
“I find my clothes sell a lot faster,” Thorpe says. “If you post a really nice item on the group, in two seconds people will be like ‘I want it!’ and fight over each other.”
Thorpe has noticed the more popular pieces originate from fast fashion retailers such as Lululemon, Aritzia and Garage. Although some may try and sell the piece at its original retail value, she says most users are fair in their pricing.
“In my experience, it hasn’t helped me connect with people so much as get rid of my clothes and get money for it,” says Thorpe.
Thorpe also says not all experiences have been positive ones, “There are people that either just don’t show up and just really ignore you or blow you off, or back out from an agreement—it’s really frustrating.”
Regardless of unfortunate incidents, Thorpe remains confident in the group’s ability to show off Victoria’s sense of style.
