The question

The RealReal knew its consignors. What it wanted to understand was the larger group of people who share their mindset: how they live, how they shop, and what fashion does for them. This was needed to help guide marketing messaging and sales interactions, and to support ad campaign development.

The approach

I designed a four-stage study that included:

1. Secondary research: A curation of existing research on luxury consignment.

2. Syndicated Data analysis in partnership with a member of our quantitative research team.

3. Qualitative research: A diary study in tandem with digital qualitative research activities and in-depth interviews (IDIs).

4. Profile development: I synthesized everything into a target profile and two audience segments.

Outcome

The research revealed one shared mindset that shows up in two different ways, so I developed a single target profile with two segments. It gave The RealReal a vivid, human picture of the people at the heart of its audience.

The report explored:

• Who the customer is, their personality and lifestyle, and what fashion and personal style mean to them
• How they engage with trends, and the role fashion and shopping play in their lives
• Where their love of fashion comes from, who influences their choices, and who and what inspires them
• How they shop, from the hunt for the perfect piece to where sustainability fits in
• What they expect from the brands they shop with

The report also came with practical recommendations the team could put to work across marketing, concierge service and sales conversations. They covered how to connect with customers, how to earn a place in their shopping routines, and how to share the story of The RealReal’s sustainability efforts in a way that lands, plus ideas for where to take the research next.

The work also fed into Team One’s Story Continues campaign.