5 Reasons Why Carousell’s Marketing Strategy Works

Established in 2012 and based in Singapore, Carousell is an online marketplace for buying and selling used as well as new goods. As of today, the application has branched out to many different countries worldwide, such as Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Indonesia, Cambodia, Macau and even New Zealand and Australia. Carousell is said to be worth approximately $1.1 billion US dollars as of June 2021. That’s quite a fair bit for a small Singaporean start-up, but what sets Carousell apart from other e-commerce marketplaces? Here are 5 reasons why Carousell’s marketing strategies work.

Trends start up quickly and end just as quickly. In order to keep up with these trends, brands such as Shein, Fashion Nova, H&M and many others have to continuously pump out new clothes to stay on top of sales. These brands are known as fast fashion brands, and they are known for producing cheap clothes of the latest trends and styles. Aside from being highly exploitative, with how quickly clothes go out of style, a lot of clothes get thrown away after being worn just once or twice. As these clothes are usually made of a synthetic plastic blend, they do not degrade at all, and in turn become a major pollutant on our planet.

With that in mind, the idea of ‘thrift-shopping’ or buying secondhand goods has become popular in order to reduce the amount of new clothes being bought from these fast fashion brands. The main reason why Carousell’s marketing strategy is so effective is because it caters to this specific market, which has grown exponentially over the last few years.

Let’s compare Carousell to the likes of Shopee and Lazada. All three are e-commerce marketplaces, but aside from being a new and used goods marketplace, what else makes Carousell unique? While Shopee and Lazada prioritise businesses, Carousell caters mostly to individuals. It gives people an opportunity to sell their items without having to compete with businesses, which is an attractive marketing strategy as it encourages people with no background in business to use the application. This strategy makes their target audience a lot wider as it appeals to the general public.

Snap, list and sell! Listing an item for sale on Carousell is marketed as simple, anyone could do it. All you have to do is launch the application, tap on sell and snap a few pictures of the item you intend on selling. Last but not least, fill in the basic details of your items and you’re good to go! The listing process is simple to understand and pick up, which entices people to use the application to sell their items. Professional photographing skills are not required, though an attractive picture might help sell your item more.

Carousell also provides protection for both buyers and sellers to ensure both parties are secure during the transaction and to minimise the potential of a scam. For buyers, the payment for items listed with Carousell Protection will only be released to the seller once the buyer confirms the receipt of the product. In the event that there is an issue with the item, Carousell Protection enables buyers to raise a dispute with the seller to exchange, refund or return the item.

Carousell Protection for sellers protects the seller’s personal information as well as reduces late payment from buyers as the money is held by the Carousell app upon payment. Sellers will get their money immediately once buyers have received their item, which means they do not have to wait for the buyer’s payment. They can also transfer the funds from their Carousell balance straight into their bank account. If an unresolvable dispute occurs between the buyer and the seller, Carousell Protection ensures that they will step in to investigate the claim in order to achieve a fair outcome for both parties. This allows both buyers and sellers peace of mind when using the application.

Best of all, registering for an account on Carousell is free, and so is listing your items up for sale! You do not have to pay a fee to register for an account, nor do you have to pay to list your items on the application. With that in mind, virtually everyone can start using the application to buy or sell products, which is a huge factor that encourages people to use it.

So, the next time you’re thinking of buying a new outfit or anything at all, try using Carousell! Trusted sellers often have good user-submitted ratings so you can be sure you’ll receive your item as described in a timely fashion. Plus you’ll be doing your part to reduce your carbon footprint on the environment. Try Carousell for free today!