Away’s aluminum carry-on sells for $625, but right now you can snag one for $436. A medium suitcase in navy usually goes for $345, but you can get it for $293. There’s a catch, though: Some of these bags may have a little scuff here or a dent there.

The suitcases are available on Away Reclaimed, a new site where the luggage brand sells its own products that cannot be sold as new. Its inventory comes from customer returns, which Away accepts within 100 days of purchase, as well as from the last few units of a limited-edition color or collab that the company didn’t manage to sell.

And there’s more. The site also sells Away’s backpacks, totes, and duffles. Later this month, the company plans to add an “Employee Archive,” which will include luggage that staffers have gently tested, along with one-of-a-kind production samples.

Because it no longer has to waste perfectly usable inventory, the company can be more sustainable. The platform also provides a new revenue stream.

Jessica Schinazi, Away’s CEO, says Reclaimed could effectively introduce the brand to new consumers who are looking for products that are slightly more affordable, perhaps turning them into loyal customers down the road.

Before Reclaimed, much of Away’s returned merchandise didn’t have an obvious place to go. That’s a problem across retail, where returns are among the biggest sources of waste. 9 billion worth of merchandise, according to a study by the National Retail Federation and the return platform Happy Returns.

Source link