Ancora does not operate as a traditional store with its own inventory. Instead, the platform acts as a showcase for selected partners, with the aim of guiding the customer and then directing the visitor to a purchase directly in the partner's own checkout. The company sees itself as a link in the chain rather than a competitor to existing stores.
We are filling a gap that has long existed in the second-hand ecosystem – the bridge between inspiration and purchase. Our model is built to strengthen existing players, not replace them, says Carin Roeraade.
The new platform operates on a model where they are paid only when they successfully lead the right type of visitor to the next step in the digital purchase journey.
We tailor the setup for each partner, but primarily work with affiliate and cost per click. The model is therefore performance-based – we earn money when we deliver qualified traffic.
Convenience Over Price Tag
Despite the growth of the fashion second-hand market, the company believes that the customer experience often falls short and that consumers lose motivation.
Before the platform took shape, surveys were conducted to map how the target group behaves. The results showed that the price tag is not always the deciding factor when a customer chooses between a new and a used item. Many are willing to pay more for second-hand goods, provided they avoid the search, says Carin.
It is true that second-hand is largely driven by price sensitivity – but our target group surveys and our beta test group (we had a group that tested the site during December and January) show something interesting: many consumers want to shop second-hand and are willing to pay at the level of new prices. They don't abandon the process because of the price, they abandon it because it is so time-consuming and difficult to know what to look for.
When the process is perceived as cumbersome, the customer chooses the easier path instead.
The result is that they go to new purchases instead, where they immediately get inspiration and guidance. That is exactly the gap Ancora is built to fill, she continues.
Carin explains that the next phase of development in the second-hand market is about conversion rather than reach.
The consumer is ready to buy but loses both energy and confidence along the way.
Requirements For E-Commerce Businesses
Since the business idea is based on making the second-hand market more accessible and offering guidance, the selection of the linked stores is an important part of the whole.
The company chooses partners who have invested resources in their e-commerce experience, to create a strong chain from curation to checkout. For the customer to have a smooth purchasing experience, the next step in the chain must also meet a certain standard. The work of building the service is therefore ongoing, and includes both its own technology and the guidelines that apply to the e-commerce businesses that are selected.
The platform is actively being developed and we are continuously beta testing. We set clear requirements for our partners regarding product quality and purchasing experience.
Conversion And Future Plans
The service recently opened to the public and the company is now measuring how customers are receiving the offering.
We soft-launched a month ago, on February 24th, says Carin.
Since Ancora acts as an intermediary, final payments are handled in external systems. This means that the company is currently measuring the effectiveness of how visitors click through.
We are now actively following the first figures from the platform – and they look promising. What we can share with the statistics is: of the visitors who click on a product page, almost half go on and click on "Buy Now" – an intent rate of 49.8 percent, she says and continues:
That is an early but strong sign that we are reaching the right target group with the right products.
Although the exact sales volumes are currently missing, communication with the connected players is good.
Since the purchases take place directly in our partners' own systems, we do not yet have full insight into the exact number of completed transactions, but the dialogue with partners is positive. We see this as a confirmation that the model works – and look forward to continuing to build it out, concludes Carin Roeraade.