User Persona: Tom
Problem Statement: Tom needs the community to be more intentional with their purchases and encourage ethical consumption, especially in low-income communities.
Age: 28
Gender: Male
Background: Low-income individual in Melbourne's northern suburbs. Tom relies on op-shops to buy affordable and fashionable clothing.
Needs
Affordable, good-quality clothing for practical and personal reasons.
Insights
Tom relies on op-shops for affordable clothing but has noticed a decrease in quality due to overconsumption. He wishes for a more intentional community that discourages excessive purchasing.
Problem Statement
Tom needs the community to be more intentional with their purchases and encourage ethical consumption, especially in low-income communities.
How Might We?
How might we create a thrifting community that encourages ethical consumption over excessive participation?
How might we prevent second-hand store owners from increasing prices due to high demand?
How might we promote awareness and accessibility for low-income communities within the thrifting community?
Ask why?
Tom needs the community to be more intentional with their purchases and encourage ethical consumption, especially in low-income communities. Part of ethical consumption for Tom means encouraging members of the community to donate just as much as they purchase.
Why 1
Tom is fashion-forward and passionate about his personal style because he views his style as an extension of himself. Members of the community who rely on thrift clothes should have access to affordable and good-quality clothing for practical reasons like looking professional in his workplace and personal reasons so he can feel confident and comfortable.
Why 2
Thrifting for some is a trendy fashion choice but the current values around mainstream thrifting promote over-consumption, this has two key negative effects. Firstly, the selection of clothes left over is usually poor quality and condition. Secondly, store owners adjust prices to the demand for their clothing and other goods. Because of hyper-consumption, thrift store owners increase the prices of their items, making it a greater challenge for thrift stores’ initial target market, low-income communities.
When?
Popularity lowers the number of resources available to the underprivileged.
How Often?
More and more as thrifting grows in popularity.