Latest / The Marketing Funnel Podcast with Fexingo: Awareness, Interest, Decision, and Action Stages / How Patagonia's Worn Wear Program Redefines the Marketing Funnel
Transcript
- Lucas: So I was in a Patagonia store in Portland last month, and right by the entrance, next to the new puffers, there's this rack of used jackets. Each one had a little tag showing what it was, what condition it was in, and the price. And people were circling it like it was a sample sale. Luna: That's the Worn Wear section. I've seen those in a few stores. It's like a thrift shop inside a premium outdoor brand. Lucas: Exactly. And it's not a side project anymore. Worn Wear has become a core part of Patagonia's strategy. They've got trade-in events, mail-in trade-ins, and they’re pairing it with repair services. For a company that could just sell new gear all day, they're actively pushing customers to buy less. And it's brilliant. Luna: But how does that fit the classic marketing funnel? Usually you're trying to move people from awareness to action, and the action is buying your new product. Patagonia is saying, maybe buy used, or don't buy at all. Lucas: Right. And that's the twist. Worn Wear actually redefines the funnel. Let's break it down. At the top, awareness isn't just about new products. It's about the brand's values and the idea that you can gear up responsibly. Worn Wear is a story that gets picked up by media and shared by customers. It's earned attention. Luna: So the awareness stage is about the mission, not the merchandise. Lucas: Precisely. Then interest: Worn Wear creates a different kind of interest. You might not be able to afford a brand-new Patagonia jacket, but a used one at half the price? That gets you interested. And it brings in customers who wouldn't have considered the brand otherwise, especially younger, price-sensitive shoppers. Luna: That's a smart way to widen the funnel at the bottom. You're capturing people who might otherwise go to a discount retailer. Lucas: And the decision stage is fascinating. It's not just 'buy this jacket.' It's 'buy this jacket and feel good about it.' You're making a choice that aligns with your values. Plus, there's the trade-in credit. When you send in your old gear, you get a credit toward used or new items. That's a powerful nudge to keep engaging with the brand. Luna: So the action isn't just a one-time purchase. It's the beginning of a relationship. Lucas: Exactly. And that's where the funnel becomes circular. The action stage feeds back into awareness and interest. When you buy used gear, you become part of the Worn Wear community. You tell your friends. You post on Instagram. You’re basically a walking billboard for the brand’s sustainability cred. Luna: That's the advocacy loop. And I've read that Worn Wear items sell out quickly, which adds a bit of scarcity and urgency, but in a positive way. Lucas: It does. The inventory is limited, so when you see a great deal on a used jacket, you grab it. But there's another layer: the repair program. Patagonia has repair centers where you can send in gear for fixes, and they even have repair how-to videos. That keeps products in use longer, but it also keeps customers engaged with the brand for years after the initial purchase. Luna: So every time you repair something, you're interacting with Patagonia again. That's a touchpoint that most brands don't have. Lucas: And it's a touchpoint that builds trust. When you send in a jacket and it comes back looking almost new, you think, these people stand behind their product. That's better than any ad campaign. In fact, Patagonia's founder Yvon Chouinard famously said, 'The best thing we can do for the planet is to buy less.' And they've built a business model around that. Luna: But doesn't that cannibalize sales of new products? If you're selling used jackets at lower prices, aren't you just taking money out of your own pocket? Lucas: It looks that way, but the data suggests otherwise. Used gear has a lower margin, but it brings in a different customer segment. And it strengthens brand loyalty among existing customers. Plus, trade-in credits often get used toward new gear, so it's not purely replacing sales. It's a long-term play on customer lifetime value, not a short-term quarter-over-quarter bump. Luna: So it's a retention strategy dressed as a sustainability initiative. Lucas: Exactly. And that's why it works so well. Patagonia's customers are fiercely loyal. The Worn Wear program gives them even more reasons to stay engaged. It's not just about buying a jacket once; it's about a lifetime of gear, repairs, trade-ins, and eventually, passing it on to the next person. Luna: And that's a powerful story. It's no wonder Worn Wear has a cult following online. Lucas: The online presence is huge. They have a dedicated website, social media channels, and they regularly post stories of people and their well-worn gear. It's user-generated content that's authentic and inspiring. That's the kind of content money can't buy, because it comes from real customers. Luna: And it fuels the awareness stage. It's a virtuous cycle. Lucas: So if you're thinking about your own marketing funnel, the lesson isn't that you need a trade-in program. It's that you should look for ways to create value that goes beyond the transaction. What can you do to keep customers engaged after the sale? How can you turn a one-time buyer into a repeat advocate? Luna: And in Patagonia's case, they've built a whole ecosystem around the product. It's not just about the jacket; it's about the repair, the trade-in, the community. Lucas: Which brings me to something that we don't talk about enough: the fact that this show stays ad-free because of listener support. If today's conversation gave you a new way to think about your marketing, that's exactly the kind of thing that makes this worth doing. And if you want to keep these conversations coming, the way to do that is simple. You can buy me a coffee at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Luna: And it genuinely helps us keep making episodes without interrupting you with ads. Lucas: So, back to Worn Wear. One challenge they face is supply. They can't just create more used inventory out of thin air. That means the selection is unpredictable, and sometimes customers are disappointed when they can't find what they want. But scarcity can also drive engagement. People check the site regularly, and the drops become events. Luna: It's like a limited-edition drop, but for used gear. That's a clever way to keep people coming back. Lucas: And they've also partnered with third-party platforms like Trove to handle trade-ins and refurbishment. That lets them scale without building a huge internal operation. It's a smart move because they can focus on their core business while still offering the circular service. Luna: So what can a smaller brand learn from this? You don't need Patagonia's scale to adopt a circular approach. Lucas: Absolutely. Think about what you can do with your own product. Could you offer a repair guide? Could you encourage customers to share photos of their well-loved items? Could you create a buy-back program? Even something as simple as a 'care for your product' email sequence can extend the relationship. Luna: That's a great point. It's about shifting from a transactional mindset to a relational one. Lucas: Exactly. And the end goal isn't just repeat purchases. It's turning customers into evangelists. When someone feels like a brand shares their values and genuinely cares about them, they talk about it. They bring friends. They defend the brand online. That's the most powerful marketing there is. Luna: And it's something you can't fake. You have to actually do the work. Lucas: Patagonia has been doing that for decades. Worn Wear is just the latest iteration. And it's a reminder that the best marketing funnels are built on real value, not just clever campaigns. Luna: Well said, Lucas. So as we wrap up, what's the one thing you want listeners to take away from today's episode? Lucas: That the marketing funnel doesn't have to be a straight line from awareness to purchase. It can be a circle that brings customers back again and again, and sometimes, that circle includes letting them buy your product used. If you can find a way to make your customers feel good about that, you've built something durable.