A PROVOCATION FOR 1ST DIBS

THE PANDEMIC HAS INSPIRED PEOPLE TO RETHINK THEIR PERSONAL SPACES TO ACCOMMODATE NEW WAYS OF WORKING AND LIVING, AND WE’RE MORE CONSCIOUS THAN EVER OF THE OBJECTS WITH WHICH WE SURROUND OURSELVES.

At the same time, the purpose of retail space is being reconsidered, and our cities are lined with blank storefronts and vacancies. Our move to online retail brings convenience, but leaves many of us feeling the impact of our consumerism. When everything is delivered, everything is packaged (and unpacked by the consumer).

As a longtime fan of 1st Dibs, I couldn’t help but think about these macro trends vis-a-vis its offering. The idea of breathing new life into our spaces—at home and in the city—with objects that have had past lives seems more relevant than ever. I developed a few concepts for fun (without sponsorship or direction from 1st Dibs) based on these macro trends and a few things I believe 1st Dibs is about.

Treasures Beautiful Things with Interesting Pasts
1st Dibs has always been at the forefront of retail, putting high quality upcycled treasures from around the world at people’s fingertips. They have created the ultimate platform for people to buy and sell objects with aura—things of a specific time and place. The merchandise is special, but the filpside is that these treasures are fabulously expensive. Who is really buying from 1st Dibs? Who is buying over and over again?

How might 1st Dibs meet our surging demand to renew our spaces with authentic goods and capture new consumers along the way?

Technology Innovation to Inspire Trust & Confidence
1st Dibs has not only leveraged technology to enable digital transactions, but to inspire trust and confidence within a two-sided marketplace. Seller reviews, direct messaging, and the ability to visualize a product in a room are a few of the ways 1st Dibs has used technology to inspire trust and confidence among buyers and sellers. And yet there is nothing like seeing to believe, or having a more tangible experience to close a sale and ensure customer satisfaction. Buyer protection aside, buyer’s remorse is real, and who is going to return a sofa and pay to have it shipped across the world?

How might 1st Dibs bring greater tangibility to its marketplace?


Stories Narratives that Spark Desire
With Introspective, 1st Dibs has leveraged magazine-quality editorial to inspire and educate its customers, as well as highlighting treasures in the marketplace. The content goes well beyond curated catalogue, putting collections of objects in context and explaining why they’re interesting, relevant, and covetable.

How might 1st Dibs leverage digital and physical media, to capture customers’ imagination and shine a light on products in the marketplace?