An Insiders Guide to Kidizen
It’s not often I like to admit I was wrong, but that’s how this story begins. A few weeks ago we published a story about the “The Best Places to Shop Quality Secondhand Clothing For Kids” and we excluded the formidable peer-to-peer preloved marketplace Kidizen. A member of our community, Mary Stokes, asked us to reconsider. Keeping an open mind I reached out and had her to talk me through what I was missing.
I had tried to shop Kidizen before and found myself just signing off, overwhelmed by the sheer volume on offer. However, thanks to her guidance I gave it another shot and actually made my first purchase through the app.
Mary has been on Kidizen since 2017 with her popular Kidizen shop Wildling & Babe. With over 1500 sales and a five star rating, she’s one of Kidizen’s Style Scouts (an expert seller). She’s also mama of 2 adorable kiddos from Albemarle, NC and a Kidizen shopper for her own family. She generously answered a whole bunch of questions to provide us with an insiders guide to using Kidizen.
Let me share a little bit of what I learned. First, there really are tons of great things available from more sustainably minded brands, you just have to be willing to do a little work to find it. Second, it really helps if you know the brands you’re interested in. Third, filters are key if you want to be successful.
To use their filters and save specific searches, you’ll have to download the app and set up an account (just an email and password). If you’re a new user, you can get $5 off your first order by using code ark2x at sign up. Once you’ve set up a bunch of pre-saved filters, you’ll find shopping pretty easy and stress free.
AN INSIDERS GUIDE WITH MARY STOKES, KIDIZEN EXPERT SELLER
OKAY FIRST TELL US ABOUT WHEN YOU FIRST GOT INVOLVED WITH KIDIZEN. WHERE YOU A SHOPPER FIRST?
Surprisingly, no, I was a seller first! I signed up for Kidizen in 2017, when my daughter was 18 months old. I had some brand new baby clothes that hadn't worked for us, and I wanted to sell them to help fund bigger sizes. I quickly discovered that other parents were selling some adorable things that were more my style than things I'd been able to find locally, so it didn't take long for me to become a shopper, too.
DO YOU SHOP FOR YOUR OWN CHILDREN ON KIDIZEN?
Absolutely! Any time my kids need new clothes, I search Kidizen first.
ONE THING WE’VE TALKED ABOUT IS THAT THERE’S SO MUCH AVAILABLE ON KIDIZEN THAT IT CAN BE A BIT OVERWHELMING. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST WAY TO BE SUCCESSFUL SHOPPING THERE?
I use filters to narrow down my searches. Kidizen gives the option to filter by item type, size, brand, price, condition, gender or any combination of these categories. I have multiple filters saved - one for each of my kids in their current size, one for the next sizes up, one for items for myself, and one that shows me all my favorite brands with no size restrictions. Shoppers can apply filters for one-time use or save those filters for future browsing.
DO YOU THINK IT’S BETTER TO FIND INDIVIDUAL SHOPS TO FOLLOW OR JUST SAVE YOUR OWN FILTERED LISTS?
I do make sure to "favorite" the shops I love - that way, I'll be shown new items from those shops on my home page when I open the app. I find it easier to shop by filtering the main feed, though. When I see something I like, I'll favorite the individual listing or use collections to keep listings organized.
SINCE OUR LAST CONVO I’VE BEEN PLAYING AROUND A BIT ON THE APP AND EVEN MADE MY FIRST PURCHASE. I CREATED TWO LISTS, A MINIMALIST (WITH BRANDS LIKE GO GENTLY, SIMPLE FOLK) AND A MAXIMALIST (BOBO CHOSES, TAO). I SEE MORE PRODUCT COMING IN REGULARLY UNDER THE MAXIMALIST. IS THERE RHYME OR REASON TO HOW NEW PRODUCT COMES IN OR IS IT JUST GETTING LUCKY?
It's mostly just getting lucky - that's the fun of it! I love scrolling through the Just In feed and applying my filters to see what has been newly listed for sale from my favorite brands. Often when you see a lot of the same brand or style coming into the feed at once, it means one seller is de-stashing and has gone on a listing spree. If I like what they're listing, I'll click through to the seller's shop to see what else is available that I might have missed.
DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE LOOKING FOR SPECIFIC BRANDS OR ITEMS SO THEY DON’T MISS THEM? IS THERE SOME SORT OF ALERT SYSTEM?
There is not an alert option at this time, but I know users have requested that feature and it's on the development team's list. Until that feature is added, getting onto the app regularly is the best way to keep up. New items from your favorite shops or matching your saved filters will be shown on your home page in the app.
Hash Flashes on Kidizen
WHAT ABOUT FOR THOSE THAT AREN’T AS FAMILIAR WITH BRANDS BUT KNOW THEY WANT ORGANIC OR MORE ETHICAL BRANDS?
Search hashtags! Kidizen users add hashtags to their listings to organize items around a common theme. You can find what you're looking for by searching #organic (some others I frequently use are #europeanbrands, #aussiebrands, #minimalist, #smallshop, #instabrand). Four nights a week, Kidizen hosts events called Hash Flashes, and items that are hashtagged for that evening's theme will be featured. Most expereinced sellers will also include key words in their item descriptions, so entering terms like "sustainable," "ethical," or "organic" into the search bar should show you the kinds of listings you're looking for.
FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN MORE SUSTAINABLE BRANDS, ARE THERE ANY SPECIFIC SHOPS ON KIDIZEN YOU RECOMMEND THEY CHECK OUT?
Well, definitely check out my shop [insert laughing emoji here], but most of the Style Scout shops have a great mix of brands, styles and sizes. A few of my personal favorite shops to browse are Little Resale, Pamelazzzzzz, BKCloset, Stella's Closet, Kurtella, Sprout & Bean and 3 Dudes, Lou + Tampa Kids Too!. I know I'm leaving out SO many good shops. I can't possibly list them all. If you love an item you see on your feed, make sure to check out that seller's whole shop.
ANY OTHER TIPS TO HELP PEOPLE THAT ARE CHECKING OUT KIDIZEN FOR THE FIRST TIME?
Just dive on in! I find the best things for my kids by browsing frequently and searching for my favorite brands. When shopping, I look to make sure the seller has included multiple photos of the item and a good description so I'm confident I know what I'm getting. And when you find something you love, scroll down on the listing to see if that item has been added to any collections. Users create collections to organize items of similar styles or with a common theme, so you'll usually find more gems by checking those out.
OKAY SO NOW LET’S COME BACK TO YOUR OWN KIDIZEN SHOP. THE BASICS, WHAT’S THE NAME OF YOUR SHOP AND WHEN DID YOU FIRST START IT?
Wildling & Babe. I started in June 2017 as Nora Adorned and changed the shop name in 2019 when Baby Brother was born. I also had a separate Style Scout shop (Albemarle Kids) for a while, but decided to combine both shops under one name to make it easier for shoppers to bundle items from my kids and my clients.
HOW LONG BEFORE YOU BECOME A KIDIZEN SCOUT AND WHAT’S YOUR EXPERIENCE BEEN LIKE?
I was a seller for two years before I was invited to become a Style Scout. It has been such a great experience! Being a Scout has allowed me to help busy local parents sell their kids' outgrown items while offering a broader range of styles and sizes to my shoppers.
WHAT BRANDS DOES YOUR SHOP MOSTLY SELL AND WHAT ARE SELLS THE QUICKEST?
My clients have such different styles that I sell a little bit of everything - from everyday mainstream brands to boutique favorites to small shops to designer items. Some of the brands that usually sell the quickest for me are Bobo Choses, Figge, Fin & Vince, Misha & Puff, Arq and Tea Collection.
I DO LIKE HOW CIRCULAR THE SERVICE IS, HOW EASY IT IS TO RESELL WHEN YOUR KIDS OUTGROW. HOW MUCH OF WHAT YOU NOW SELL IN YOUR SHOP HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY PURCHASED ON KIDIZEN?
This is hands-down the thing I love the most about Kidizen. I'd say at least half of the clothes my kids wear are from Kidizen, and I always re-list those items when we're ready to let them go.
YOU MENTIONED THE SCOUT PROGRAM AS A WAY TO HELP BRING MORE HIGH QUALITY BRANDS ONTO THE PLATFORM. FOR SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO SELL THEIR PRELOVED CLOTHES BUT DOESN’T HAVE THE TIME, CAN YOU SHARE MORE ABOUT WHAT THE SCOUT PROGRAM IS AND HOW IT WORKS?
Style Scouts are expert sellers on Kidizen who provide a personal consignment service for busy families looking to make money on the items their kids have outgrown. We consult with you to find the items in your closet that will sell well and then take care of all the details for you. To contact a local Scout for more information, find the Style Scouts banner on the home page of the Kidizen app and click "Find a Scout Near You."
LASTLY, DO YOU PREFER THE WEBSITE OR THE APP?
Kidizen is designed to be used primarily as an app. You can certainly use a browser, but shoppers will have a more streamlined experience and sellers will have access to more functions and features when they choose the app.
For more with Mary Stokes, you can follow along with @wildlingandbabe or visit her Kidizen shop.
Meer is not sponsored or paid by the brands we feature on this site. All brands and products are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy through the links on this page we may earn a small affiliate commission.
