Dive Brief:
- Joining Roblox’s growing digital world, The Salvation Army has launched its “Thrift Score” experience within the online gaming hub, the nonprofit announced on Feb. 20.
- Within the in-game experience, players can browse racks to discover rare and limited-edition items at low prices. They can also purchase digital items based on real-life thrifted items and donations from other players, brands and influencers, according to the nonprofit’s press release.
- The nonprofit has integrated its digital store into popular Roblox environments, including Seaboard City and Daycare Party. The charity has also enlisted influencers, including PrestonPlayz, BriannaPlayz and RussoPlays, to donate thrift-inspired digital apparel.
Dive Insight:
The Salvation Army is the first to debut a thrift store in the Roblox universe. The nonprofit aims to introduce itself to Gen Z and Gen Alpha shoppers where they already play, shop and express themselves online.
As it engages with younger shoppers via its digital stores, The Salvation Army will donate the proceeds from the game to people in rehabilitation, recovery and various community programs across the country.
“Thrifting has always been about more than price — it's about creativity, individuality and purpose,” Lt. Col. Mark Nelson, ARC Commander at The Salvation Army, said in a statement. “By bringing our thrift store into Roblox, we're introducing a new generation to the spirit of thrifting at Salvation Army in a way that feels natural to how they explore, play, and express themselves today.”
Like The Salvation Army, other brands and retailers have been flocking to the platform in recent years to promote themselves to younger consumers. In 2022, Walmart debuted two Roblox experiences ahead of the holiday season. As part of a broader intellectual property push, Mattel unveiled its plans to bring multiple franchises to the gaming platform last October, including Hot Wheels, Barbie and Uno.
In December, E.l.f. Beauty debuted its “Glow Up” experience on Roblox, where players can create makeup looks with digital cosmetics, select different themes and see other players’ creations in “livestream” mode.
The Salvation Army is trying to reach up-and-coming generations as thrift shopping is on the rise. Wells Fargo economists tracked an 8.5% uptick in sales over 10 months among miscellaneous retailers, rising to $147.5 billion; the category includes florists, pet supplies and thrift stores. They stated that much of the increase could be coming from the sale of secondhand goods, with the increased traffic in the category attributable to households trying to circumvent the impact of tariffs by buying secondhand goods.
Meanwhile, a GlobalData survey released last fall found that shoppers planned to allocate roughly 40% of their holiday budget towards secondhand gifts. While almost two-thirds of the survey respondents were open to gifting used items, that proportion jumped to 80% among millennials.
