Word: secondhands
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There's a huge market for secondhand clothing overseas, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where few can afford to buy new clothes. And it's no secret that nonprofits like the Salvation Army fund their aid programs by selling donated goods to exporters. But USAgain is the first unabashed--albeit vaguely labeled--for-profit firm to establish a nationwide presence in the U.S. The company, based in Elgin, Ill., is teaming up with recycling contractors in cities like St. Paul, Minn., where residents can leave bags of clothing on the curb alongside paper and plastics. But some towns have sent...
...situation as complex as the current conflict in Israel, that’s not very easy advice to follow. And when one forms inflexible opinions from secondhand news one must recognize the danger of not getting the true story. But by visiting places and speaking with the people who live amidst a particular conflict on a day-to-day basis, one can gain an understanding of a situation that is nuanced enough to step outside those ideological boxes. Suddenly, a bombing at a Tel Aviv bus station is not just a sad event that happened halfway around the world...
...loophole in Japan's anachronistic, anticompetitive business rules, the 62-year-old former piano salesman has built Bookoff from a single store into a 700-outlet phenomenon in only 12 years. While nationwide book sales have declined 14% over the past six years, Bookoff's formula of selling secondhand best sellers at bargain rates has been a recession-era boon. In the past fiscal year, Bookoff increased sales 20% to $179 million, making it Japan's ninth largest bookseller. "There was a demand for inexpensive used books out there," says Sakamoto. "We just fill that demand...
...counterattacking on new fronts. Capitalizing on an increasing acceptance of secondhand stores by Japanese consumers, Bookoff is now opening additional outlets offering used clothing, jewelry, toys, furniture and computer hardware. There is no saihan law for those goods, leading Sakamoto's doubters to predict that these ventures will fail. He disagrees, arguing that the company's pricing and distribution know-how and entrepreneurial spirit provide an advantage no competitor can quickly replicate...
...They can come here and see the culture. They see it's not like they make it out on TV, like we're all terrorists. Here they see everyone joined together, dancing, having fun. They see there's nothing to be scared of." Except, of course, for all that secondhand smoke...