Exclusive: Trove launches new plugin with Db, signalling next phase in circular commerce

‘Lost & Found’, typically an airport department for travellers seeking out mislaid items, has found a new meaning in the form of a resale programme launched by Db, a Scandinavian brand looking to extend the life of its travel-centric gear. With this, the company has become the first brand to deploy the Trade-In Plugin of resale service provider Trove, allowing consumers to access the feature directly from Db’s existing e-commerce site.

Up until now, Trove had largely been building up custom resale platforms for partner brands. While some had implemented its resale technology through new dedicated websites, others utilised the firm’s existing Resale Plugin, with Patagonia being the first to launch the feature in October 2024. But in order to actually carry out resale, used products are needed, and this is where trade-in features come into play.

Db launches ‘Lost & Found’ resale programme in EU and Norway

While Trove had already operated a trade-in programme alongside brands like Canada Goose, this latest Trade-In Plugin mirrors the resale offering, allowing brands to seamlessly integrate such services into their own online platform. The plugin itself gives control over to the brand, enabling Db, an LVMH-backed label, to embed the option into its landing pages and other locations on its site, eliminating the need for separate platforms and speeding up the process of integration.

The launch of the plugin coincides with the debut of Db’s official Resale Programme in the EU and Norway, through which customers can trade in their pre-owned gear in exchange for a voucher. Db has therefore combined different circular models under the umbrella of ‘Lost & Found’, with trade-in feeding into resale.

Speaking to FashionUnited, Joachim Gund, Db’s chief transformation officer, said: “Without trade-in, there is no resale, and resale is the revenue driver of the programme. Our aim is for Lost & Found to be profitable, and trade-in is a key element in making that happen.”

For Db, the feature not only contributes to the brand’s responsibility roadmap, it is also a customer retention strategy intended to build confidence in the brand’s products. Gund added that this in turn “creates a powerful reason to come back, with trade-in credit feeding directly into the next purchase”.

‘Plug-and-play’ trade-in technology accelerates multi-market resale rollouts

He noted that the launch of the plugin was part of a broader transformation “where circular business models are not side projects but core growth engines”, reaffirming Trove’s mission for resale to “no longer be a separate channel”. For Trove, this signals a broader industry shift that sees the function become more of a mainstay of how brands engage with their customers and extend product lifespans.

"This is part of a broader transformation where circular business models are not side projects but core growth engines,"

It was therefore important to Trove to launch a feature that was lightweight and quick to launch, evidenced by Db’s already expansive roll out across the EU, which Trove CEO, Terry Boyle, said was only possible because of the plugin’s “plug-and-play functionality that handles ambitious, multi-market launches”. Elsewhere, the model needed to feel like an extension of the brand. “[The plugin] is fully customisable to match each brand’s style and voice, so every customer touchpoint reinforces the brand’s story,” Boyle added.

Trove sees the scaling of such services as a means of aiding retailers to more easily align with regulatory requirements, the implementation of which is increasing across Europe, heightening the pressure on brands to onboard circular initiatives. “This regulatory environment is increasing the demand for re-commerce solutions, and smart brands are recognising this as an opportunity to get ahead of compliance while also building new revenue streams,” Boyle said.

Resale no longer a side project

“The shift is from pilot programmes to scale circular commerce. Brands need solutions that deploy quickly across multiple touchpoints, trade-in, peer-to-peer resale, returns processing, repairs, not just isolated sustainability initiatives,” he continued. “As the market leader in branded resale, Trove powers the comprehensive infrastructure required for this transformation. Following our acquisition of Recurate and Reverse.Supply, we’ve become the one-stop shop for brands to tailor, launch and scale profitable resale programmes.”

“This regulatory environment is increasing the demand for re-commerce solutions,"

In the future, Boyle sees such partnerships continuing to evolve towards deeper integration “where circular commerce becomes core to how brands operate”. This is also the view of Db’s Gund, who views Lost & Found as a “fundamental change” in how the brand sells, engages and generates revenue.

To test its capabilities, Db hosted a live trade-in activation at a pop-up in Oslo, Norway, in June. Here, customers were able to bring in pre-loved gear, helping to build up the first wave of inventory. “The Oslo activation showed us that when customers can physically engage with circular models, the impact is immediate,” Gund said. “Handing in a product in person builds trust, creates a stronger emotional connection, and sparks curiosity about what happens next.”

Such feedback will play into future activations, Gund noted. “We saw that the most powerful experiences happen when the physical and digital work together. Instant trade-in credit in-store, followed by an online journey to use that credit or track the resale story. That’s a model we’ll be building on for future pop-ups and retail experiences,” he said. While resale is currently not yet available in the UK, Switzerland or the US and Canada, the brand said it is working to make it happen.