IKEA hacking a startup
Now that Thrift+ had physical premises, we needed to get ready to receive & process donations. The space would need to be adapted to serve multiple purposes but the two key functions would be photography and storage.
Photography
The challenge was to create a studio that would allow us to take photographs that looked professional, without any of the photoshopping or adjustments that most fashion product shots require.
Given that each Thrift+ item is unique, it wouldn’t be a case of taking perfect photos of one item and selling from an inventory of hundreds. Instead, we would simply be using the Shopify app on an Iphone 7+ to take a handful of photos which would then be uploaded directly to the Thrift+ store.
The aim for the photography was to give a more consistent shopping experience than person-to-person marketplaces such as Ebay or Gumtree where the quality of photography varies hugely.
Studio backdrop #1
It was a trip to IKEA that provided the solution for the first backdrop.
The SKÅDIS pegboard uses cleverly designed clips, bungees, and hooks to provide a highly adaptable “wall storage board”.
Designed for “everything from keys and telephones to jewellery and glasses”, we could use it for presenting the clothes more effectively than simply draped off a hanger.
Eight of the pegboards covered one wall and with a few clips we were able to get the first item up as a quick example of how the product shots could look.
For the lighting we bought two IKEA PS 2017 table lamps and two extra photography lamps on tripods (a £15 bargain on Gumtree). To ensure the right quality of light, we switched out the yellow fluorescent tube bulbs overhead for specialist white bulbs, and changed the IKEA bulbs from warm to cool white.
Our first studio was ready!
Studio backdrop #2
To provide some variety to the images, we wanted to have multiple backdrops. A white brick wall on the right hand side of the studio would be ideal to provide a second textured background.
Hoping to find a similar solution to the pegboard, we browsed the IKEA store and came across the BARSÖ trellis.
Designed for plants growing up external walls it would have been perfect but sadly IKEA were completely out of stock and the item had been discontinued.
However, B&Q provided an even better & cheaper alternative. A large metal mesh sheet normally used as a structure for plasterboard walls, coupled with IKEA RIKTIG curtain clips, it would give a second very adaptable surface for hanging and presenting clothes.
Finally, to improve the lighting in this area too we fixed a couple of TERTIAL lamps (£9) to the floorboards and the second studio was ready.
Studio backdrop #3
The final backdrop would be for simple overhead photos. We chose the OSTED rug given it’s rough texture and we had a quick and simple third backdrop.
Storage
Storage would be the second major role of Thrift HQ. This is where we were certain IKEA could help!
We were looking for good value clothing rails that could be lined up on the mezzanine level of the studio. There were a range of cheap IKEA rails but, when multiplied up to the number we would need, this option became too expensive. Instead, using a couple of the DIGNITET curtain wires (£10 for 5 metres) would maximise the space on the mezzanine level in a very cost effective way.
Although there were a lot of cheaper options, we invested in a couple of sturdy clothes rails for keeping clothes organised on the ground floor level. The TURBO clothes rack would last us a long time (and didn’t need any fiddly construction).
Thrift+ HQ was ready to go!
