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How Winmark Brands Fit In With Your New Years Resolutions

New Year’s resolutions can be rough. What seems like a great idea on December 31 might not look so appealing when February rolls around and the demands of work and family wreak havoc on your schedule.

Fortunately, Winmark brands are making it easy this year to keep your promises to yourself. We can’t drive you to the gym, but we can give you and your family a way to reduce waste, save money and help your community in 2018.

Whether you’re looking for a self-guided career with more freedom and flexibility, or simply a great spot for gently used clothes or sports equipment, Winmark brands has you covered. Here are three ways that Winmark helps franchisees and customers make a difference:

  1. Reduce Waste

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The average American tosses out 81 pounds of clothing each year. That makes for 26 billion pounds of clothing added to landfills annually. Even with consumers spending less money on new clothes than they did 10 years ago, America’s waste-per-capita is still on the rise.

However, consumers increasingly are looking for ways to make environmentally conscious spending decisions. A study by Nielsen found that 66 percent of respondents worldwide prefer products and services from companies with a commitment to positive social and environmental impact. The desire to reduce waste and support sustainable companies draws many customers into resale stores.

That’s where Winmark comes in. Our five resale brands – Once Upon A Child®, Plato’s Closet®, Style Encore®, Music Go Round® and Play It Again Sports® – provide an outlet for individuals and families to sell gently used apparel and accessories, toys, musical instruments and sports gear instead of tossing them out. They get paid on the spot for their items, so they can take home the extra cash or put it toward something in the store. This means fewer items end up in landfills, and fewer new items get manufactured as demand decreases. Already, Winmark brands have recycled more than a billion items back into communities.

As a Winmark customer or franchisee, you help reduce waste and protect the environment. Bring in your gently used items, or open your own franchise to give your community more sustainable options.

2. Save Money

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Americans are spending less of their budgets on clothes and other retail items, Morgan Stanley reports, and more on categories like rent and cell phone service. Less discretionary income means that people are searching for ways to save.

Winmark brands offer thrifty options for savvy shoppers across the country. At Plato’s Closet and Style Encore, customers can find on-trend clothes for up to 90 percent off the regular retail price. Employees curate the store’s offerings, so only clothes that are current and in style hit the shelves. Customers even get paid for the clothes they bring in, so they can put the money toward their next clothing purchase.

Once Upon A Child, Music Go Round and Play It Again Sports give families a way to save on afterschool activities, sports, and even toys and equipment. By selling that trombone that’s been sitting in your closet to Music Go Round – or by starting your own franchise – you can give a child the opportunity to join the band, play a sport or have the perfect first-day-of-school outfit, all while easing financial strain on parents.

3. Help Your Community

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The positive impact of Winmark franchises goes beyond reducing waste and saving money. They also create real economic benefits for communities:

  • Job creation: Small businesses employ more people nationally than big corporations. Every time you spend money at a small business, you support your local friends and neighbors. Small businesses also help people work closer to home, reducing commute time and air pollution.
  • Increasing tax base: When you shop at local small businesses, your sales tax is reinvested in your community. Sales taxes generally provide about 10 percent of local revenue, helping create better schools, more parks and cleaner streets. As franchisees build profitable businesses, employees earn wages and customers save money, Winmark brands create positive economic ripple effects for entire communities.
  • Community involvement: Small businesses tend to be more involved in their communities than their big-box counterparts. Business owners and staff get to know their customers, and many support local charities or community organizations. Winmark encourages franchisees to give back and supports them as they do.
  • Local market health: A variety of small businesses creates a robust local market, as opposed to a town with one large, catch-all retailer.

This is your year to knock your New Year’s resolutions out of the park, and Winmark brands are here to help. Our sustainable business models, affordable pricing and strong franchise system help make a difference for customers, franchisees and communities. If you’re interested in becoming part of the Winmark network of brands as a franchisee, visit our website or give us a call at (866) 595-0053.

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