Interview on Digital China Podcast

Pawnstar founder Jane Jia was interviewed by Simon Young on the Episode 2 of the Digital China Podcast, which is a new project that serves as a supplement to Young’s marketing agency and The Red Circle, which is a sort of network for people doing business in China.  Jane introduces the project and the space at the Clement deep in the Former French Concession, which Young describes as “one of the most beautiful places around.”

Jane explains the development of secondhand in China from the days of her youth when items were always passed between neighbors and friends, through the era of obsession with the shiniest and newest, down to the present when hip youngsters are once again interested in pre-loved fashion. Jane’s piece of advise to foreign brands entering the China  market is “You are popular back home for a reason. Stick to your brand identity and do what they are best at.  Don’t give up your core values.”

She also tells the charming story of how she started getting customers by writing poetry on her wechat and that these are still her most loyal customers.  She says her favorite brands are Hermès and Mandarin Oriental, because both are “family-owned brands that do what they want to do and it comes from the heart”.

New Shop of the Year: Pawnstar

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Just last night, Pawnstar won the “New Shop of the Year” award for 2016 at an award ceremony held at Kathleen’s Waitan.  We were not expecting this, but here it is: TimeOut – which does have very good distribution – thinks we are the best new shop this year in Shanghai, a city of nearly 30 million souls.  There may have glossier, more high concept shops opening, but clearly we are the one that is a bit different from what has come before here.  I don’t think anyone has really done the consignment concept before and the ruggedness – the bohemian sensibility that we have – seems quite different from the typical offerings here.