mornin' merry makers 🛍️♻️📱✨💎

i called it.

at the beginning of this year, i predicted more of us shopping secondhand first. that smart shoppers would stop settling for whatever they could find and start hunting for exactly what they wanted.

my mama has been schooling me on how to shop secondhand like a pro since i was little. teaching me to look for quality, hunt for treasures, and never settle for "good enough" just because it's cheap. so i speak for us both when i say we’re thrilled about resale getting the love it deserves.

turns out i wasn't the only one who saw this coming.

now kate sanner is building the tech to make that kind of intentional secondhand shopping accessible to everyone. her platform beni aggregates listings from 40+ marketplaces so you can find your exact style, size, & price point.

without the endless scrolling or hours spent browsing thrift store.

because the future of fashion isn't about buying more.

it's about buying better.

bts q&a: kate sanner

Q1: can you share a little bit about you and the work that you do?

I’m the co-founder and CEO of Beni, an AI-native shopping platform that helps you find style, not stuff. I started my career building big consumer brands, but I’m passionate about helping people shop more intentionally. At Beni, we aggregate resale listings from 40+ marketplaces so shoppers can find exactly what they’re looking for, in their size and price range, without endless scrolling.

Q2: you started with a browser extension in 2021 and now have a full platform. what user behavior surprised you most during that evolution?

I was surprised by how many people wanted to browse secondhand the same way they’d browse new—searching by vibe, not just exact items. People don’t always know the brand or style name but have a mental picture of what they want, and they expect secondhand to keep up. That insight pushed us to build tools like image search and curated collections instead of just price comparisons.

 Q3: i love how you describe beni as "spotify for fashion." that's such a compelling positioning. how did you land on this?

Because style, like music taste, is personal, evolving, and hard to pin down. Just as Spotify helps you discover new artists based on your vibe, Beni helps you discover fashion that fits your unique style, budget, and values—even secondhand. We wanted to make resale feel inspiring and personalized instead of purely transactional.

Q4: beni's tagline is "buy better, not more." how does that philosophy translate to what's happening in physical retail spaces?

Physical retail is starting to shift from pushing volume to creating experiences and helping people shop with intention. We’re seeing more resale corners in stores, curated edits of quality pieces, and services like tailoring to extend garment life. The idea is to help people buy fewer things they’ll truly wear, rather than chasing endless trends. Ultimately, you buy a brand because of the community you get invited into and physical retail is the space where that community comes together.

Q5: your bridal page highlights how wedding dresses are worn for 3 hours then sold. what other categories have surprising resale patterns?

Formalwear in general—like gala gowns, cocktail dresses, and suits—is a big one because people rarely re-wear those pieces. Baby gear and maternity clothes also have huge resale turnover because they’re used for such a short time. Another surprising category is outdoor gear—people upgrade often, and high-quality used gear holds great value.

Q6: the image search feature lets people snap photos of things they see in real life. what are people photographing most, and what does that tell us about the gap between online and offline shopping?

People photograph unique pieces they spot on strangers, in stores, or even on TV shows. It shows there’s a huge gap between the inspiration we get offline and how hard it is to find those items online—especially secondhand. Our image search helps bridge that gap so shoppers can turn spontaneous inspiration into sustainable purchases.

Q7: what’s one thing you wish more people knew about beni?

That secondhand doesn’t mean sacrificing style—or convenience. We’re not just helping people save money; we’re building tools to help them discover amazing pieces they truly love, while making resale feel as easy and curated as shopping new. It’s all about finding your style, not just more stuff.

retail rapid-fire round

• fave retail store of all time? 

  • REI - I could spend so much time in there!

• retail center that gets it right? 

  • Trader Joes - I’m obsessed.

• can’t live without retail tool?

  • Beni, of course!

• retail metric you obsess over?

  • Saves to wishlist - let’s Beni start to hunt for you!

• your signature style of merrymaking? 

  • Long walks on the water in Dumbo with a fresh coffee!

• best retail advice you've ever received?

  • Styling isn’t about having more stuff, it’s about knowing yourself better.

• what do you love about working in retail? 

  •  What we wear is how we show up in the world. I love the humanity and storytelling.

connect with kate

kate is solving one of fashion's biggest problems—making secondhand shopping as intuitive and personalized as shopping new. if you're tired of endless scrolling through resale sites hoping to stumble onto something good, beni should be your new favorite tool.

🔗 link up here:

• sign up for beni (for free!)

• follow beni on instagram

• follow kate on linkedin

i recently learned from one of their ig posts that there are enough clothes in circulation to dress the next SIX generations. that’s bonkers! now beni’s mission to help people find style, not stuff, feels even more urgent. i truly can’t wait!