Last month, Upright Labs exhibited as a sponsor at the Goodwill Annual Meeting of the Conference of Executives.

This exclusive conference brought together hundreds of leaders from various Goodwill organizations. It offered a unique opportunity to learn from secondhand industry leaders. While also sharing insights into where our industry is heading.

Upright provides software and services that help secondhand businesses increase revenue through e-commerce. So, our team enjoyed the opportunity to connect with so many industry leaders in one setting.

Throughout the event, numerous discussions were held between our team, Goodwill executives, and other service providers. During which we delved into their distinct challenges and opportunities within the areas of secondhand e-commerce. As a result, we had many conversations about the cutting-edge trends and innovations currently shaping our industry.

As our company continues to be at the forefront of innovation and growth in secondhand e-commerce, these conversations serve as a catalyst for us to contemplate even further into the direction of the secondhand industry at large.

Here are Upright’s top 3 takeaways from our conversations at Goodwill AMCOE.

Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning

One notable topic seemed to be on a lot of attendees' minds at the conference. We had conversations with many individuals about Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. There is an ever-growing focus on implementing these tools in the secondhand industry.

The interest in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) comes from new access to deep learning modules. These tools engage in chatting, writing, digital asset creation, and more.

They are evolving and implemented more than ever into day-to-day businesses. 91.5% of leading businesses are investing in AI to help make their operation more efficient. In doing so, these advancements in tech will drive productivity in coming years.

Listing large volumes of products to sell online has always been a pain point for Goodwills. Without the right resources in place, it is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process.

In 2022, there were 1.7 billion listings on eBay alone. What if listers could double this number using AI and ML to list quicker in the future? The idea is that these tools will enhance the e-commerce employee’s overall workflow experience. Listers will be able to automate routine tasks and analyze data to make informed decisions. In turn, freeing up resources to dedicate to listing and selling more products online.

We have already begun implementing smarter user experience tools to help our clients improve their ability to sell on sites like eBay, Shopify and ShopGoodwill. By improving templates and autofill functionality, our goal is to increase efficiency.

Accessibility

Another trending topic was the importance of accessibility. Goodwill leaders expressed interest in software, systems, and services made available for everyone.

For service providers, it's essential to create platforms with accessibility in mind. Especially when working with mission-driven organizations like Goodwill.

30,000 people with disabilities work at Goodwills across the country. Making this a large prioritization for the leaders we spoke with at Goodwill AMCOE.

This includes people with disabilities such as visual, hearing, motor, or cognitive impairments. As well as those who use assistive technologies such as:

• Screen readers
• Speech recognition software
• Specialized keyboards

Accessibility can also be good for business.

Organizations can increase their resources while improving their current employee satisfaction and loyalty. They can do so by making digital products and services accessible to a wider range of users.

Companies focusing on accessibility see 28% greater revenue and 30% higher profit margins. Additionally, disability-inclusive teams are happier and better-performing than those who are less inclusive.

The industry's potential for success is immeasurable when we can open more doors.

Industry Cohesion

The secondhand industry is continuing to grow more advanced in so many ways!

As we met with conference exhibitors, our team got a great sense of excitement to see this first-hand.

Like Upright, others are exploring innovative ways to advance and scale mission-driven organizations. This made us think about the many opportunities we have as a whole. There is so much to gain in building partnerships and fostering industry cohesion.

For one, we're thrilled to have Neatoscan come together with Upright Labs this past March.

We’re diving deep into each other’s customers, processes, software, and more. This will ensure we are able to provide our clients with the best customer experience. We've only been working side-by-side for a short time. Yet, we already know we will provide the most comprehensive secondhand e-commerce offerings for our industry.

The secondhand industry continues to grow and evolve each day. Making it important that service providers work together and support each other. This creates better experiences for Goodwill, Habitat ReStore, Salvation Army, and more.

By creating new partnerships and collaborating, we can build a stronger secondhand industry. This will, without a doubt, benefit everyone involved.

To sum it up, Helen Keller said it best:

“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much."

The 3 days at Goodwill AMCOE were a great opportunity for Upright Labs to attend. We connected with many secondhand industry leaders. While learning a great deal about the latest trends and innovations. Our conversations have given us a great deal to consider and explore. We know these topics will continue to be of interest and become a catalyst for growth in secondhand.