eBay has today announced a new ‘resell on eBay’ feature allowing users to list unwanted clothing from partner brands on the second-hand marketplace by scanning a connected product’s smart label.
The new click-to-resell feature will be built into product tags so that when a user scans a QR code on a participating brand’s smart label they will be directed to a web page featuring a “resell on eBay” button. Once clicked, the seller will be asked to check the authenticity of an item using fashion and luxury verification platform Certilogo’s and sign in with their eBay account.
When the authentication process is complete, an eBay listing will be pre-filled with information about the item, with the seller able to then fill in any missing fields or edit the information.
Having acquired Certilogo in July 2023, eBay plans to expand the service across the more than 80 fashion and luxury brands using its digital ID technology in the near future, with the goal of making it a default function.
“eBay is focused on delivering solutions to brands while curating an elevated marketplace for buyers and sellers,” said Charis Marquez, global GM of fashion at eBay. “Reducing friction and removing barriers to brands and consumers engaging in recommerce is crucial to fostering a pre-loved fashion marketplace.
“Our new resell feature helps brands keep their product out of landfill, while giving consumers an incredibly easy way to give their item a second life.”
Michele Casucci, CEO and founder of Certilogo, described the new ‘resell on eBay’ feature as a natural next step in the platform’s evolution that would make it easier for users to ensure products get a second life.
“With 540 million products already connected by our secure digital IDs, our mission is to empower brands by helping them create an experience that blends the physical with the digital world,” he said. “Being able to securely resell your products with ease only makes the circular shopping experience more accessible for everyone.”
B Corp certified Italian outerwear and lifestyle brand Save The Duck will be the first company to pilot the new feature, with its connected garments featuring the new resell button from May.
“Finding solutions that help our customers make more circular choices – and keep our product out of landfill – is of the utmost importance to us,” said Nicolas Bargi, Save The Duck CEO and founder. “To be the first brand to use this new eBay and Certilogo technology reinforces our commitment to ensuring maximum transparency to our community.”
The update comes barely a month after eBay scrapped fees on sales of pre-owned fashion items in a bid to encourage more consumers to sell their second-hand clothes and help expand the circular economy.
Announcing the move, the e-commerce giant said the change would apply to clothes that had been worn once or many times, as well as brand new items with tags on that were never worn or returned.
Recent research into fashion’s ‘throwaway culture’ by waste charity WRAP found that 49 per cent of used textiles were being thrown out, with Brits adding 35 items on average to general waste streams each year.
While the amount of textile products bought in the UK slumped between 2019 and 2020, demand has now crept back up to near pre-Covid levels, the charity said, cementing the UK’s position as Europe’s leading consumer of clothes per head.
WRAP also warned the value recovered textiles has almost halved over the last decade, falling from £406 and £432 per tonne in 2013 for textile banks and charities, respectively, to £172.50 and £255 per tonne now.
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