eBay is one of the world’s largest online shopping platforms, and have carved a unique niche for themselves in their 26 years of operation. Since the company’s launch in 1995, recommerce (that is, the sale of second-hand goods) has been an important part of their business since day one. In their new report dedicated to the prevalence and benefits of recommerce, eBay outlines all the ways second-hand sales between consumers have helped them.
First of all, recommerce on eBay is a growing practice. Among eBay’s C2C customers (customers who buy from other consumers), the percentage of people who have bought second-hand goods in the past year by country ranges from 81% (the United Kingdom) to 68% (Canada). When asked about the demand for pre-owned products, more than 7 in 10 US eBay sellers said that demand has grown in recent years. This trend is especially noticeable among Gen Z, suggesting the stigma surrounding shopping second hand could be fading with time.
