eBay, which powers peer-to-peer transactions of everything from toys and TVs to industrial equipment and handbags, is launching a new fashion consignment service that will connect users with expert sellers to list and sell pre-owned pieces on their behalf.
The move would allow eBay to compete with other consignment-driven apparel resellers such as The RealReal and ThredUp.
eBay will partner with longtime seller Linda Lightman, who set up her shop Linda’s Stuff on the platform more than 20 years ago, to operate the consignment offering. The new feature is geared toward ” removing logistical barriers to entry into the secondary marketplace and bolstering eBay as a preferred destination for luxury and fashion consignment,” the company said in a statement.
For now, the service is reserved for designer handbags by brands including Prada, Chanel, Hermès and Louis Vuitton, but will expand next year to include other categories.
In recent months, eBay boosted its authenticity guarantee program and launched a feature that allows brands and authorised retailers to sell directly on the site.
The consignment program will be “directly addressing common barriers to resale while tapping the expertise of leading sellers of luxury goods,” eBay’s global general manager of luxury, Tirath Kamdar, said in a statement.
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