With the luxury fashion market in decline, the same can’t be said for pre-loved luxury. Retail Week spoke with eBay’s general manager of global luxury, Mari Corella, about the rise in interest in secondhand luxury fashion, trends ahead of Christmas and what the business has been doing to ensure authenticity
Mari Corella has been at eBay for three-and-a-half years. Starting off overseeing the US apparel business, she dabbled in refurbished electronics and home before rejoining the fashion team as the lead of global luxury earlier this year.
A buyer and seller on eBay for 25 years, she has seen many shoppers change their perceptions of secondhand items in recent years.
Research by eBay found 63% of Gen Z feel positive about receiving a secondhand gift, with 62% of all shoppers on the platform citing saving money as the main reason for buying pre-loved items.
As pre-loved luxury gains traction with cost-savvy, younger consumers, Retail Week spoke with Corella to delve into current trends, what drives them and what eBay does to market secondhand luxury fashion.
What have been the hottest trends in luxury on eBay ahead of Christmas?
“We have access to a lot of data, so we’re always looking to see what’s happening in real time and we even look ahead to see what could be a trend. A lot is driven by seasonality and cultural trends. Searches for Prada loafers are up over 60% right now and searches for Miu Miu sunglasses are up over 30%.
“We’re also seeing a lot of nostalgic trends, which circulate every few years, and 2000s fashion is big right now. These types of items would make great giftable items as well as being great for self-gifting.”
What drives these fashion trends?
“You can’t deny that social media is driving a lot of this, especially with 2000s nostalgia. What’s really fantastic about eBay is that we are the original destination for pre-loved fashion and that’s only been inflated by the work we’ve done with things like Love Island.
“I think consumers have always flocked to us as a destination to get authentic pre-loved fashion. When it comes to those 2000s items, you might be able to go to a charity shop and get an outfit, but if there’s something iconic that you really want, there are very few places outside of eBay where you could get that.”
How does eBay boost luxury products to make sure shoppers can engage and explore items?
“Fortunately, we are not only a retail company but also a technology company. We’re always refining our algorithms and doing a lot of work with AI so during a search, our algorithms feed items we believe the shopper is looking for and give recommendations on a real model.
“We’ll start pulling in looks based on shopper history and trends we’re seeing outside of the market to make an assumption about what it is that particular shopper might be interested in but may not know about yet. We then put this on a model so that no two people will see the exact same thing.”
What has the eBay luxury team been doing in the past few months for buyers and sellers?
“A huge one is our authenticity guarantee programme, which covers categories including handbags, sneakers, watches, jewellery based on price, brand and a number of different aspects. It allows sellers to put their items in an authentication centre before it gets passed over to the buyer.
“It’s great because not only does it build trust in our platform, but the end user knows they are getting an authentic item. You also want to know that it’s in the condition that the seller says. Flaws such as a small scratch on a Rolex watch can really diminish its value, so it’s useful having that third party there to check everything at no cost to the buyer or the seller.”
Do you believe people’s perceptions of buying pre-loved luxury are changing?
“I’ve been buying and selling for 25 years and in the early days, people would think used clothes were gross. Now, people think fast fashion is icky and there is definitely a movement of people seeking out pre-loved over new.
“Especially in the holiday season, there is more of an acceptance to give and receive pre-loved as a gift. Very few people are going to turn their nose up to a used Louis Vuitton bag.”
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