Vinted, eBay, Leboncoin… For second-hand platforms, it’s also sales time

On this Wednesday, January 11, the sales kick off: for four weeks, merchants will be able to offer reductions, and this is an opportunity for consumers to redo their wardrobe or to be able to afford certain products at a lower cost. Sales that start this winter against a backdrop of economic crisis, growing inflation and pierced wallets: if traders want the period to catch up with a difficult year, future buyers could turn to e-commerce , and in particular second-hand platforms.

Vinted, Leboncoin, eBay… Online sales platforms for second-hand products have enjoyed strong popularity in recent years, especially among the youngest, who see it as a way of reconciling savings and ecological concerns. In a survey conducted by the hosting platform Shopify, 79% of French consumers from Generation Z (who are under 25 years old) are ready to research and buy sustainable products. For Emilie Benoit-Vernay, Head of Southern Europe at Shopify, “Behaviours have evolved: the days of rushing to stores when sales are launched are almost over! The French are indeed moving towards more reasoned and virtuous purchases and the brands have been able to adapt to this new era of commerce, by offering a more responsible, connected and agile commerce”.

Vinted, “the largest business school in France”

Second-hand online sales are not new, as pointed out by Elodie Juge, lecturer in management science and marketing at the University of Lille. “But it has become more professional thanks to platforms and smartphones. It has become faster, not necessarily easier, but with a certain addiction linked to the platform,” she explains. The lecturer sees Vinted as “the largest business school in France”: beyond the savings made by buying second-hand, Vinted is an opportunity to continue to buy and sell clothes, and to play Merchant. “Initially, on Vinted, there were fashion addicts who wanted to renew their wardrobe easily. More recently, we have people who come for economic reasons. But they are not the ones who run the platform,” adds Elodie Juge.

Because buying and selling second-hand online requires real entrepreneurial skills: you have to know how to buy well, sell well, quickly and at the right time to win good opinions. “These saleswomen on Vinted, I called them the consumer merchants: they have integrated the commercial codes and have increased their skills” develops Elodie Juge. From premium brands like Maje or Sandro to fast fashion pieces, Vinted has become a very serious game. Especially since buying second-hand is becoming a trend. “The image of the second hand is changing, it’s no longer a shame, it’s even more valued,” says the lecturer. From second-hand clothes to refurbished items, economic and ecological concerns coexist in the minds of consumers. A threat to traditional sales?

For second-hand platforms, sales are all year round

So is the time of the sales the best time to do good business on second-hand platforms? On the side of Vinted, we are told: “We do not see any changes that we can categorically attribute to the sales period in France, although 31% of Vinted members say that one of their main motivations for turning to second-hand is their desire to buy ‘responsibly’: platforms like Vinted are a good solution for those looking for more economical ways to buy what they need, without having to buy new during the sales”. For Elodie Juge, the sales period is perhaps not the best time to do second-hand business: “the value of second-hand items drops since the price of new items drops”. Indeed, the Vinted sellers she was able to interview are unanimous: the sales are not the right time to sell. “Everything becomes a commodity to be negotiated, we don’t sell at the price we want, it’s not profitable. Or, it serves to sell the wrong stock, which usually has a hard time leaving,” she explains.

Second-hand online sales sites, such as Vinted, Leboncoin or eBay have an advantage: they have sales all year round. For example, eBay announced at the end of 2022 that it would not participate in Black Friday with a view to more sustainable and responsible consumption. “We are committed to supporting our community on a daily basis towards a more sustainable and reasoned mode of consumption. More than ever, we are aware of the role we have to play in this transition and that is why we are now giving priority to extending the life of objects: eBay in France will not participate in Black Friday and we will offer alternatives second hand for all your Christmas shopping,” said Céline Saada-Benaben, Managing Director of eBay in France. A counter-current positioning of the e-commerce giants during the sales period. “The second-hand market is attractive and competitive, with very good quality products. Perhaps by capturing this market, relying on both new and second-hand goods, we could produce less and continue to do business,” predicts Elodie Juge. In the meantime, to grab the best deals, you might have to stray a little from the platforms… Or be good at negotiating.

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