In a groundbreaking move aimed at promoting sustainability and combating waste, eBay has announced the elimination of selling fees for pre-owned clothing starting April 8. This pioneering initiative seeks to encourage the resale of second-hand fashion, keeping it out of landfills and fostering a more circular economy.
The decision to waive selling fees applies to all second-hand clothing items, including those that are brand-new with tags, highlighting eBay’s commitment to reducing environmental impact. However, it’s important to note that seller fees will still apply to categories such as trainers, watches, handbags, and jewellery. Even listings for individual fashion items created before the effective date will benefit from this change, making it easier and more cost-effective for sellers to participate in the pre-loved clothing market.
This significant shift comes in response to revealing statistics uncovered by a recent eBay survey conducted in March. The survey found that a staggering 70% of Britons utilize half or less of their wardrobe regularly, with 92% possessing clothing items they haven’t worn in the past year. Despite the overabundance of unworn apparel, only 25% of consumers engage in selling their unwanted clothes. The average person is estimated to hold onto more than £400 worth of clothing that goes unused.
Kirsty Keoghan, eBay’s General Manager of Global Fashion, expressed optimism about the impact of free fashion selling. Free fashion selling has come at the right time for a nation sitting on billions of pounds worth of unwanted clothes,” Keoghan said. She emphasized that the initiative, coupled with AI-powered listing enhancements, aims to simplify the selling process, thereby encouraging more individuals to participate in the resale market.
The move aligns with eBay’s broader sustainability goals. Last year alone, the platform was instrumental in preventing over 1,600,000kg of waste from ending up in landfills through the sale of second-hand clothing. By making it free to sell pre-owned fashion items, eBay aspires to further its contribution to a sustainable fashion ecosystem.
For those unfamiliar, eBay’s selling fees for other categories and new listings beyond the monthly allocation of 1,000 free listings are detailed on their website. The final value fee structure remains unchanged, with automatic deductions from sales proceeds.
In addition to fee adjustments, eBay is introducing new features to enhance the seller experience. AI-generated item descriptions are now available to all UK sellers, streamlining the listing process. Furthermore, eBay Live, an interactive livestream shopping feature successfully launched in the US in 2022, will soon be piloted in the UK with select sellers. This innovation allows users to participate in live auctions, secure exclusive deals, and make real-time purchases, further enriching the eBay shopping experience.
eBay’s latest initiative marks a significant step towards a more sustainable and inclusive fashion industry, demonstrating the platform’s dedication to environmental stewardship and economic accessibility.
