EBay continues to strengthen its place in the pre-owned luxury market, having added a consignment service to its platform in September, which gives users access to expert sellers who list and sell luxury items on their behalf.
According to research from McKinsey & Company, an estimated $1 trillion of luxury goods are sitting in people’s closets — a finding that eBay links to high commission fees and complicated listing processes. By entering the consignment space, Tirath Kamdar, global general manager of luxury at eBay, said the goal is to remove these typical barriers to selling pre-owned items.
Starting Dec. 13, West Coast consumers will be invited to experience eBay’s consignment service through a branded eBay Luxe Line bus, which will be making scheduled stops in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. “The Luxe Line gives sellers and shoppers a way to test out our new service in real life with the same trusted experts that eBay works with for the online experience,” said Kamdar.
Notably, eBay has hosted numerous in-person activations this year, including a recent pop-up in New York City that highlighted its Authenticity Guarantee for the streetwear category, a service that is also featured on the Luxe Line consignment concierge for handbags that sell for more than $500.
By inviting consumers to visit eBay’s Luxe Line bus, the company aims to demonstrate the simplicity of its consignment service as well as the trust and quality of its resale shopping experience. The Luxe Line concierge service is designed to mirror the “convenient and seamless selling experience offered on the marketplace” with direct access to its expert sellers, including Linda’s Stuff and MyGemma. Visitors who bring handbags from eligible designers — including Prada, Louis Vuitton and Gucci, among others — can have them appraised, photographed and consigned.
EBay’s Luxe Line bus.
Consumers looking to add to their collection will also be invited to shop on eBay’s Luxe Line from a curated selection of handbags, watches and jewelry from the top eBay luxury sellers.
Included in the selection are items from Jenna Lyons, a longtime eBay shopper.
“I was an early adopter of eBay,” Lyons told WWD, sharing that she remembers buying the very first chairs for her apartment on eBay as well as using eBay’s auctions to acquire favorite pieces from fashion collections. “[There was a] Marc Jacobs collection with all of those really chunky sweaters, it was kind of the grunge era, and I couldn’t afford any of it. Then later on, I went back and looked for them [on eBay] and I still have some of those over-the-top Marc pieces. I love them and I can’t get rid of them. They are some of my absolute favorites.”
Over the years, Lyons said there are a lot of times that she will use the platform to look for things that she missed. “There was a Chloé dress that I was obsessed with that I completely missed, and I ended up finding it on eBay,” she said.
While she said she couldn’t bring herself to put any of her coveted Marc Jacobs sweaters up for auction, Lyons told WWD that her closet has “no shortage of stuff” and looked forward to using eBay’s consignment service to raise money for charity. Notably, all proceeds from Lyons’ sales will be donated to Doctors Without Borders.
Photo by Cass Bird.
Included in Lyons’ consigned collection are a Celine Red Leather Luggage handbag, a Louis Vuitton black Epi Leather Keepall and a Miu Miu 2-way Boston bag. Lyons called attention to the Celine bag, noting that it was the very first Celine bag she ever bought. “It was the one that everyone had and I loved that bag. It has a lot of memories for me. It was a big deal — it was the first season that Phoebe Philo did that.”
Considering the pre-owned market, Lyons said what stands out about eBay is the importance placed on authentication. “Particularly in this day and age where one of the things that everyone is concerned about is if it’s real, a trusted seller is probably the most important thing,” she explained. “You want to know that something is authenticated. And if you’re spending money on it, that the bag is actually going to come to you and it’s going to be exactly what you think you’re getting. I think because they have a system of being able to truly authenticate those items, you’re able to get it through a trusted seller so it’s not just a person.”
From her perspective, Lyons noted that she sees how eBay’s consignment service helps the buyer and the seller. “For me, I wouldn’t necessarily be doing it on my own. I can’t authenticate, I don’t have a reputation as a seller and I don’t really have the time, but I still have a lot of products that I’d love to share with people. I want it to have a second life.”
While consumers shop her items, Lyons said she will continue to look for pieces to add to her closet including a “Gucci bag that I had my eye on for years,” a “little YSL evening bag” and “Chanel bags in unusual colors.”
EBay’s Luxe Line will be open to the public in Los Angeles on Wednesday and Thursday and in Las Vegas on Saturday. Items from Lyons’ collection will also be available for auction at ebay.com/JennaLyons.
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