eBay Launches Two-pronged Strategy Amid Rising Demand For Thrifted Fashion

Last month, eBay launched a pincer movement targeting British sellers, reducing fees for selling clothes to zero to outcompete rivals like Vinted and Depop, while simultaneously appealing to vendors with a new brand campaign.

“We want to make sure that the circular fashion economy is fueled further. Anything we can do to help that is a good thing,” she added. Its latest campaign, “Nothing to wear into something to love,” was created by marketing agency Dept and encourages fashionistas to clear out their old gear and refresh their wardrobe.

In Europe, Vinted has made significant progress. According to its most recent earnings report, it reported its first profit in the first quarter of this year. Meanwhile, in the US, ThredUp is on the verge of profitability. Naturally, eBay wants its boat to rise higher than its competitors.

Earlier this month, eBay announced a high-profile Met Gala partnership designed to catch fashionistas’ attention. But eBay isn’t just looking to sharpen its fashion credentials in order to fend off the competition. Clothes are a gateway to buying other items on the site, said Du Bois, citing internal data that showed users who came to the site to buy clothes were more likely to return for other items than users who came from other directions.