Ebay is launching a new holiday — Recommerce Day — and is even working with legislators to make it an official state holiday in California. Slated for May 21, the holiday will be celebrated across the Ebay platform as the company unveils its latest Recommerce Report. At the same time, Ebay has introduced a new integration with digital IDs from Certilogo that will make it easier for sellers to list their items on the resale platform.
Alicia Silverstone to Front Ebay’s Inaugural Recommerce Day
She became famous for playing the ultimate Queen of Consumerism, Cher Horowitz, in the generation-defining ’90s film Clueless, but Alicia Silverstone has grown up to become a sustainability advocate and fan of resale, making her the perfect frontwoman for Ebay’s inaugural Recommerce Day.
“I’m so excited that people are getting more involved in the circular economy — both buying and selling,” said Silverstone in a statement. “I’m conscious about everything I buy, and it’s why I shop preloved on Ebay. Recommerce brings me so much joy because I know I’m not contributing to the waste that harms our planet.”
While Cher’s real-world endless closet may have been the dream of teens 30 years ago, this generation’s crop of young trendsetters has moved firmly in the other direction, embracing the thrill of thrift. Coinciding with Recommerce Day on May 21, Ebay will release its fourth annual Recommerce Report showing that consumers are increasingly shopping preloved goods.
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In previous years, the report measured Ebay seller and buyer insights and motivations, but this year the platform aims to provide a broader understanding of the importance of recommerce by assessing global trends and sentiment. A combined total of more than 28,000 people globally were surveyed to gather insights.
In addition to the release of the Recommerce Report, Recommerce Day will feature a “takeover” of the Ebay homepage, giving consumers opportunities to learn more about recommerce, find preloved deals, and participate in an Ebay Live program featuring exclusively secondhand items. Throughout the day, starting at 9 a.m. PT, consumers will have the chance to win pre-loved and refurbished prizes during the Ebay Live stream.
Finally, Ebay is working with California State Senator Dave Cortese to introduce a resolution in the state legislature that would officially recognize May 21 as Recommerce Day. The city of San Jose, Calif., has introduced a similar resolution. The resolutions are aimed at increasing the conversation around supporting sustainable practices by reminding people of the benefits of recommerce for themselves and the environment.
“Ebay has been a driving force behind recommerce, and we continue to invest in tools and technology that fuel the circular economy,” said Ebay CEO Jamie Iannone. “Our team is making it easier than ever to buy and sell used or refurbished items on the marketplace, and Ebay’s inaugural Recommerce Day aims to raise awareness about the benefits of shopping sustainably.”
Save the Duck to Pilot New Ebay Digital ID Integration
One of the biggest ways Ebay is working to aid the circular economy (and its own business) is making it easier for individuals to list items on the platform, a traditionally arduous process. Last year, Ebay introduced a Magical Listing Tool, which leverages AI to help sellers list items with ease. Now, through an integration with Certilogo, which Ebay acquired in July 2023, sellers will be able to auto-generate listings by simply scanning a smart label (on products that have them).
A new “resell on Ebay” feature is being built into Certilogo’s Secure by Design digital IDs, which are printed directly on product tags and contain a host of information, including item provenance, materials and authenticity.
“With 540 million products already connected by our secure digital IDs, our mission is to empower brands by helping them create an experience that blends the physical with the digital world,” said Michele Casucci, CEO and Founder of Certilogo in a statement. “Being able to securely resell your products with ease only makes the circular shopping experience more accessible for everyone.”
Here’s how it works: When a user scans the QR code on their product’s smart label, a “resell on Ebay” button will be part of the item’s digital profile. Once a user clicks that button, they will be directed to check the authenticity of the item through Certilogo’s AI-based authentication system by signing in with their Ebay account. When the authentication process is complete, an Ebay listing will be pre-filled with information from the brand about the item. The user is then redirected to the listing page on Ebay, where they can fill in any missing fields or edit the pre-filled information before listing the item for sale on Ebay.
“Ebay is focused on delivering solutions to brands while curating an elevated marketplace for buyers and sellers,” said Charis Marquez, Global GM of Fashion at Ebay in a statement. “Reducing friction and removing barriers to brands and consumers engaging in recommerce is crucial to fostering a preloved fashion marketplace. Our new resell feature helps brands keep their product out of landfill, while giving consumers an incredibly easy way to give their item a second life.”
Italian outerwear and lifestyle brand Save The Duck will be the first brand to pilot the new feature, with its connected garments featuring the new resell button beginning this month. Ebay plans to expand the service to other brands using the Certilogo Digital ID in the near future, with the goal of making it a default function of its Secure by Design technology.
“Finding solutions that help our customers make more circular choices — and keep our product out of landfill — is of the utmost importance to us,” said Nicolas Bargi, CEO and Founder of Save The Duck in a statement. “To be the first brand to use this new Ebay and Certilogo technology reinforces our commitment to ensuring maximum transparency to our community.”
