Shoppers on eBay can now buy refurbished products from trusted brands at a discount on a new dedicated hub launched as the marketplace responds to increasing demand from shoppers.
eBay says its new certified refurbished hub makes it easier for shoppers to find high-quality refurbished products from household brands including Dyson, Eve and GoPro.
The products that are sold have been inspected, cleaned and refurbished either directly by the manufacturer or by a vendor they approved.
The launch comes as eBay detects more demand for refurbished products from shoppers on its marketplace – searches for refurbished printers, for example, were 301% up in the period from January 1 to February 20 2021 compared to the same time last year, and searches for refurbished TVs (+103%), laptops (+75%) and coffee machines (+35%) were also well ahead. The new hub starts with the homewares and electronics categories
“Demand for refurbished products has been growing for some time, but we know that the main barrier for some consumers has been the perceived risk that comes with purchasing a refurbished item,” says Matt Potter, eBay UK senior trading manager, electronics. “Our Certified Refurbished hub is designed to bring peace of mind to customers, allowing them to secure the products they love, like new for less, and at the high quality they deserve.
“We’re really looking forward to working with our sellers and brands on this venture, allowing them to open up new revenue streams, maximise the margin on returns and create a more sustainable supply chain too.”
eBay calculates that the sale of refurbished products stopped products equivalent to 438 double decker buses going to landfill. Velocity Commerce is one of the businesses that has benefitted from this trend. Velocity Commerce was co-founded by PJ Scott and Eddie Latham and launched on eBay in 2013. Today its specialist 55-strong team processes an average of 3,000 orders a day – and turns over about £40 million.
PJ Scott of Velocity Commerce says it has seen consistent demand since 2013 for the products it sells, in particular its Nextbase dash cams and Majority Soundbars.
“We’ve really seen this trend accelerate in the past two years and I’m certain it is set to continue, as customers have become more environmentally conscious, whilst still seeking the high quality brands they want at great prices,” he says. “We buy our refurbished products straight from the manufacturers themselves, as well as refurbishing some goods in-house ourselves. Our team are specially trained to make sure that these products are refurbished to the highest quality and even receive training straight from the brands we sell.”
