eBay UK, alongside its Pre-loved Ambassador Tasha Ghouri, are launching the ‘Store of Pre-Loved Sparkle’ today - encouraging shoppers to buy better than new and gift pre-loved this festive season.
The edit is made up of over 100 items, including pre-loved sequin dresses to dazzle in at parties, as well as 'good as new' professionally refurbished tech items and pre-loved luxury handbags and watches that come with an Authenticity Guarantee.
This move follows eBay’s pre-loved fashion sponsorship of Love Island earlier this summer, demonstrating its commitment to driving more circular shopping habits in the lead up to Black Friday.
The rise of the ‘Pre-Loved’ spirit & sequin waste:
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New research from eBay UK reveals that consumers are already in the pre-loved spirit, as over half the nation (52%)* are planning on shopping second-hand this festive season. With the cost of living crisis taking its toll on wallets, money-saving (56%) is the main driving force for this change in shopping habits.
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Demonstrating the shift in perception of pre-loved gifting, 59% of consumers say they are hoping to receive a pre-loved present instead of something new this festive season. Additional factors include wanting to do their bit to protect the environment (39%) and thinking a pre-loved gift often is a more unique present (26%).
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Data from WRAP also shows that if everyone shops for only pre-loved or refurbished items at one of the biggest shopping events of the year, Black Friday, the nation could save a huge £8 billion, equating to as much as £280 per household.
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When it comes to festive fashion, the research reveals that nearly three in five people (58%) only wear a sequin outfit once or twice.* In spite of 30%* of people donating their previously worn sequins to charity, 9%* still throw away their sequins after just one wear. This contributes to one of the most understated issues related to sustainable fashion - sequin waste - where Oxfam has estimated that sequins contributed 1.7 million tonnes of waste to landfill in 2019.**
eBay’s Pre-Loved Ambassador, Tasha Ghouri said:“I feel really confident that we can all do our part this Christmas to make sure we’re shopping more consciously and put pre-loved at the heart as we think more thoughtfully about our purchases. There is a misconception that pre-loved is dull which is why I'm especially excited to have worked on this show-stopping edit with eBay. My collection gives people the chance to shop some amazing and great value items which are perfect for the festive season, with sparkling gems to dance in, as well as thoughtful gifts for friends and family!”
“When it comes to present buying, it’s the little things that matter most to me, but I know I'll definitely be looking to gift more thoughtfully this year - not just in terms of what I buy but also where I buy it from. This Christmas, I’m spending time with loved ones and taking some time out for a city break. I can’t wait to visit the Christmas markets to really get in the festive spirit, and of course, pay a visit to Winter Wonderland!”
Kirsty Keoghan, General Manager of Fashion at eBay UK said: “This year’s festivities mark the return of the office party and a big family Christmas for many, with lots of joy to be found despite the economic uncertainty. Our new edit with Tasha is designed with this in mind, sparking a sense of fun for shoppers while providing those stand-out, value items.
The unique range in Tasha’s ‘Store of Pre-Loved Sparkle’ also promotes more conscious purchasing beyond just the price point - whether it’s tackling waste by opting for preloved sequins, or choosing to gift refurbished over new tech. With Black Friday coming up, we want to encourage everyone to make a simple swap on just one or two items from their list - not only will you get a great deal, but it will also have a significant environmental impact.”
eBay by Numbers
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8 out of the top 10 Black Friday deals sold on eBay UK last year were refurbished - refurbished Dyson products, Simba mattresses and iPhones topped the list.
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Pre-Loved Fashion Savings: In 2021, through pre-loved fashion buys, eBay UK avoided 2M kg of fashion waste (the same as 1 million suitcases) and 73,000 metric tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions (CO2e) which is the equivalent of avoiding 6.8M new t-shirts from being made.
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Refurbished Tech Savings: In 2021, 675,000 kg of waste was avoided with the amount of refurbished tech sold on eBay, the equivalent of 4.35 million smartphones spared from the graveyard and 42,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions have been saved (an equivalent of 690,000 new smartphones being made)
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One refurbished tech item is sold every 10 seconds on eBay.
Tasha’s Store of Pre-Loved Sparkle
To showcase the edit and raise awareness of pre-loved products and sequin waste during the festive season, yesterday eBay and Tasha Ghouri teamed up to throw an exclusive ‘Store of Pre-Loved Sparkle’ event in London. Bringing together a panel of sustainability experts to discuss and advise on all things second-hand, while showcasing eBay’s luxury handbags, watches, refurbished tech and pre-loved partywear, in the most festive way possible!
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Notes to editors
*According to consumer research data by eBay sampling 2,000 Nat Rep UK adults between 26th and 28th October 2022.
**According to research from Oxfam: https://www.oxfam.org.uk/mc/gv6hcp/
***eBay search data from November vs October 2021