eBay UK launches authenticity guarantee for pre-loved luxury handbags

Online marketplace eBay has expanded its authenticity guarantee to include pre-loved luxury handbags over 500 pounds in the UK.

The move follows the success of eBay’s authenticity guarantee service for sneakers and watches launched last year, which the marketplace stated saw a multimillion-pound uplift in sales. The specialised service has been designed to offer consumers an extra level of confidence to ensure that they are buying authentic luxury goods on eBay, all at no extra cost to the buyer.

eBay notes that a handbag sells every 15 seconds on its platform, and 65 percent of its handbags are preloved. The authenticity guarantee service will cover handbags over 500 pounds from 19 luxury brands including Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada and Bottega Veneta, which will be vetted and verified by eBay’s team of “expert authenticators”.

eBay expands authenticity guarantee service to include handbags over 500 pounds

The online marketplace said that it will work with “carefully selected authenticators” who will undertake a rigorous physical inspection, as well as the use of specialist machinery.

The handbags authentication process will involve a thorough inspection, where the authenticator will verify that the handbag’s condition matches the listing description, as well as inspect the general quality of materials and serialisation, and use magnification and measurement to inspect the brand logo, hardware, chains, zippers, and snaps, analysing the engraving and checking the stitching.

All bags under the scheme will also receive a unique authenticity guarantee card filled with information about the handbag brand and model to confirm its authenticity. In addition, eBay will also offer verified returns, meaning that sellers who offer returns receive the same protection as buyers.

Kirsty Keoghan, director of luxury goods at eBay UK, said in a statement: “We know that luxury shoppers already come to eBay to get their hands on hard-to-get items through to luxe brands. Just recently on eBay a Hermes Kelly 28 handbag sold for 16,500 pounds.

“With the introduction of authenticity guarantee, it gives our customers total confidence that they’re getting an authentic product from their favourite designers and helps to remove any doubts. This is a game changer for the resale luxury market. We believe our sellers will also love this, as it provides them with a white-glove service when selling luxury handbags.”

The pre-loved luxury handbag market is growing and is valued at 115.3 million pounds to date, according to GlobalData, and eBay UK has identified that 32 percent of buyers have hesitated to purchase a pre-loved luxury handbag from the platform in the last 24 months due to mistrust and concerns about authenticity.