In a Nutshell
Growth spans all major categories, with generalists, classifieds, and specialists increasingly opening structured routes for professional sellers. Fashion, electronics, and sports & leisure lead the momentum, while strong local champions keep the market fragmented. To navigate this landscape, we’ve compiled a comprehensive overview of the most relevant platforms for independent traders in Europe.
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Second-Hand: The Most Important Marketplaces in Europe
The second-hand online market is booming with a volume of 21.6 billion euros and an expected growth of an additional 2 billion euros by 2025 (CEBR study commissioned by Amazon). The trend is clear: the market is growing across all categories. Large marketplaces are expanding their second-hand sections, while traditional C2C platforms are increasingly allowing professional dealers to sell their goods.
The following classification focuses on the most important generalists and specialists in Europe that enable independent traders to offer goods.
1. Generalists
Generalists serve multiple categories simultaneously and range from classic 3P marketplaces with shop logic to ad-based C2C platforms.
Generalist Marketplaces with Second-Hand Segments
These platforms offer structured seller accounts and integrate second-hand, B-stock, and refurbished products alongside new goods:
- Amazon Renew / Second Chance: Focuses on used, checked, and refurbished products with strict quality requirements. (Active in DE, FR, IT, ES, UK, NL, PL, among others).
- eBay / eBay Refurbished: Established ecosystem, highly relevant for electronics, auto & parts, fashion, and collectibles in almost all European core markets.
- bol (NL/BE): Generalist with strong refurbished sections for electronics and a robust seller program.
- National Champions:
- Allegro (PL): Largest Polish marketplace with an established second-hand segment and growing EU reach.
- Kaufland Global Marketplace (DE, CZ): With its own recommerce program and a growing share of B-stock/refurbished electronics.
- Cdiscount (FR) / Fnac/Darty (FR, ES): Important French generalists with designated areas for reconditionné / occasion or Seconde vie (CE and household goods).
C2C-based Classifieds Platforms with Seller Option
These platforms are often strongly locally rooted and C2C-driven, but are increasingly opening up to professional sellers. Transactions mostly take place outside the platform (no checkout), which means good reach but limited scalability.
- Key Players: Kleinanzeigen (DE), Leboncoin (FR), Marktplaats (NL), Gumtree (UK), Milanuncios (ES), and Subito (IT). They dominate their local markets, and commercial listings are permitted or strongly tolerated.
- Nordic Countries: Blocket (SE), FINN.no (NO), and DBA (DK) are the leading classifieds models with business areas (Blocketbutik, Bedrift).
Auction Platforms
Auctions are relevant for surplus stock, B-stock, collectibles, and specialized categories.
- Aukro (CZ): Mix of generalist and auction model.
- BVA Auctions / TBAuctions (NL, EU-wide): Focus on returns, B2B second-hand goods, and company liquidations.
- Tradera (SE) / Troostwijk Auctions (NL, EU-wide): Sustainability-oriented marketplace and specialist for industrial goods, respectively.
2. Category Specialists
Many second-hand platforms focus on specific categories and develop particularly strong ecosystems in their niches.
Fashion & Accessories
The pre-owned segment in fashion is traditionally strong.
- Vinted: Dominant European second-hand fashion marketplace, which is increasingly opening up to professional sellers via “Vinted Pro” in DE, FR, AT, ES, and is developing into more of a generalist (alongside fashion, also toys, home).
- Vestiaire Collective: International marketplace for premium and luxury fashion with a curated offering and structured options for professional boutiques.
- Grailed / Depop: Specialized in designer, streetwear, vintage, and individual styles, particularly popular with younger target groups (UK, IT, D, FR, NL).
- Chrono24: World’s largest, highly professionalized marketplace for pre-owned luxury watches.
Electronics
Electronics is considered one of the most professionalized and fastest-growing second-hand categories due to standardized testing processes (Refurbished ecosystems).
- Back Market: EU-wide leader for refurbished electronics with strict quality requirements and a large seller network.
- refurbed: Fast-growing marketplace for refurbished electronics with high-quality standards in D, AT, IT, FR, ES, NL, and PL.
- MediaMarktSaturn Marketplace: Offers professional refurb and B-stock programs in cooperation with qualified partners.
Sports & Leisure
A dynamically growing category due to high purchase prices and stable resale values.
- BikeExchange / buycycle: Specialists for bicycles and accessories (especially high-end bikes and e-bikes) with a strong seller base.
- Decathlon Marketplace: Combines new, used, and refurbished offers through “Second Life” programs.
Special Interest
Deep niche segments that are often highly professionalized and supported by active collector communities.
- Cardmarket: Largest European marketplace for trading cards (TCG, CCG).
- Discogs: International marketplace for records, mainly used.
- BrickLink / Brick Owl: Leading marketplaces for new and used LEGO parts and sets.
- Catawiki: Curated auction marketplace for collectibles, art, and luxury goods.
Conclusion: Key Insights and Market Patterns
The European second-hand market is highly fragmented and dynamic. The most important patterns are:
- Hybrid Models: Many formerly pure C2C platforms (e.g., Vinted, classifieds platforms) are evolving into hybrid marketplaces through business programs.
- Regional Dominance: Unlike in traditional e-commerce, strong local classifieds platforms dominate in many countries (e.g., Kleinanzeigen, Leboncoin, Allegro).
- Growth Drivers: Fashion and electronics lead the market, while sports & leisure (especially bikes) and highly specialized niche markets are professionalizing and growing strongly.
- Market Volume: Online second-hand volume is €21.6 billion with an expected increase of +€2 billion by 2025.