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.

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Why “Pre-loved” gets a lot of love this season

Secondhand Christmas gifting is no longer a niche activity—it’s becoming a significant part of holiday shopping around the world. Driven by shifts in consumer attitudes, economic factors, and the growing focus on sustainability, the market for pre-loved goods is seeing strong growth. Platforms like eBay, Vinted, and Back Market are leading this transformation. Or, as eBay Germany’s Managing Director Saskia Meier-Andrae, recently put it in an interview with Marketplace Universe: “The stigma around secondhand is gone. Today, pre-loved is sexy.”

The Global Growth of Secondhand Gifting

Across the U.S., UK, and Germany, secondhand purchases are emerging as a defining feature of the 2024 holiday shopping season.

In the United States, a recent study by OfferUp shows that 68% of shoppers plan to allocate part of their gift budget to secondhand items, with Gen Z leading the charge at 83%. Electronics, sporting goods, and furniture are among the top categories. Nearly three-quarters of U.S. consumers (74%) believe secondhand gifting is more accepted this year, reflecting broader cultural shifts.

In the UK, the new “Recommerce Report” estimates that £2 billion will be spent on secondhand gifts this year, representing 10% of all festive purchases. Books, toys, and board games rank among the most popular choices. Many UK consumers value the uniqueness of pre-loved items, with 73% saying they would consider buying secondhand if they found something truly distinctive.

Germany mirrors these trends. Research from ECC Köln and eBay Germany reveals that 35% of German shoppers plan to give secondhand gifts this year, an increase from 29% in 2023. Among 18- to 29-year-olds, the figure rises to 56%, with affordability and quality emerging as top priorities.

Why Secondhand Appeals to Shoppers

The rising interest in secondhand gifts is linked to several key factors:

• Affordability: In Germany, 69% of consumers cited cost savings as a primary reason for choosing secondhand, while 48% of U.S. shoppers value the better price points of pre-loved goods.
• Uniqueness: Secondhand platforms often offer items that are difficult to find in traditional retail settings. In the UK, 73% of respondents in Vinted’s survey said they value the individuality of secondhand gifts.
• Sustainability: The environmental impact of secondhand shopping resonates strongly with many consumers. Nearly 60% of UK shoppers and 29% of Germans said sustainability was an important factor in their decision to buy pre-loved items.

Marketplaces at the Forefront of the Trend

The secondhand Christmas boom wouldn’t be possible without the platforms facilitating it.

eBay remains a dominant force in Europe, with a GMV of $30 billion in 2023, according to data from the E-Commerce Database (ECDB). The platform’s established reputation makes it a popular choice for shoppers seeking everything from vintage fashion to electronics.

Meanwhile, Vinted is rapidly gaining ground. With its global GMV projected to reach $11.1 billion in 2024, the peer-to-peer platform is especially popular in markets like the UK and Germany. Its focus on ease of use and affordability appeals to younger, budget-conscious consumers.

Specialized platforms are also playing a key role. Fashion-focused sites like Vestiaire Collective and Depop cater to niche audiences, while electronics marketplaces such as Back Market and Refurbed focus on professionally refurbished goods. In Germany, ECC Köln’s study highlights a growing trend toward professionalization, with 38% of retailers now specializing in refurbished products.

What Does Secondhand Mean for Peak Season?

Secondhand Christmas gifting is clearly gaining momentum, but its impact on traditional holiday shopping is still evolving. The customers are starting to own the trend (especially younger shoppers). But retailers and brands are still struggling with finding the right strategy for the pre-owned market. Until they found it, the secondhand turnover will fall to specialist players who have mastered a profitable second hand business.

Der Beitrag SecondHand Christmas erschien zuerst auf Marketplace Universe.