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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Amazon expands AI for product advice
Amazon is enhancing its AI shopping tools – including Rufus as a personal assistant, Lens Live as a visual shopping aid, and the AI Shopping Guides – by adding a new feature called “Help Me Decide.” Based on browsing history, previous searches, and personal preferences, Amazon now uses AI to suggest products for purchase. The feature is designed to help undecided users who are comparing similar products make a final buying decision. It is currently available only in the U.S. More at TechCrunch 

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Amazon plans to replace 600,000 logistics workers with robots
Since 2018, Amazon’s logistics workforce in the U.S. has more than tripled to over 1.2 million employees. By 2027, around 160,000 positions are expected to be cut through increased automation. By 2033, this could make more than 600,000 potential new hires unnecessary – saving the company roughly $0.30 per item picked, packed, and shipped.
Read more at NYTimes 

EuroCommerce calls for fast, EU-wide parcel tax
The European retail and wholesale association EuroCommerce is urging the swift implementation of an EU-wide parcel tax on non-EU shipments. While the introduction is currently planned for March 2028, several countries – including Belgium and Italy – have announced plans to introduce it earlier on a national level. The association warns that a fragmented approach must be avoided and calls for a unified EU processing fee. See more at Ecommercenews 

Refurbed raises €50 million for UK expansion
Refurbed has raised €50 million to fuel further European expansion. The fast-growing and profitable marketplace for refurbished electronics, household, and sports products is reportedly preparing to launch in the UK. See more on ChannelX 

DHL to increase shipping prices from January 2026
Starting January 1, 2026, business customers will face higher national and international DHL parcel shipping costs. According to media reports, prices will rise by up to 9 % for some merchants, and up to 20 % for small parcels. More at E-Commerce-Magazin (German) 

Agentic Commerce News

McKinsey forecasts up to $5 trillion in Agentic Commerce sales by 2030
According to McKinsey, AI agents could generate between $3 and $5 trillion in global retail sales by 2030. This shift will force brands, marketplaces, logistics providers, and payment platforms to adapt to the needs of AI-driven buyers. Everything – from customer loyalty programs and pricing models to product discovery – will need to be rethought.
Read the full story at DigitalComemrce360 

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Der Beitrag Marketplace Universe News 27.10.2025 – Amazons “Help to Decide” / $5 trillion in Agentic Commerce / E-commerce growth shifts south and east erschien zuerst auf Marketplace Universe.

These are the most important marketplaces for selling to the NETHERLANDS (2025 Edition)

Last Update: 22.06.2025

The Netherlands is one of the most mature e-commerce markets in Europe – and yet often overlooked. With a high online penetration rate, strong local platforms, and growing international competition, it’s a fascinating market to watch. That’s why we’ve updated our Marketplace Country Quadrant Netherlands to reflect the most relevant players and trends in 2025.

The Market

The Dutch e-commerce market continues to show solid growth. In 2024, total online turnover reached €20.7 billion, a +3.1% increase year over year. With a population of 17.9 million, an average per capita e-commerce turnover of €1,238, and an online retail share of 18%, the Netherlands ranks among the most developed digital commerce markets in Europe.

The top 5 online stores in the country are: Bol, Albert Heijn, Coolblue, Shein, and Amazon – with Bol, Shein and Amazon being marketplaces.

Amazon’s traffic penetration in the Netherlands has now grown to 35%. However, local champion Bol.com still maintains its lead – for now. We discussed this ongoing battle for marketplace dominance in Episode 102 of “Let’s talk Marketplace” with Thomas Philip-Bashar from Channable, one of the key tech providers in the Dutch ecosystem.

Generalist Marketplaces

The generalist box in the quadrant has seen the biggest shake-up. Besides Bol.com and Amazon, platforms like AliExpress, Temu, and Wehkamp remain strong players.

The most notable change is the inclusion of Shein. Once a pure fashion platform, Shein now offers products in nearly every category – from home goods to beauty and electronics – making it necessary to classify the Chinese giant as a generalist in the Dutch market.

Category Leaders

Fashion

• Zalando
• About You
• WeFashion

Shein would be the second-largest fashion player – but since it’s now listed among the generalists, WeFashion moves back into the quadrant.

Electronics

• MediaMarkt
• eBay
• Refurbed

While Coolblue remains the dominant retailer, it doesn’t operate a third-party marketplace model. That’s why it’s not included here.

Home & Living

• Leen Bakker
• FonQ
• eBay

Blokker has dropped out of the quadrant after filing for insolvency last year. eBay moves in due to its continued relevance in this category.

DIY & Garden

• Praxis
• eBay
• MediaMarkt

Sports

• Decathlon
• Zalando
• MediaMarkt

Obelink gets an honorary mention as a niche player for outdoor and camping supplies.

Beauty & Care

• Kruidvat
• Douglas
• Zalando

Wehkamp, though now listed among the generalists, continues to play a significant role in this category.

Honourable Mentions

• Catawiki, a curated marketplace for collectibles and special FMCG items, remains an interesting player outside the main categories.
• Marktplaats and Vinted are strong C2C platforms, but not part of the B2C-focused quadrant.

A Market Shaped by Local Heroes

One of the most striking aspects of the Dutch e-commerce market is its unique and locally-rooted landscape. For a long time, global marketplace giants didn’t prioritize the Netherlands – and in that vacuum, strong local players flourished. Platforms like Bol.com, Wehkamp, Kruidvat, WeFashion, and Leen Bakker built solid customer bases, broad assortments, and loyal followings.

But the time when these players could act undisturbed by international competition is over. Amazon has significantly stepped up its game in the Netherlands. Temu and Shein are growing rapidly across multiple categories. And platforms like MediaMarkt are leveraging their European footprint to strengthen their marketplace operations locally. The Dutch market is still highly local – but it’s no longer insulated.

Want more?
Check out our other country and category quadrants on the main overview page to stay up to date with the marketplace landscape across Europe!

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Amazon removes 24 billion listings in massive cleanup effort
In one of the largest catalog overhauls in marketplace history, Amazon has quietly removed around 24 billion product listings – nearly a third of all offers – as part of an internal project called “Bend the Curve.” The goal: eliminate underperforming or inactive listings. According to internal documents reported by Business Insider, the initiative already saved Amazon USD 22 million in AWS costs, with an additional USD 36 million in savings targeted. A new “Creation Throttling” tool has also blocked over 110 million new listings from 12,000 sellers considered low-performing.  Full story on t3n (German) Original reporting via Business Insider (paywall)

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eBay adds refurbished protection badge in Seller Update
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QVC’s TikTok Shop debut breaks internal records
TV-shopping pioneer QVC has successfully tested TikTok Shop as a new sales channel during a “Super Brand Day” livestream campaign. The eight-hour live event featured influencers and celebrities – and resulted in the most-viewed livestream in QVC Group history, driving notable spikes in sales and engagement. Read more on Retail Dive

Refurbed turns profitable across all European markets
The refurbished marketplace Refurbed has announced full profitability across all 11 of its active European countries – just after crossing the milestone of EUR 2 billion in GMV. More than half of this volume has been generated on the German market, making it the company’s strongest region. Press release from Refurbed (German)

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TikTok Shop: Impulse-driven and low-ticket
A new YouGov study sheds light on buyer behavior on TikTok Shop in the U.S.: 1 in 3 TikTok users has already purchased something via the platform, 40 % spent less than USD 50, Only 2 % spent more than USD 500. The platform is clearly dominated by impulse buys, driven by promotions and entertainment value. Interestingly, Gen X (35–54) is the strongest spending age group – not Gen Z.  Study breakdown via Retail Dive

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Der Beitrag Marketplace Universe News 10.06.2025 – Amazon’s massive clean-up / QVC’s TikTok Shop record / Refurb’s leap over the 2 million mark erschien zuerst auf Marketplace Universe.

The German Retail Association HDE has filed a complaint with the Federal Cartel Office against Temu for anti-competitive behavior. The accusation: Temu deprives retailers who sell on Temu of the sovereignty to set prices. Eulerpool

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Temu and the German parcel service DHL have agreed to cooperate, with Temu providing local shipping support in Europe as a partner of DHL. At the same time, DHL has announced that it will add a further 0.50 cents to the already increased parcel price during the peak season for the two Cyber Week weeks at the end of November/beginning of December this year. The Chinese-influenced Singles’ Day on November 11 is not affected. The BVOH trade association is calling for the additional fee to be waived. Ecommercenews (Temu)   Ecommercenews (parcel price)   BVOH

The German ecommerce solution provider PlentyONE is also partnering with Temu and connecting its solution to the Chinese platform. ChannelX

Kaufland Global Marketplace continues to expand: After Austria and Poland, the marketplace will launch in Italy and France in the third quarter of 2025 – two countries in which Kaufland has not yet established a brick-and-mortar presence. Kaufland

Since its foundation, the refurbished platform Refurbed has generated a total GMV of two billion euros. Accordingly, the platform presumably now generates well over 500 million euros in annual revenue. Irishtechnews

German online retailer Zalando has acquired London-based 3D and augmented reality company DeepAR, as part of its investment in 3D technology. Drapersonline

Zalando wants to improve profitability and is therefore tightening its free returns policy: customers who return an extremely large number of items will be blocked for up to 12 months. Ecommercegermany

News from spain

In the third quarter of last year, the online turnover in Spain reached 24.6 billion euros, a plus of 12.6 percent year-on-year. 57.2% of ecommerce turnover was reached cross-border, according to the Spanish CNMCData portal. Ecommercenews

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Der Beitrag Marketplace universe News 14.04.2025 – Antitrust complaint against Temu / Kaufland goes to IT and FR / Spain market growth erschien zuerst auf Marketplace Universe.

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.

The British supermarket chain Tesco has launched an online marketplace. Around 9000 products from marketplace partners are currently live, so far only from the non-food sector. LinkedIn

More News

Ladenzeile will be discontinued on June 30. The portal, which belongs to German price comparator Idealo, had already made seven-figure losses in 2022. OMR

Shein rolls out its second-hand platform Shein Exchange in Europe. Following its launch in the USA in October 2022, the app is now going live in France, with Germany and the UK to follow. Fashionunited

Refurbed, a marketplace for refurbished products, is expanding: In June, the platform launches in Belgium, Finland, Portugal and the Czech Republic. Mailchimp

Interesting News

Decathlon launches a C2C platform in Belgium, including payment processing for private sales. The sporting goods on offer do not have to have been purchased from Decathlon. Fashionunited

Der Beitrag Marketplace News 10.06.24 – Tesco marketplace live / Refurbed internationalises / Decathlon launches C2C Platform erschien zuerst auf Marketplace Universe.