Despite Love Island coming to a close this summer, eBay UK reveals the nation’s love affair with second-hand is far from over, as nearly half of viewers (47%) admit that they would consider buying pre-loved over new items since watching Love Island this year.
Following the recent announcement of Tasha Ghouri as eBay UK’s first ever Pre-Loved Ambassador, the first non-fast fashion brand deal to come out of the show, the online marketplace is now further strengthening its commitment to championing pre-loved by partnering with Oxfam.
To encourage consumers to continue buying and selling pre-loved items, eBay is supporting Oxfam’s Second-Hand September campaign for the third year running, encouraging shoppers to shop pre-loved for 30 days.
After dressing the islanders for the first time ever over eight long hot weeks, latest figures from research conducted by eBay UK reveal the impact of this year’s Love Island partnership as seven in ten viewers (71%) felt they have a more positive perception of second-hand clothing after seeing pre-loved fashion on their screens this summer.
Demonstrating the influence of the show, since it ended, eBay UK has seen over 7000% increase in searches for pre-loved clothing on its site compared with the same period last year.
While on Google, there has also been 881% more searches for ‘ebay preloved’ and 359% more for ‘ebay pre-loved clothes’, compared to before the show.[3] Overall, there are more people talking about pre-loved fashion than ever with 935% more mentions of ‘pre-loved fashion’ recorded across all online platforms than during the same time last year.[4]
As the nation looks to ditch fast fashion and extend the life cycle of its clothes, shoppers have admitted they’re more likely to shop second-hand now than last year, after watching this year’s series of Love Island, as 23% of Love Island viewers made their first ever pre-loved purchase this summer.
With four in five viewers (83%) welcoming the partnership as a much needed and positive move away from fast fashion, eBay UK’s Head of Fashion, Jemma Tadd, said that seeing pre-loved clothing on mainstream TV was a significant turning point for the fashion industry.
“With the Islanders embracing pre-loved and killing it in their fits each night, it showed all of us just how brilliant it is to find something that speaks to you and your own style. It is fantastic to see conscious shopping becoming more mainstream – proving that pre-loved is more than just a trend.
“We’re thrilled to be able to continue this conversation around pre-loved together with Oxfam and this Second-Hand September, pre-loved pieces of clothing have the power to do more – for your style, for the people, and the planet. We want to encourage as many people as possible to take part in the 30-Day challenge to shop only second hand and save even more items from landfill by finding them new homes.”
Oxfam’s Second-Hand September campaign encourages the nation to buy and sell only second-hand for 30 days to inspire people to shop in a way that is kinder to people and the planet. Customers on eBay UK will be able to donate anything from 10%-100% of the proceeds from each pre-loved item they buy with money raised donated to Oxfam’s work beating poverty around the world. eBay will also be matching pound-for-pound when any customer resells for Oxfam on eBay -you can donate up to 100% of the proceeds of any items you sell to Oxfam.
Most popular brands to buy second-hand on eBay UK in 2022:
- Next
- Nike
- M&S
- Adidas
- Zara
- River Island
- New Look
- Primark
- George
- H&M
Tips for selling for Oxfam this Second-Hand September
- Key words are key – Take the time to get your keywords right and bidders will come. When buyers search, eBay.co.uk automatically filters the listing titles, so it’s crucial to write your listing in your fellow users’ language and use the terminology they search for – especially brand and product names.
- Choose the right category for your product – It might sound obvious but it’s very important to always choose the most specific category to sell in. Make sure if you are selling old children’s clothes, to sell in the children’s fashion category, rather than just fashion in general.
- Pictures are important – Most users will not bid on items they cannot see. For best results, take photos in natural light against a neutral background and be honest about any scratches or aesthetic damage to the item.
- Be as detailed as possible– Be honest about the condition of the product and be sure to note any wear and tear. By including details that can’t be seen in the image, for example if you are selling clothes noting the feel or fit of the product, you’ll help buyers decide if this is the item for them.
- Look at past sold items– eBay.co.uk has a function that allows you to search for the item you want to sell and then filter the results by sold items. Here, you can view the price the item has sold for and get insight into how others have listed it.
- Be realistic with pricing– consider your pricing strategy carefully following the eBay pricing recommendations. Try searching for similar items on eBay, to make sure you’re going for the right price and always ask yourself ‘would I pay this price for this item?
- Selling Sundays – eBay’s busiest time for buyers is Sunday evenings so schedule your listings to end around that time and choose 10-day auctions to ensure the maximum number of bids. The longer your item is listed, the more chances of people seeing it, so unless it’s time-sensitive, pick 10 days.
- Donate to charity – when listing your item, consider donating a percentage of the sale to Oxfam – from 10% to 100% – you can donate the funds raised from your item straight from the platform. Tens of thousands of eBay sellers do this every year, making money and feeling good at the same time! Look out for items that have a blue and yellow ribbon next to them on site, showing that they are being sold for charity next time you’re shopping too!
