eBay takes on Amazon in refurbished market
eBay is opening a dedicated storefront for refurbished inventory in time for the holidays.
The e-commerce marketplace now offers an official Certified Refurbished section of its site. Chief eBay rival Amazon launched its own refurbished product storefront, Amazon Renewed, in 2017.
eBay is expanding partnerships with home electronics brands such as Dirt Devil, Hoover, Makita, Philips, and Razer, which will sell certified refurbished inventory exclusively on the eBay platform. More than 15 other brands, including Microsoft, Acer, and Cuisinart, will sell products semi-exclusively or participate in the program.
Certified Refurbished offers savings of up to 50% off on products that are guaranteed by their manufacturers to look, feel and work like new. In addition, eBay requires any item sold through the program to be in a pristine, like-new condition that has been professionally inspected, cleaned, and refurbished by the manufacturer or manufacturer-approved vendor to meet specifications. Items must be in new packaging with original or new accessories.
To protect buyers, the program offers a two-year warranty that includes protection against breakdowns and malfunctions, access to item repairs, and 24/7 customer support with Allstate. For whatever reason, items, in their original condition, may be returned to eBay within 30-days. Shoppers have a money-back guarantee if the item they order does not arrive, is faulty or damaged, or does not match the listing.
eBay is introducing its refurbished resale program as many consumers are indicating they will cut back on holiday spending this year. A recent eBay survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers reveals 73% have not increased their holiday gift budget for 2020, including 37% who spend less than in 2019.
“Demand for refurbished products has surged, and by securing exclusive rights to inventory sold directly from the most popular manufacturers, eBay is changing the way people shop this category,” said Jordan Sweetnam, senior VP and GM for eBay’s North America market. “eBay shoppers tend to focus on value, which has helped make these products so popular. With this new Certified Refurbished destination, we’re doing a better job of helping customers discover inventory sold direct from the brands they love and feel confident they will be blown away by the quality.”
eBay says it will continue to evolve its refurbished e-commerce experience for buyers and sellers on its marketplace in the months ahead, including new categories and brand partnerships. The program is currently available to buyers and sellers in the U.S., and sellers in Australia have begun applying.