Dive Brief:
- Resale platform eBay launched a trend report highlighting shopper behavior and data relating to the pre-owned fashion market, according to a press release.
- Called the Watchlist, the report offers real-time marketplace insights drawn from eBay's nearly 134 million users and 2.3 billion listings, per the release. The report’s initial findings noted that Louis Vuitton was the platform’s most-bought designer brand for the first three months of 2025, and shopper interest in buying Birkenstock products grew 61% year over year for the quarter.
- In the same release, eBay announced the appointment of Brie Welch as the company’s resident stylist. In her role, Welch will identify trends, offer commentary and highlight branded fashion on the resale platform. The eBay Watchlist “is informed by Welch’s whimsical take on pre-loved style,” per the release.
Dive Insight:
Almost 40% of all clothing, shoes and accessories sold on eBay were listed as pre-owned, according to the Watchlist report. The report also said that global eBay users searched for “vintage” more than 1,200 times per minute.
“Since our founding 30 years ago, we’ve been connecting people who want to refresh their wardrobes with those ready to pass on items they no longer need,” Alexis Hoopes, vice president of global fashion at eBay, said in the release. “We envision a world where circularity is the norm, making it easy for brands and consumers to engage with the circular economy. We want to both power pre-loved fashion and empower the entire circular fashion ecosystem.”
The Watchlist includes commentary from Welch that is designed to help consumers navigate the fashion trends and find relevant pieces on eBay. Welch, who is based in New York, previously worked with celebrity clients including actor Katie Holmes, as well as with brands such as Bulgari, Givenchy and Ferragamo, per the release.
For the first iteration of the report, Welch identified trends including western wear, suits, pastel tones, bag charms and unique denim. The report also highlighted Louis Vuitton’s Speedy bag as one of the top five sold styles in the U.S., U.K., Germany, France and Italy.
EBay’s report comes as resale’s popularity continues to grow, especially in the U.S.
Last year, the U.S. secondhand apparel market grew five times faster than the broader retail clothing market in 2024, according to resale platform ThredUp. That market is projected to reach $74 billion by 2029, with an average annual growth rate of 9%, per ThredUp, which also stated that the U.S. online resale market will nearly double in that time period to $40 billion.
