eBay UK’s first multi-seller branded shop

Patagonia have linked up with eBay UK to launch under the new . It enables sellers of used Patagonia outdoor clothing to resell their items which will appear in the branded shop front.

In November 2011, Patagonia and eBay Inc. joined forces to launch a new marketplace for customers to buy and sell used Patagonia gear in the United States. Today, with more than 38,000 items resold in the first year of the program, Patagonia and eBay are offering the same marketplace to their UK customers.

The aim of the unique store is to encourage customers to go into their wardrobes, find the Patagonia garments they don’t currently need, and list them on eBay to continue their useful life.

I like this idea and wish eBay would do more of it – not just for used goods in a feel good save the planet campaign, but also for other manufacturers where buyers could be driven to destination sites. eBay did try this with product cards and product landing pages, but these proved less successful than standard Best Match search so the program was rolled back. However selected manufacturers with cult followings could really benefit from branded multi-seller shops which the manufacturer sold alongside other eBay sellers – both professional sellers with new stock and casual sellers with used items.

“As a global enabler of commerce, we are acutely aware that consumption and environmental responsibility have often stood at odds with one another,” Alan Marks, SVP of Global Communications for eBay Inc. told us, “We are thrilled to partner with forward-thinking brands like Patagonia to innovate around product life-cycle and after-market trade and enable the kind of commerce that is critical to the long-term sustainability of our planet“.

A seller who lists a used Patagonia product on eBay will be asked to and become a partner. This pledge will highlight the customer’s listing in the Common Threads Partnership shop on eBay. Patagonia will not receive any of the profits associated with the Common Threads Partnership shop front.

The UK Patagonia Common Threads store on eBay becomes not only the latest example of eBay’s commitment to enabling greener commerce, but a new model for consumption within the apparel industry – one that eBay and Patagonia say emphasizes product durability, reuse, and tapping the full useful life of clothing.

All you need to do to list within the Patagonia shop is take the Common Threads Partnership pledge to reduce consumption and get the full life out of every garment. To qualify for the Common Threads Partnership, all listings must be: pre-owned, listed within eBay’s Clothing, Shoes and Accessories category, and listed under the Patagonia brand using eBay’s item specifics.