The eBay UK Certified Refurbished hub launches today, following the launch of a similar hub in the US in February and also in Australia. The aim is to make it easier for consumers to find high-quality refurbished products from loved and trusted household brands such as Dyson, Eve and GoPro.
eBay’s Certified Refurbished selection enables buyers to get their hands on premium brands and products that have been carefully refurbished and guaranteed for their quality – discounted by as much as 30% off. The products being sold on the Certified Refurbished hub have been inspected, cleaned, and refurbished by the manufacturer or a manufacturer-approved vendor to meet the necessary specifications.
eBay’s Certified Refurbished hub is launching in two priority categories: electronics and homewares. Products bought on Certified Refurbished will come with a 12-month guarantee, free delivery & 30 day returns policy, as well as great savings for consumers. eBay UK found that if every household in the UK purchased one refurbished item, the nation could save £1.56bn.
Over the next few months eBay is looking to continue to onboard more sellers and brands to Certified Refurbished and expand the categories available to the programme.
What buyers can expect from the eBay UK Certified Refurbished products
- Approved by manufacturer
Product is expertly restored by the manufacturer or a manufacturer-approved vendor and vetted to work like-new.
- 12-month seller guarantee
Sellers offer a minimum 12-month guarantee on Certified Refurbished items.
- eBay Money Back Guarantee
Get your money back if your item doesn’t arrive or isn’t what was described.
- Free delivery
Free delivery on all Certified Refurbished items.
Why should you care about the eBay UK Certified Refurbished hub?
I hear you say ‘But I can’t sell on the eBay UK Certified Refurbished hub as I don’t qualify, this is just eBay looking after the big guys again’. That’s a very valid point but one you shouldn’t worry about too much. It’s a fact that when eBay engage new buyers they also spend in other categories across eBay and it’s all about winning new customers for the marketplace.
In a similar vertical, we’ve seen eBay buyers attracted to eBay to buy a pair of trainers (sneakers for US readers), that they subsequently spend a massive amount on eBay and most of that spend isn’t on trainers. Getting customers to buy from the eBay UK Certified Refurbished hub as their first eBay purchase should have similar impacts benefiting all sellers.
“In 2020, the average customer who purchased a pair of sneakers over $100 spent a total of $2,500 on eBay. Approximately 80% of that spend was in categories outside of sneakers.”
– Jamie Iannone, Chief Executive Officer, eBay
Growing demand
The eBay UK Certified Refurbished hub comes as eBay sees growing demand from consumers for refurbished products as they look to shop more consciously. Searches for refurbished goods have already increased dramatically compared to the prior year, with refurbished printers up 301%, experiencing a massive surge with more people working from home. There has also been huge demand for electronics such as refurbished TVs and laptops, up 103% and 75% respectively, while refurbished coffee machines are up 35% as people look for savings in their morning brew.
As well as the great financial benefits, customers purchasing refurbished products have helped reduce the impact on the environment too: in the last year alone, 438 double decker buses in weight worth of refurbished products were sold, all saved from potentially going to landfill.
“Demand for refurbished products has been growing for some time, but we know that the main barrier for some consumers has been the perceived risk that comes with purchasing a refurbished item. Our Certified Refurbished hub is designed to bring peace of mind to customers, allowing them to secure the products they love, like new for less, and at the high quality they deserve.
We’re really looking forward to working with our sellers and brands on this venture, allowing them to open up new revenue streams, maximise the margin on returns, and create a more sustainable supply chain, too.”
– Matt Potter, UK Senior Trading Manager, Electronics, eBay
Velocity Commerce and refurbished on eBay
One of the businesses that has benefited from this trend is Velocity Commerce. Velocity Commerce is an amazing business and we know them well here on Tamebay as they are a href=”https://channelx.world/2019/06/ebay-millionaire-look-like-velocity-commerce.html”>eBay millionaires and former winners of the eBay for Business Awards (2018). Co-founded by PJ Scott and Eddie Latham and launched on eBay in 2013, Velocity Commerce now have a specialist 55-strong team that processes on average 3,000 orders per day.
PJ and Eddie’s business buys returned, end-of-line and refurbished products, which they sell on through their eBay platform. They’ve seen huge demand for their products, reaching £1m within just two years and now achieve yearly sales of around £40 million.
“Ever since we started our business on eBay in 2013, we have seen consistent demand for the refurbished products we stock at Velocity Commerce. In particular our Nextbase dash cams have been a huge hit and Majority Soundbars have also proved popular. We’ve really seen this trend accelerate in the past two years and I’m certain it is set to continue, as customers have become more environmentally conscious, whilst still seeking the high quality brands they want at great prices.
We buy our refurbished products straight from the manufacturers themselves, as well as refurbishing some goods in-house ourselves. Our team are specially trained to make sure that these products are refurbished to the highest quality and even receive training straight from the brands we sell.”
– PJ Scott, Co-Founder, Velocity Commerce
