eBay is currently the 4th biggest online marketplace in the world. It boasts 160 million active shoppers and buyers flock there to buy everything from Britney Spears' bubble gum to a diamond engagement ring. But buying goods through eBay has always come with risks especially where big ticket items like designer goods were concerned. Many buyers have purchased fake products. As a result buyers' confidence in eBay when it came to luxury goods took a hit. Even worse sellers selling truly authentic products suffered. We are going to go through the ways that brands in luxury goods can increase their confidence on eBay. We'll take you through how it works and how both sellers and buyers can benefit from the Authenticate Program! So grab a coffee sit back and enjoy!
"The Senior Director of eBay Authenticate expressed that With eBay there is always a question of authentication"
says James Hendy Senior Director of eBay Authenticate.
"Even though we have some fantastic policies in place like our VeRO [Verified Rights Owner] program you only need to look at all the competitors that have sprung up that are all led by authentication. We realized that we need to do more about creating an environment where the buyer will feel more confident. eBay has the largest selection of luxury goods from rare and designer handbags to fine wristwatches and we know this community wants an added layer of trust and confidence when buying in these categories Hendy continued.
Which is why in 2017 the marketplace designed and launched the eBay Authenticate Program - a white glove authentication service that verifies lists and sells luxury goods on behalf of sellers to ensure products are genuine and give consumers an extra level of confidence when making luxury purchases.
We're adding third-party authentication to this inventory because we know the importance buyers place on trust for high-value purchases Hendy announced proudly at the launch. At the time the Authenticate Program only extended to luxury handbags and wallets but during 2018 eBay extended the program to cover other high-end goods such as watches and jewelry.
eBay Authenticate is twofold it assists both the buyer and the seller. While sellers are enabled to offer peace of mind about their products to potential buyers and take advantage of one of the lowest fees on the verified resale market at 20% meaning the seller receives 80% of the final selling price (nearly twice as much as comparable online services).
To take advantage of eBay Authenticate sellers are advised to follow these steps:
When the buyer receives the luxury item it's packaged in an elegant black box with a card verifying authenticity. A review of the service is described below: eBay Authenticate offers an experience. The box was new with eBay tape around it letting me know my new designer bags were inside. The bags also had an eBay dust bag. As well as a nice added touch of an eBay branded thank-you notice again guaranteeing the bag itself. The bag also had an eBay security tag attached to the hardware.
Purely and simply the program ensures the integrity and reputation of luxury brands are maintained. In other words the program ensures buyers are not disappointed or confused by counterfeit goods. The Authenticate program is only available to sellers wanting to sell pre-owned luxury items. Celine Chanel Gucci and Louis Vuitton are some on the list.
The Authenticate Program helps eBay buyers have more confidence in the wealth of inventory on the marketplace. The Authenticate program was first launched in 2017. Hendy says the experience there has been fantastic. It has lead to an increase in consumer satisfaction as well as the average selling price. For more eBay authenticate program insights our latest eBook 'Selling on eBay Marketplace: 9 Surefire Steps For Success' contains all the information you need to do this.
