eBay UK Launches Authenticity Guarantee for Luxury Handbags

Global online marketplace eBay has launched its Authenticity Guarantee service for luxury handbags within the UK.  

With a handbag selling on the platform every 15 seconds, ranging from coveted ‘It’ bags to vintage classics, handbags £500 and over from 19  luxury brands including Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Prada and Bottega Veneta will now be vetted and verified by a team of expert authenticators.

Following the success of the Authenticity Guarantee service for sneakers and watches last year, which saw a multi-million pound uplift in sales, eBay has expanded the program to include luxury handbags, empowering its community of buyers and sellers to make more informed pre-loved luxury purchases. 

The pre-loved luxury handbag market is growing and is valued at £115.3 million to date. eBay UK however has identified that 32% of buyers have hesitated to purchase a pre-loved luxury handbag from the platform in the last 24 months due to mistrust and concerns about authenticity.

eBay’s introduction of the Authenticity Guarantee service into the category hopes to combat this uncertainty and build consumer confidence when purchasing genuine pre-loved luxury handbags. 

eBay will work with carefully selected authenticators who will undertake a rigorous physical inspection, as well as the use of specialist machinery.  The handbags authentication process includes:

• Thorough Inspection: At first point, the authenticator verifies that the handbag’s condition matches the listing description. eBay’s authenticators inspect the general quality of materials and serialization and use magnification and measurement to inspect the brand logo, hardware, chains, zippers, and snaps, analyzing the engraving and checking the stitching. 
• Proof of Authentication: All bags will have a unique Authenticity Guarantee card filled with information about the handbag brand and model to confirm its authenticity, and solidifying confidence in eBay as a platform for luxury pre-loved items.
• Verified Returns: Sellers who offer returns receive the same protection as buyers. eBay’s handbag authentication program ensures the exact item initially sold is returned to the seller via a verified returns process. Returns are shipped back directly to the authentication center, where authenticators verify each item and its condition before returning to the seller.

“We know that luxury shoppers already come to eBay to get their hands on hard-to-get items through to luxe brands. With the introduction of authenticity guarantee, it gives our customers total confidence that they’re getting an authentic product from their favorite designers and helps to remove any doubts.”

Kirsty Keoghan, Director of Luxury Goods at eBay UK

“This is a game-changer for the resale luxury market. We believe our sellers will also love this, as it provides them with a white-glove service when selling luxury handbags,” Koeghan added.

eBay Luxury Handbags on eBay.co.uk by numbers

• A handbag sold every 15 seconds on eBay.co.uk  in 2021.
• Louis Vuitton, Mulberry and Gucci are the top most searched for handbag brands on eBay.co.uk.
• 65% of handbags sold are preloved, 35% are new.
• 90% of handbags sold are from individual sellers.