Zara makes play for resale and repair market with pre-owned service

The Spanish fashion giant will launch its new pre-owned service, first reported by The Guardian, on November 3. The move will mark Zara’s first foray into the growing second-hand fashion space.

The new proposition will allow shoppers to book repairs and donate unwanted garments online or at their nearest store. Customers will also be able to post Zara purchases online for resale.

Sellers will simply be able to take pictures of their goods, while Zara will provide detailed product information.

The new platform will be run through Zara’s existing website and app, while payments will be handled by Stripe.

Once a sale has been agreed, the buyer’s details will be sent to the seller, allowing them to post the goods on – much like the eBay model.

If successful, Zara is likely to roll the model out to more markets globally.

Zara hinted that it does not expect to make a profit from the new service in the short term. The fashion giant’s head of sustainability, Paula Ampuero, said: “At this stage, this platform is exclusively conceived as a tool to help customers extend the life of their clothing and take a more circular approach.”

The move makes Zara the latest fashion retailer to dip its toe into the growing second-hand market as businesses seek ways to slash their carbon footprints through rental, resale and repair services.

Marks & Spencer is working with Dotte on a children’s clothing resale service, while John Lewis’s FashionCycle gives shoppers a voucher to spend in-store or online when they bring back five unwanted items.

Selfridges, meanwhile, has targeted making almost half of its sales through resale, repair, rental or refills by 2030.

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