Ikea to take on eBay and Vinted with UK online secondhand site
Ikea is launching its own online secondhand marketplace in the UK later this year, allowing members of its Ikea Family loyalty scheme to buy and sell preloved Ikea furniture directly with one another. The move pits the world's biggest furniture retailer against established resale platforms including eBay, Facebook Marketplace and Vinted, as it seeks to capitalise on booming consumer demand for secondhand goods while also advancing its own sustainability goals.
The platform follows earlier trials in Spain and Norway and builds on Ikea's five-year-old practice of buying and reselling used items in some UK stores. Full details of the UK site are yet to be announced, but the Spanish version offers pre-filled listings, suggested prices and a 15% bonus for sellers paid via gift card, with buyers set to pay a 5% "protection fee" from January. The launch comes amid intensifying competition in the resale market, from Depop's recent $1.2bn purchase of eBay to Currys and AO's expansion into preloved electricals, and forms part of Ikea's pledge to become "climate positive" by 2030.
- Ikea to launch UK secondhand marketplace for members later this year
- Follows trials in Spain and Norway; details still to come
- Part of Ikea's climate goals amid growing resale market competition
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Secondhand marketplaces let people sell and buy used goods directly from one another. Ikea already buys and resells some used furniture in its UK stores, and has tested an online service in Spain and Norway.
The planned UK site is for members of Ikea’s Family loyalty scheme and will focus on Ikea furniture. It would put the retailer alongside platforms such as eBay, Facebook Marketplace and Vinted, which host sales across many brands and types of goods.
Reselling furniture can give items a longer life and offer buyers an alternative to buying new. It also fits Ikea’s aim to become climate positive by 2030, while giving the company a larger role in the growing market for used goods.
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The case for
This represents a positive step for environmental sustainability and the circular economy. By leveraging its scale and established customer base, Ikea can make secondhand furniture accessible and convenient for millions, extending product lifecycles and reducing demand for new manufacturing. The initiative directly supports the company's climate positive 2030 pledge, meets demonstrated consumer demand for sustainable shopping options, and benefits both buyers seeking affordable quality items and sellers finding convenient platforms for unwanted furniture.
The case against
This move raises legitimate concerns about corporate market concentration and competitive fairness. Ikea, already the world's dominant furniture retailer, is leveraging its vast customer data and market position to enter and likely dominate the secondhand market where independent platforms currently operate. There are fair questions about conflicts of interest when a company controls both new and used furniture sales, and whether the environmental narrative adequately accounts for potential reduced competition and innovation in the resale sector.