Secondhand luxury goods sellers tap overseas markets

Sarah Johnson, a schoolteacher from Los Angeles, the United States, thought the $1,290 retail price of a Louis Vuitton bag was too much for her on a teacher's salary. In September 2024, she found a Shanghai-based seller on eBay offering the same bag for $780. Though hesitant at first, eBay's authenticity guarantee gave her confidence.

The seller shipped the bag to eBay's verification center, which confirmed it was authentic within 48 hours, then forwarded it to her with a tamper-evident tag and a digital certificate, she said.

"The bag itself looked even better than the photos — just some very light wear on the handles. I've been using it every day since," Johnson said. "Now I actually search for Chinese sellers specifically. Their prices are usually more competitive and they have a great selection."

The schoolteacher is not the only overseas buyer to purchase secondhand luxury goods from China.

Emma Richardson, a digital marketing specialist from Manchester in the United Kingdom, came across a livestream from a Hangzhou Sheng Tang Luxury Goods seller when scrolling through TikTok late last year.

The livestreamer was showing a Gucci bag in detail, displaying its inside, outside, stitching, and even shining a UV light on the leather. The price was 380 pounds ($516), compared with 1,150 pounds at a UK boutique.

"I was nervous because it was my first time buying from China, but the livestream made me feel like I could see everything clearly. The bag arrived in 12 days with a Chinese authentication certificate and an English condition report. The hardware had a tiny bit of oxidation, but otherwise it was perfect. I took it to work and my colleagues thought it was new," she said.

"Now I follow three more Chinese secondhand luxury livestreamers. I watch them every week like it's a TV series," she added.

Jiang Min, founder and CEO of Hangzhou Sheng Tang Luxury Goods, said livestreaming was "a game changer".

"The last two years have been the prime period for Chinese secondhand luxury sellers and buyers to tap into the overseas market," she said.

Livestreaming serves as a major engine. "It allows sellers to interact with customers, show the condition of a bag … and answer questions instantly. That lowers the barriers for cross-border transactions," said Jiang.

Although China's domestic secondhand luxury goods market contributed less than 10 percent of annual total luxury sales revenue last year, it expanded by 15 to 20 percent, according to Bain & Company's 2025 Chinese Personal Luxury Goods Market report. This growth rate was especially noticeable as the country's luxury market contracted by nearly 5 percent last year.

China's secondhand luxury goods market is also seeing an overall maturity in the supply, demand and distribution sides, according to Bain & Company global partner Yang Yue.

High net-worth individuals and the middle class now treat luxury handbags, watches and jewelry as transferable assets. Meanwhile, younger buyers, particularly millennials and Gen Z, prioritize value for money and sustainability over the prestige of buying new, she said.