TikTok is expanding its secondhand luxury fashion offerings to the UK via its Tiktok shop, escalating competition with other reselling platforms like The RealReal, Vestiaire Collective, and Depop. This move comes after the successful introduction of a similar category in the U.S. almost half a year ago.
According to TechCrunch, the secondhand luxury category on TikTok Shop UK will allow users to buy pre-owned high-end clothing, designer bags, and other accessories directly through the Tiktok shop app. At launch, the marketplace will feature items from five UK-based sellers including Sellier, Luxe Collective, Sign of the Times, HardlyEverWornIt, and Break Archive.
Since its inception in 2022, TikTok Shop has reported sales surpassing $1 billion. However, the platform has faced criticism for issues such as counterfeit goods. In response, TikTok has implemented strict anti-counterfeit measures, including partnering with authentication services Entrupy and Real Authentication to verify the authenticity of luxury goods sold on its platform.
A TikTok spokesperson highlighted that each of the UK brands involved has robust in-house processes to authenticate their goods, ensuring their quality and legitimacy.
The expansion into the UK market taps into the burgeoning global secondhand luxury sector, which saw sales of approximately $49.3 billion in 2023. A shift towards sustainable fashion and the increasing acceptance of pre-owned items among consumers drives this sector’s growth.
The move also comes at a critical time for TikTok, as it faces potential challenges in the U.S. market. The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a bill requiring TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to divest the app or face a ban, a measure that could significantly impact TikTok’s operations and its American sellers.
With over 144,000 posts and 1.2 billion views under the hashtag #secondhandfashion, TikTok’s venture into secondhand luxury fashion in the UK via the Tiktok shop seller center, is poised to capitalize on the platform’s vast reach and popularity among fashion enthusiasts.