eBay released its new authentication service today, and it turns out it’s just another attempt from eBay to offer a consignment selling service focused on “consumer sellers.”
eBay Authenticate is limited to luxury handbags and wallets from only 12 high-end brands. Consumers send their items to authenticators – items must be valued at $500 or more, and they must be deemed to be authentic, or else they’re returned to the consumer. (This could lead to problems since it puts the authenticator in the position of sending fakes through the mail – readers know how thorny an issue this is for all involved.)
If the expert deems the product authentic, they (not the seller) determines the selling price and lists it on eBay. If it sells, the consumer seller receives 80% of the final selling price.
eBay said it is working to expand the program to include business sellers, who are currently prohibited from using the service, and it plans to expand to other categories and brands next year.
eBay CEO Devin Wenig is selling Wall Street analysts and investors on the benefits of the program, stating at an investor presentation last month, “You’ll see authentication of high end priced items where we’ll physically authenticate for buyers to improve trust.” But eBay’s past efforts to provide consignment programs over the years don’t inspire confidence in the scalability of its latest attempt.
Press release follows:
Today, eBay launched eBay Authenticate, a white glove authentication service designed to help the marketplace’s hundreds of millions active buyers shop with confidence for luxury handbags.
eBay sellers can now utilize the service to list luxury handbags and wallets valued at $500+ and receive 80% of the final selling price when selling luxury handbags from 12 high-end brands, including Balenciaga, Burberry, Céline, Chanel, Christian Dior, Fendi, Goyard, Gucci, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Prada, and Valentino. For a limited time, the service will accept luxury handbags valued at $250+ and sellers will receive 90% of the final sale price.
For eBay buyers, they can shop more confidently for luxury handbags knowing that items marked with an “Authenticity Verified” label are backed by a 200 percent Money Back Guarantee.
“We’re making it even easier for our buyers to shop quickly and confidently for luxury handbags,” said Laura Chambers, Vice President of Consumer Selling at eBay. “With tens-of-thousands of high-end handbags currently available, eBay is primed to boost customer confidence in selling and shopping for an amazing selection of designer merchandise. We also believe our sellers will love this service, as it provides them with a white-glove service when selling luxury handbags. We’re looking forward to expanding this program to other brands and categories next year.”
To get started, sellers just follow four simple steps:
1) Visit http://www.ebay.com/authentication to start listing an eligible luxury handbag, and select “Sell with eBay Authenticate.”
2) Send in the handbag using a prepaid shipping label, or drop it off at a participating FedEx Office location. FedEx Office will pack and ship it to the experts for free.
3) Industry experts verify the handbag’s authenticity, photograph, list, sell, and ship your handbag to its buyer.
4) The seller receives 80% of the final selling price – nearly twice as much as comparable online services.1 And, for those who send in an eligible luxury handbag by January 31, 2018, they’ll receive 90% of the selling price.
Over the past 20 years, eBay has devoted resources to setting the standard for operating a trusted and safe marketplace. For nearly ten years, eBay’s best-in-class Verified Rights Owner (VeRO) program has allowed more than 40,000 rights owners to quickly report possible counterfeit goods. This program simply helps eBay buyers have more confidence in the wealth of inventory on the marketplace – and enable our sellers to benefit from that confidence. Additionally, eBay’s prior collaborations with the CFDA for “You Can’t Fake Fashion,” have celebrated original design and raised awareness about our commitment to authentic fashion.
SOURCE: eBay Press Release
Anyone who would buy any expensive item that needs an authentication service from ebay has oatmeal for brains. They earned the right to get cheated..
Well I personally don’t hold out much hope for this newest scam.