Farfetch launches designer handbag resale service in the Middle East

Online e-tailer extends its Second Life platform to the UAE, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia

Farfetch is giving consumers the opportunity to trade in their pre-loved bags. Photo: Blaublut-Edi

Online fashion retailer Farfetch has launched its Second Life service in the Middle East, allowing consumers to trade in their pre-loved designer handbags, in exchange for credit that can be used towards purchases on the site.

Following a successful launch in Europe and the United States, Second Life is being rolled out in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. The initiative is being run in association with The Luxury Closet.

Customers can submit information and photographs of their bags online. These will be reviewed and a proposed price will be sent back within two working days. If the price is accepted, the bag is sent off for verification, free of charge. Once verification is complete, Farfetch will credit the customer with the agreed value, which can be used to purchase new items on Farfetch.com.

“The luxury fashion industry is increasingly aligning with sustainable fashion,” says Giorgio Belloli, Farfetch’s chief commercial and sustainability officer.

“Like the online luxury market, the pre-owned luxury market is growing rapidly and is forecast to reach $64 billion within the next five years. After the successful launch of the Farfetch Second Life pilot programme in the European market last year, and in the United States, we are excited to bring this service to our consumers in the Middle East.

“Extending the useful life of fashion items is absolutely critical to the sustainability of the industry. Enabling services, such as Farfetch Second Life, that make it easy for customers to do this, also offers an attractive opportunity to engage luxury consumers to shop with Farfetch. We’re thrilled to scale this model globally and are looking forward to expanding the categories consumers can give a second life to," Belloli adds.

The service is part of Positively Farfetch, the company’s mission to contribute to a more positive and sustainable fashion ecosystem.

As part of this mission, the brand offers a wide selection of “conscious” products, produced with positive environmental and social considerations in mind, and has launched the Donate service, which allows consumers in Europe and the US to make donations to charitable causes and receive Farfetch credit in return.

A Fashion Footprint Tool will help consumers easily identify and understand the environmental impact of their wardrobe choices, while the Farfetch Fix service enables consumers worldwide to repair and restore their luxury items, helping to expand their lifespan and reduce the number of items that end up in landfill.