What: Marks & Spencer has partnered with eBay to launch an official online pre-loved resale store, enabling customers to trade in and purchase second-hand M&S clothing.

Why it is important: Marks & Spencer’s initiative aligns with recent market shifts, where digital innovation and sustainability are driving growth and transforming traditional retail business models.

Marks & Spencer’s collaboration with eBay to introduce an official pre-loved resale store marks a significant evolution in the retailer’s approach to sustainability and digital commerce. By enabling customers to trade in and purchase second-hand M&S clothing, the brand is responding to a growing consumer appetite for sustainable shopping options and circular fashion. This initiative builds on M&S’s broader strategy, which includes partnerships for clothing repair and a strengthened digital presence through third-party marketplaces. The move not only addresses environmental concerns but also positions M&S alongside other major retailers who are rapidly adapting to the surge in secondhand retail, as seen with H&M, Harvey Nichols, and John Lewis. The integration of digital platforms is now central to retail success, and M&S’s entry into the resale market underscores the necessity for legacy brands to innovate and collaborate in order to remain competitive. This development reflects a fundamental shift in retail, where sustainability and digital transformation are no longer optional but essential for future growth and relevance.

IADS Notes:

Marks & Spencer’s partnership with eBay is part of a broader transformation in retail, as legacy brands embrace circularity and digital innovation. This follows M&S’s August 2024 collaboration with Sojo for clothing repairs and aligns with the December 2024 surge in secondhand retail, which saw traditional retailers like H&M, Harvey Nichols, and John Lewis adapt their business models. The integration of digital platforms, as demonstrated by Debenhams’ marketplace success and M&S’s own online expansion, is now central to retail strategy. Circular economy practices, highlighted in March 2025, are becoming essential, with major brands entering the second-hand market and department stores expanding their resale and repair offerings, setting new standards for sustainable retail.

M&S partners with eBay to launch pre-loved resale store