Second-hand is no longer a niche activity but is now integrated into the functioning of current international trade. Its impact on the economy transcends the mere purchase and sale of used products and reaches the purchasing power of households, the export possibilities of businesses, the management of resources or the reduction of waste. However, as eBay highlights in a report, all of this could be compromised under current international trade policies.

He explains this in the report “Second-hand goods in global trade: affordability, small businesses and cross-border modernization”, published last July. It highlights the role that the second hand plays in the global economy and encourages competent authorities to review customs regulations to facilitate the activity of small businesses and individual sellers in cross-border trade.

The company believes that there is a gap between the weight that second-hand has acquired and the system that governs international trade. He argues that much of the current customs regulations respond to a model that involves large shipments of new products, transported in containers, with homogeneous merchandise and managed by large professional entities.

For its part, second-hand trade works practically the other way around, that is, with a fragmented, decentralized and heterogeneous inventory. In many cases it is a single unit – a vintage garment, a collector’s item, etc. – sent directly by a small business or an individual to another consumer in another country. This structural difference means that some common international trade obligations can be complex.

The situation has been aggravated in the last year with policy changes such as the suspension in the United States of the so-called “minimis”, that is, the exemption that allowed goods valued at less than $800 to enter the country without paying duties or taxes. Something similar has happened in the European Union, which since July has applied a tax of three euros to online purchases of up to 150 euros from outside the region, until then exempt from tariffs.

eBay recognizes that the measures respond to legitimate problems, including consumer safety, competition, or the fight against fraud. Many of them were launched in response to a massive increase in the purchase of low-value products from Chinese platforms, such as Temu, Shein or Aliexpress.

The benefits of second hand

However, the measures implemented could reduce the advantages that second-hand offers both consumers and small businesses. Affordability is one of the points highlighted by the company, which points out that savings are the main reason why consumers around the world buy used products: eBay’s 2025 “Recommerce Report” revealed that reducing spending was the main reason for turning to second-hand for 81% of consumers surveyed.

As the company explains, purchasing certain products below the price they would have when new allows you to free up income for other expenses, face unexpected situations or increase savings. Consequently, it is estimated that the global second-hand products market will reach 854 billion in 2030, which would represent a compound annual growth rate of 12.4%.

On the other hand, eBay highlights the positive effect of second-hand for entrepreneurship and competition, since it ensures that it has reduced the barriers to entry to commerce. In the report he explains that a person who starts selling individual used items can end up building a business. According to eBay’s Impact Report 2025, 97% of small businesses operating globally on the platform export, reaching consumers in 17 different international markets on average.

Specifically, the data indicates that 75% of sellers on the United States platform and more than 70% of those in the European Union, United Kingdom, Canada and Japan sold second-hand goods in 2025. In particular, in the EU this percentage reaches 77%, which establishes the region as a leader in the circular economy, just behind the United Kingdom, which maintains a position of 78%.

Another of the benefits of second-hand that could be affected by current commercial regulations is the environmental impact to the extent that it could reduce this type of consumption and, consequently, aspects such as the reuse of products and repair. Citing its own 2025 study, eBay notes that extending the life of garments can reduce carbon emissions by 12% to 30%; while refurbished phones can generate 80% to 90% less carbon emissions than new phones.

eBay’s proposals

With the intention of preserving the advantages and contribution of second-hand to the economy, the company proposes not to impose the same level of demand on all shipments and, essentially, recognize second-hand products as a distinct category in the new policies. In this way, customs controls could focus their efforts on the inspection and control of higher-risk shipments.

eBay’s main suggestion is to create, where it does not already exist, a clearly defined classification of “second-hand product” within international tariff systems. This aims to prevent different tariff regimes from accumulating on second-hand products and, in addition, to consider the condition of the product – new or used – as relevant data to evaluate the risks of shipping. This would make it possible to better differentiate a package with a used t-shirt sold by an individual from another with dozens of new products.

On the other hand, the company proposes a better use of data and electronic information to scale the intensity of control around variables such as the value of the product, the category of merchandise or the history of the seller. According to eBay, a better analysis system would avoid an excessive administrative burden on routine operations.

Finally, the report suggests the development of Trusted Trader Programs, that is, trusted operator programs that incorporate marketplaces and platforms such as eBay. The company maintains that it has large amounts of information about transactions, sellers and their histories to prove its reliability.

“Policymakers do not have to choose between rigorous law enforcement and accessible trade“says Ashley Schillingsburg, Head of Government Relations for the Americas at eBay, in a statement.”Modern customs frameworks can use better data to target shipments that actually present risk, while preserving practical pathways for small businesses and consumers involved in the second-hand trade.“.

More info.: eBay Report