As Second-Hand Trade Grows, eBay's New Report Calls for Smarter Customs Rules

Second-hand trade has become a core part of global commerce, but customs policy hasn't fully caught up.

Today, millions of consumers turn to second-hand goods to save money and find unique products, while entrepreneurs and small businesses use digital marketplaces to reach customers around the world. The global second-hand market surpassed $475 billion in 2025, and with demand continuing to rise, it is projected to reach $854 billion by 2030.

As policymakers update customs rules to address the rapid growth of imports, eBay's new report, “Second-hand Goods in Global Trade: Affordability, Small Business and Cross-Border Modernization,” argues that these reforms should recognize the unique role second-hand goods play in supporting affordability, entrepreneurship, and more sustainable commerce.

Second-hand trade has become mainstream

Second-hand trade has become mainstream because it offers consumers more choice, greater affordability, and a more sustainable way to shop.

According to the report, 81% of surveyed consumers said reducing spending is one of their top reasons for purchasing second-hand goods. Beyond affordability, buying second-hand keeps products in use longer, reducing waste, conserving resources, and extending the life of quality goods. In fact, nearly half of the surveyed consumers also cited sustainability and environmental benefits as a top reason for shopping second-hand. 

Together, these economic and environmental benefits have helped transform second-hand commerce into a global marketplace that supports consumers, entrepreneurship, and a more circular economy.

Second-hand goods move differently than new goods 

The rise of digital marketplaces has made it easier than ever for entrepreneurs to reach customers around the world. According to eBay’s 2025 Impact Report, 97% of eBay-enabled small businesses export, reaching buyers in an average of 17 international markets. Second-hand selling is central to that success, with 75% of U.S. sellers and more than 70% of sellers across the U.K., EU, Canada, and Japan selling second-hand goods.

Unlike traditional commercial imports, however, second-hand goods are usually single-item shipments sold by individuals and small businesses directly to consumers. They often lack original packaging, intact labels, or readily available country-of-origin information — characteristics that make them fundamentally different from bulk shipments of new goods. Yet many customs systems were designed with those traditional supply chains in mind. As governments update customs rules to address legitimate concerns around unsafe products, illicit trade, and the rapid growth of high-volume imports of inexpensive new goods, those policies should recognize these nuances rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach to every shipment.

Smarter customs rules can support both enforcement and entrepreneurship

Across the markets analyzed in eBay's report, second-hand goods accounted for roughly $31 billion in gross merchandise volume (GMV), representing approximately 46% of total GMV. About 62% of second-hand GMV moved through low-value shipments — the very shipments most affected by recent customs reforms.

Policymakers don't have to choose between strong enforcement and accessible trade. Instead, customs frameworks can better distinguish between high-volume flows of new goods and lower-risk second-hand commerce by recognizing second-hand goods as a distinct category, using richer digital data to support risk-based enforcement, and modernizing trusted trader programs for today's platform-enabled economy.

As Cathy Foster, eBay's vice president of government relations and public policy, notes: "Second-hand trade helps people save money, creates opportunities for entrepreneurs, and keeps quality products in circulation longer. As governments modernize customs systems, it is important that reforms distinguish between high-volume flows of new goods and lower-risk, second-hand items that deliver real value for consumers and communities."

Second-hand commerce will continue to grow, and customs policy should evolve alongside it. By adopting smarter, risk-based approaches that reflect how second-hand goods actually move across borders, governments can protect consumers, target bad actors, and preserve the affordability, entrepreneurial opportunity, and sustainability benefits that make recommerce an increasingly important part of the global economy. 

Read the full report, Second-hand Goods in Global Trade: Affordability, Small Business and Cross-Border Modernization, to learn more about how customs policies should evolve to strengthen enforcement while supporting consumers, entrepreneurs, and cross-border recommerce.