eBay Inc has agreed to acquire Certilogo, a connected platform that provides AI-powered apparel and fashion goods, digital IDs and authentication.
The deal, which is set to close in the third quarter, marks a key investment for eBay in the growing pre-loved fashion category. The rise in this market has largely been been driven by generation Z in recent years. A research project by Boston Consulting Group and resale site Vestiaire in 2022 showed that this demographic of consumers were most likely to buy (31%) and sell (44%) secondhand items, with millennials close behind.
Tapping into this boom, Certilogo helps brands manage the lifecycle of their garments, while allowing consumers to confirm authenticity, access reliable information about branded items, and easily activate circular services.
Through its authenticity verification service consumers can check via smartphone that the products they have bought or are about to buy are 100 percent authentic.
“Certilogo was created to build connections between consumers and brands, utilising technology to simplify and strengthen those relationships and unlock information that fundamentally changes how we interact with apparel and accessories,” said Michele Casucci, CEO and Founder, Certilogo.
She added: “eBay pioneered recommerce, while Certilogo pioneered connected products and consumer-facing digital authentication. By joining forces, we will be able to make an immediate and significant contribution, taking advantage of already consolidated skills and infrastructures, promoting a model that has its foundation in community and circularity.”
