Xin Ou
Research expert covering Greater China
C2C e-commerce - statistics and facts
Consumer-to-consumer (C2C) shopping is a great way to get rid of unwanted items, earn extra cash, be more sustainable, or find products at a cheaper price. C2C e-commerce refers to selling or purchasing goods online between two private users. The C2C business model can be carried out on online marketplaces, recommerce websites and apps, sharing services, auction sites, and classifieds websites. The platforms act as intermediaries, allowing consumers to resell pre-owned items or brand-new goods. Like all things e-commerce, Asia is a dominant force in this sector. In 2023, the C2C market accounted for nearly one-fifth of China’s online retail sales. The success of recommerce can also be observed in Europe, where secondhand is expected to account for around 13 percent of the total e-commerce market by 2025.
There is no doubt that the handicraft site is successful; etsy.com attracts over 400,000 monthly visitors. However, the increase in third-party sellers listing cheaper mass-produced items has turned Etsy, once a tight-knit community of craft enthusiasts, into the likes of eBay. The established C2C auction site eBay lists wholesale drop-shipping products as well as one-of-a-kind collector's items. The California-based company generated a revenue of 2.5 billion U.S. dollars in the second quarter of 2024.
The growth of online C2C platforms like Etsy and eBay shows the increasing popularity of secondhand shopping. In fact, secondhand e-commerce is forecast to generate 448 billion U.S. dollars in revenue worldwide by 2025, up from 291 billion in 2024. With new generations of shoppers being eager to engage in C2C e-commerce, this growth is expected to be a long-term development.
Turning arts and crafts into billions of dollars
Etsy is a rising star in the online C2C industry. Founded in 2005, the Brooklyn-based e-commerce company specializes in craft supplies, homemade creations, and vintage items. Despite tumultuous market conditions over the last couple of years, Etsy has managed to grow exponentially since 2019. The company nearly tripled its revenues in just three years, generating around 2.3 billion U.S. dollars in 2021. Furthermore, according to the latest financial statements, Etsy generated over 2.7 billion U.S. dollars in 2023, indicating further growth. Platforms like Etsy give users the ability to create, sell, and promote their products to other consumers.There is no doubt that the handicraft site is successful; etsy.com attracts over 400,000 monthly visitors. However, the increase in third-party sellers listing cheaper mass-produced items has turned Etsy, once a tight-knit community of craft enthusiasts, into the likes of eBay. The established C2C auction site eBay lists wholesale drop-shipping products as well as one-of-a-kind collector's items. The California-based company generated a revenue of 2.5 billion U.S. dollars in the second quarter of 2024.
Gen Z enters the secondhand market
Vintage shopping is particularly trendy among the younger generation. A global survey from 2023 revealed that Gen Z consumers in France, Poland, and Finland are the top buyers of secondhand items, while their counterparts in Norway and Spain sold the most pre-owned goods online. For example, around 82 percent of French and Polish Gen Z shoppers had purchased used items on the internet that year. Some of the current trends with this cohort are discovering fashion from the 2000s—a trend called Y2K—and buying over-sized blazers from the 80s.The growth of online C2C platforms like Etsy and eBay shows the increasing popularity of secondhand shopping. In fact, secondhand e-commerce is forecast to generate 448 billion U.S. dollars in revenue worldwide by 2025, up from 291 billion in 2024. With new generations of shoppers being eager to engage in C2C e-commerce, this growth is expected to be a long-term development.
