Ikea is launching its own online marketplace for second-hand furniture in the United Kingdom this week, entering competition directly with Vinted and eBay. The platform, already active in other countries including Spain and Portugal, features bestsellers such as the Kallax shelf and Malm chest of drawers.
The marketplace allows customers logged into the IKEA family programme to connect directly, buying and selling used IKEA products locally. The service is initially free in the UK, though a charge of around 5 per cent of the item’s value for buyer protection is expected to be introduced over time. Initially, buyers and sellers arrange collection or delivery themselves, with the company noting it is exploring ways to facilitate delivery in the future.
Meanwhile, IKEA is testing an online version of its buy-back service, offering vouchers for unwanted used furniture. The service is being tested in Spain and Portugal until the end of December, with a launch in the UK planned if it proves successful. IKEA currently offers buy-back in its stores, including in the UK, but the online version would expand the reach to a much wider audience.
Greg Lucas, sustainability manager for IKEA’s UK and Ireland division, highlights that the company facilitates the sale of its products through pre-populated product descriptions and price suggestions. Sellers are offered 15 per cent more on the price of an item if they agree to receive payment in the form of an IKEA gift card.
IKEA forecasts that used products could account for 16 per cent of the UK household goods market next year. The UK market for used household goods is currently worth more than £4.5 billion and is growing at around 6.5 per cent annually. According to the company’s data, IKEA products account for around 9 per cent of furniture sold on second-hand platforms in the UK.
The launch is part of a broader strengthening of the second-hand market. During 2025, 63 per cent of UK consumers are expected to have purchased products via resale platforms, compared with 51 per cent the previous year. The US-based platform eBay recently acquired the UK fashion retailer Depop for $1.2 billion, or around £900 million. Second-hand items currently account for a significant portion of sales in the fashion industry.
Competition is also intensifying in the sector for second-hand electronics. Retailers such as Currys and AO are selling second-hand products, with AO expanding its position in the second-hand market following its 2024 acquisition of MusicMagpie, which sells refurbished electronics and second-hand video games. AO has also recently acquired the specialist camera retailer Jessops, which operates the second-hand equipment marketplace Camera Jungle.
