eBay Acquires Certilogo to Upgrade Brand Authentication of Pre-Loved Fashion

eBay Inc. announced it has entered into an agreement to buy Certilogo, a leading authentication platform for fashion and luxury. The American e-commerce company based in San Jose, California, said it acquired the firm to ramp up the fashion brand authentication on its own platform.

The purchase deal will give eBay access to Certligo's tech platform, where both brands and fashion designers can manage the lifecycle of clothing pieces and then let the shoppers verify if the clothes they bought are authentic or not.

eBay expects its acquisition of Certilogo to be completed within the third quarter of this year but did not provide any other details. The companies did not disclose the agreed financial terms as well. It was noted that the deal came just weeks after eBay said it is committed to doubling down on the luxury business industry.

Following the buyout of Certilogo, eBay will start offering newly released fashion items, limited-edition, eBay exclusives, and certified pre-owned clothes. Shoppers can expect to see many high-end brands such as LE Vian, Konstantin Chaykin, and more.

"This acquisition further solidifies eBay as a trusted destination to shop for pre-loved apparel and fashion and marks a key investment in the growing pre-loved fashion category," the company said in the release. "It also provides customers with more confidence as they increasingly make more sustainably conscious purchase choices."

"For many years, consumers have turned to eBay as a trusted destination for buying and selling pre-loved apparel and fashion goods, not only because of the unmatched selection but because of our commitment to utilizing the latest technology to empower our sellers and buyers," eBay's vice president, Charis Marquez, said in a press release. "Certilogo's technology and talented team allows eBay to build on this commitment, establishing eBay as a leader in pre-loved fashion, and offering new ways for consumers to connect and engage with brands."

Certilogo's founder and chief executive officer, Michele Casucci, further said, "Certilogo was created to build connections between consumers and brands, utilizing technology to simplify and strengthen those relationships and unlock information that fundamentally changes how we interact with apparel and accessories."

The CEO added, "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."

Photo by: Mike Knell/Flickr (CC BY-SA 2.0)