Courtesy / Design Leah Romero
Before Depop, there was eBay. The OG online auction site was one of the few virtual destinations for serious shopping enthusiasts, where you could find everything from Gucci’s fall/winter 1997 collection by Tom Ford to even rarer listings for niche hobbies, car parts, and more. At the time, it was the way to digitally access one-of-a-kind goods, which kickstarted the idea of accessibility in fashion, previously gatekept either geographically or held exclusively at premiere auction houses like Sotheby’s or Christie’s. It was a turning point in making high fashion more inclusive.
The digital landscape of resale has changed dramatically since then. Instead of fighting for your life as a timer counts down while you maniacally click “Increase Bid” for an unauthenticated vintage Cartier watch, tech-first resale retailers filled the gap to provide much-needed shopping security. Resale sites like Rebag soon became trusted sources for luxury goods, guaranteeing authenticity. A gently used Hermés Birkin was at your fingertips, not obscured by a waiting list that even Samantha Jones couldn’t bypass. Now, resale is the norm. But haven’t we all experienced the crushing disappointment of finding a vintage designer item sell out before we even had a chance to buy it?
Launching today, Rebag is offering a welcome middle ground between designer resale and high-end bidding wars. Rebag Auction is the company’s newest venture, listing over 2,000 items every week in two cycles: Every Monday from 8 a.m. EST to Tuesday 5 p.m. EST, Rebag Rewards members get a first look at the week’s offerings, which then opens to the general public to bid on the following Thursday at 11 a.m. EST. When the cycle ends, unsold items will be listed on Rebag’s regular commerce site to purchase immediately.
Courtesy / Design Leah Romero
“With the introduction of Rebag Auction, clients now have the opportunity to gain immediate access to items that may have otherwise been missed in the most exciting way possible,” Rebag CEO Charles Gorra tells ELLE.com. Half the fun in shopping is the joy of the hunt, but Rebag Auction gives shoppers a grace period to discover items with ease, and bid accordingly. “Certain clients may find some items particularly investment-worthy, especially those that are unique, limited-edition, otherwise sold out, or generally difficult to obtain, and will bid against other shoppers.”
The perks of Rebag Auction differ slightly from traditional auction houses, which typically charge a buyer’s fee that can cost upwards of 25 percent of the final price. And like eBay’s current site, you can set your maximum bid and the site will automatically bid on your behalf. Items will range from collectibles including sequined Chanel Flaps, rare Louis Vuitton bags, and exceptional jewelry and watches like Audemars Piguet Royal Oak timepieces. Rebag Auction officially kicks off today at rebag.com/auction.
As online shopping becomes the norm, instant gratification is a noticeable shift in the way we buy things. But according to Gorra, it’s a net positive. “Shoppers who have been pining after a specific style, such as a limited-edition printed Hermés Kelly bag, may have been hunting it down for months or even years. When they finally secure a coveted item via Rebag, it’s a special moment that for many has been a long time in the making.” And you don’t even need to name-drop Lucy Liu.
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