eBay has declared that it plans to provide Tise, the social marketplace site focused on second-hand fashion and interior design products. Although no financial details of the deal are revealed, the action is described as a decisive step in the efforts by eBay to modernise the consumer-to-consumer business and consolidate its position in the sphere of social commerce. It is estimated that the transaction will end by the end of the fourth quarter of 2025, depending on the usual terms of approval.
Tise is a company established in 2014 in Oslo, Norway, that has built a reputation for making resale more socially captivating. Unlike traditional resale sites, where much focus is put on listing and facilitation of transactions, Tise anticipates a connection between buyers and sellers. Its user base can follow vendors, leave likes and comments on listings, and receive personalized recommendations. All these elements create a social experience similar to those of Instagram or TikTok, but with a more focused marketplace. To younger generations, who are accustomed to social media as their primary means of exploration and contact, this pattern of shopping seems both intuitive and convincing.
In the case of eBay, the acquisition is not a simple purchase of a platform, but a larger strategic goal associated with attracting the same population groups, Generation Z and millennial consumers, whose demographic is driving the growth of the resale and sustainable fashion industry. The younger consumer is not only becoming increasingly price-conscious, but the investment in the area of sustainability is also increasing. They are also drawn to second-hand shopping because it allows them to express their individuality, while also allowing them to engage in environmentally friendly consumption. Purchasing Times, eBay demonstrates its understanding of these priorities and its plan to tune its platform to them.
eBay has long been a leader in online resale, but over the years, it has faced increased competition from newer, more attractive and person-centred platforms. The apps Depop, Vinted, and Poshmark have gained popularity among younger buyers who prefer mobile-first experiences supplemented by strong social functions. Tise fills this niche directly, giving eBay a renewed competitive edge and curbing the perception of obsolescence in a changing marketplace.
It is not the first time eBay and Tise have been involved in a venture. This procurement is the logical extension of a relationship, as the company has a venture arm that invested in Tise in 2022. According to Oliver Klinck, the Vice President and the General Manager of eBay in Global Markets Success and C2C, this move would jumpstart the strategy of Tise and open up innovation possibilities. His statements highlight the idea of combining a socially predetermined strategy, such as Tise, with the large-scale and global character of eBay.
To Tise, the deal has provided an opportunity to expand its operational paradigm into a significantly larger platform. The company has already raised $45 million in capital and has also developed a committed society throughout Europe. Tise can move beyond its existing market boundaries and grow its user base by millions with the support of eBay, and remain faithful to the spirit of community and sustainability. CEO and co-founder Eirik Froyland Rime has stressed that Tise has always been striving to make selling and buying fun, easy and inspirational, and he sees eBay as someone who shares this vision.
This acquisition is also conditional on time. The resale business has been growing steadily, and more and more consumers are turning to sell and buy used goods as a product costing and waste management tool. At the same time, the line between social and retail media has been redrawn, with places exploring new forms of integration between community, discovery, and commerce. eBay’s exploration of these new forms demonstrates its reluctance to remain an old-fashioned marketplace and its openness to evolving into something different in the future.
In conclusion, the purchase of Tise underscores a strategic turn for eBay. It is not enough to simply allow viewing and purchasing; modern consumers, especially younger target groups, want to interact, explore, and feel like a part of the chosen platform. Entering into a partnership with Tise, eBay hopes to place social functionality, sustainability, and community-based shopping at the centre of the future of e-commerce. In the event of a successful integration, eBay will not only need to regain relevance among a younger audience, but it will also have the opportunity to establish itself as a frontrunner in the new direction of social resale.
