In a novel bid to lower the environmental impact of its products, outdoor-gear maker Patagonia is telling its customers to "Buy less, buy used." To make it easier for them to do so, the Ventura, Calif.–based outfitter set up an online marketplace in collaboration with eBay.
The tie-up marks a first for eBay, as the auction site's first-ever venture where its listings are available via another company's web presence. Used goods can be listed on either site show up at both.
An auction function may not sound revolutionary in the retail world, but Patagonia's broader agenda here is an unorthodox, perhaps even radical, act for the fashion industry.
Indeed, unveiled in New York last night, against the backdrop of fashion week -- that annual blitzkrieg of "toss those togs from last season, here's what to buy now" -- Patagonia's program points in the opposite direction.
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