How e-commerce platforms are making it easier for brands to be more sustainable

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How e-commerce platforms are making it easier for brands to be more sustainable

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Published: 12:00am, 4 Nov 2022

[The content of this article has been produced by our advertising partner.]

Consumers are embracing greener shopping options and are demanding brands to build a more sustainable future. New research by Bain & Company found that 90% of consumers in Asia-Pacific are willing to spend a premium on sustainable products - showing brands that sustainability is important. Also, consumers are increasingly moving online, choosing to purchase their goods and services through e-commerce platforms rather than physical stores. To keep up with this shift in consumer demand, online platforms are now helping businesses on the sustainability journey.

Here are three ways e-commerce platforms are making it easier for brands to be more sustainable:

Repurposing pre-owned products

E-commerce companies provide a platform for brands to sell second-hand merchandise in a more streamlined way than through bricks and mortar. Online platforms allow shoppers to more easily and quickly buy second-hand goods, giving them a new life and helping the environment.

An example of this can be seen through integrated marketplace, Idle Fish, which is an e-commerce marketplace specifically for second-hand goods launched by Alibaba in 2014. They offer many tools and resources to help users sell pre-owned products on its platform. These include in-app price estimation as well as free door-to-door pickup, valuation and consignment services for dozens of product categories, including 3C electronics, clothing and collectible figures. Furthermore, the platform offers free door-to-door packing and recycling for clothing items. Since 2017, the platform has received more than 50,000 metric tons of pre-owned clothes, 23.7 million used books, 3.66 million mobile phones and 1.45 million large home appliances.