Europe’s Resale King Is Dressed for IPO 👑

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🧠 Big Story: 
Europe’s Resale King Is Dressed for IPO 👑

📊 Key Data:
Top ecommerce markets

📖 Ecommerce players news:
🇺🇸 OpenAI’s ChatGPT Adds Shopping to Rival Google Search.
🇺🇸 Temu Stops Direct China Shipments Due to Tariffs.
🇺🇸 Shein Faces Tariff Hit on $38B Revenue.
🇫🇷 France Targets Temu, Shein with Duty Crackdown.
🇺🇸 Instacart Buys Wynshop to Boost Grocery Tools.
🇬🇧 DoorDash Offers £2.7B to Buy Deliveroo.

+ over 15 handpicked hot ecommerce news from the last week you need to know 🔥

Don’t gate! Let’s make the e-commerce world a little smarter. Together.

Europe’s Resale King Is Dressed for IPO 👑

The only thing second-hand about Vinted is the inventory. In a market where rivals hemorrhage cash and greenwash their way through PR, Vinted is stacking profits, expanding fast, and now eyeing the IPO runway. Europe’s Resale King Is Dressed for IPO (if they decide to) and it’s wearing bespoke margins.

Vinted Doubles Down on Profits 💸

Vinted’s 2024 was runway-worthy. Revenue jumped 36% to €813M, while profit ballooned 330% to €77M. EBITDA nearly doubled to €159M, boosting margins from 13% to 20%. Not bad for a platform once known just for swapping old jeans.

How? Three growth engines. One: core marketplace expansion—new countries (Croatia, Greece, Ireland) and fresh categories like electronics and luxury fashion. Two: Vinted Go, its logistics arm, is scaling lockers and drop-off points into Spain and Portugal. Three: Vinted Pay just launched in Lithuania, greasing the wheels of second-hand transactions.

Oh, and they launched a VC arm—Vinted Ventures—to fund the re-commerce future. With a secondary share sale at a €5B valuation and a 19% headcount boost (now 2.2K people), Vinted isn’t playing small. They're not just selling used clothes—they’re building the second-hand empire Europe didn’t know it needed.

Vinted Stands Alone in the Black 💰

While resale rivals are stuck in the red, Vinted is cashing in.

• The RealReal lost €118M,

• ThredUp dropped €68M,

• Depop bled €57M in 2023.

• Vinted? It pocketed €76M in profit on €811M revenue.

That’s not just survival—it’s dominance. As second-hand demand rises, Vinted proves it’s more than a trend—it’s a business model that actually works. And while Gen Z voices concern about fast fashion, Shein still ranks third globally by market share. Vinted may lead the ethics narrative, but shoppers are still swiping both ways.

Vinted Gets SaaS-Level Valuation 🧮

It’s not software, but investors are pricing it like it is. Vinted’s €5B valuation puts it at 6.1x revenue and a hefty 31.5x EBITDA—well above marketplace norms of 1.9x and 11.4x. Why? It’s rare air: nearly €1B in revenue, 20% margins, and consistent profitability.

In a market where comps like Poshmark were sold off at 3.4x revenue and never hit profit, Vinted looks like a unicorn dressed in second-hand denim. It’s running a resale platform with the predictability (and profitability) of a SaaS business—just without the subscriptions.

Second-Hand, First-Class for the Planet 🌍

Back in 2021, Vinted was a climate darling—reporting a net savings of 453K tons of CO₂. Despite emissions from delivery (282K tons), packaging (9K), and operations (3K), the platform avoided 748K tons by displacing new item purchases. Each resale saved 1.8 kg CO₂e, with 73% of deliveries via low-emission PUDO points and 62% of packaging reused.

Vinted has developed own methodology to show it… but was it just sustainable PR?

Vinted’s Carbon Closet Swings Open ♨️

Fast-forward to 2023, and in the same impact report you won’t find same chart. We did our own back of the envelope calculation to see the Net Emissions…. and it seems that it is actually positive, hitting +120K tons CO₂e!

The main culprit? Delivery emissions soared to 733K tons as better data exposed longer routes and fewer items per shipment. Emissions per delivery jumped from 1.3 to 1.6 kg. Circular resale still saved 679K tons, but it wasn’t enough to offset the footprint of scaling logistics. The resale revolution is real… but now it has a carbon bill to settle? Still this is light years away from Shein net impact.

TOP Ecommerce markets

China now leads the world in eCommerce penetration.

(Yes, even ahead of the United States)

Let’s break it down:

1. The rivalry continues—but this time, China is in the lead
   ↳ 27.8% of total retail comes from eCommerce
   ↳ The U.S. and UK sit just behind at 26.7%

2. High online share = high digital maturity
   ↳ It’s not just about revenue
   ↳ It’s about infrastructure, payments, and trust

3. Europe shows strength in numbers
   ↳ 7 of the top 10 markets are European
   ↳ The UK, Netherlands, Germany… they’re all in the mix

4. Northern Europe stands out
   ↳ Advanced tech and deeply integrated marketplaces
   ↳ But smaller economies still have room for rapid growth

5. India plays by different rules
   ↳ Just 4.0% of total sales are online
   ↳ Yet it's the 4th largest eCom market globally

Here’s the big picture:

Online penetration isn’t just a stat—it’s a signal.

It tells you which markets are digitally mature.
Which ones are evolving fast.
And where the next big growth curve might start.

The Trump-Zelensk mining deal

Here’s what the new deal includes:

🔹 A 50/50 Reconstruction Investment Fund
→ Joint US-Ukraine control.
→ Kyiv diverts 50% of new extraction license revenue.
→ US may contribute... but isn’t required to.

🔹 Ukraine retains full control over its natural resources
→ Kyiv decides what to extract, where, and when.
→ No foreign takeover of state-owned mining.

🔹 Recognition of Ukraine’s EU ambitions
→ Deal won’t block EU membership.
→ Both sides agree to revisit if needed.

But here’s what’s missing:

⛔ No repayment for past US military assistance
→ Trump’s first draft demanded $500B back. It’s gone.

⛔ No anti-corruption or transparency measures
→ Either an oversight... or an intentional omission.

⛔ No new US security guarantees
→ Still a hard “no” from Trump.

More at 👉 internationalintrigue

How tariffs reshape global competition for businesses.

Created by McKinsey, this piece outlines a matrix showing how tariffs influence company strategy based on customer demand and competitive positioning. It's a practical tool for navigating rising trade barriers. 👉 McKinsey & Company

🇺🇸 OpenAI’s ChatGPT Adds Shopping to Rival Google Search. OpenAI launched shopping features for ChatGPT on April 28, 2025, with product recommendations and purchase links, handling 1B+ searches last week. Sam Altman eyes ad-free model with future affiliate fees, competing with Google. 👉 TechCrunch

🇺🇸 Temu Stops Direct China Shipments Due to Tariffs. Temu halted U.S. shipments from China on May 2, 2025, after the $800 de minimis tariff rule ended, adding 130-150% import charges. It now uses U.S. warehouses and recruits local sellers to keep prices low. 👉 CNBC

🇺🇸 Amazon Denies Tariff Price Display After Trump Criticism. Amazon scrapped plans to show tariff effects on April 30, 2025, after Trump’s 145% China tariff backlash, despite a $1M inauguration fund gift. Jeff Bezos was praised by Trump, with spokesperson Tim Doyle confirming no changes. 👉 DW

🇺🇸 Walmart, Target Resume China Orders Amid Tariffs. Walmart and Target restarted Chinese supplier orders in April 2025 after pausing due to 145% U.S. tariffs, risking 18M Chinese jobs. Retailers warned Trump of empty shelves, with no U.S.-China trade talks planned. 👉 CNN

🇺🇸 Amazon Plans Prime Day in July Despite Tariffs. Amazon’s Prime Day, set for July 2025, will show tariff costs for Haul products, after selling 200M+ items last year. The White House called it “hostile,” while 60% of sales come from small businesses, with Saks curating luxury. 👉 TechCrunch

🇯🇵 TikTok to Launch E-commerce in Japan for Growth. TikTok will start TikTok Shop in Japan within months, announced April 26, 2025, to diversify from the U.S. amid ban risks. It aims to recruit sellers to tap Japan’s online shopping trend for global expansion. 👉 Nikkei Asia

🇨🇳 Taobao, Ele.me Battle in China’s Instant Retail. Alibaba’s Taobao Flash Buy and Ele.me, with $1.38B subsidies, compete for instant retail, launching nationwide May 6, 2025. Over 3M stores in 50 cities joined, racing against JD.com for fast delivery dominance. 👉 TechNode

🇳🇬 OmniRetail Raises $20M for Africa’s B2B E-commerce. OmniRetail, a Nigerian startup, raised $20M on April 28, 2025, processing $810M in transactions last year, connecting 145 manufacturers. Profitable since 2024, it disburses $12M monthly in credit for 150K+ retailers. 👉 TechCrunch

🇺🇸 Shein Faces Tariff Hit on $38B Revenue. Shein may restructure its US operations due to Trump’s 145% tariffs on Chinese goods, threatening its London IPO. The US, a third of its $38B revenue, faces pressure from the end of an $800 tax break. 👉 Financial Times

🇫🇷 France Targets Temu, Shein with Duty Crackdown. France pushes EU to end €150 duty-free exemption, targeting Temu and Shein’s 1.5B parcels. Half from China, these platforms face stricter safety checks. 👉 Euractiv

🇬🇧 ASOS Uses Diverse Models for Better Fit. ASOS shows clothes on models sized 2 to 14 to cut returns and boost satisfaction. This helps shoppers pick items that match their body type. 👉 Essence

🇩🇪 Platform Group Buys Joli Closet Stake. The Platform Group acquires 50.1% of Joli Closet, a French luxury resale site with 220K products. The deal, set for June 2025, boosts its €750 average order value luxury segment. 👉 FashionUnited

🇺🇸 Amazon, Saks Launch Luxury Storefront. Amazon and Saks Fifth Avenue start “Luxury Stores” with brands like Balmain, tied to a $2.65B Neiman Marcus deal. It’s Amazon’s latest luxury push since 2020. 👉 Retail Dive

🇬🇧 Shein’s London IPO Paused by Tariffs. Shein halts its $66B-valued London IPO due to Trump’s 145% tariffs and $800 tax break loss. It dropped two UK PR firms amid supply chain scrutiny. 👉 Retail Gazette

🇺🇸 Instacart Buys Wynshop to Boost Grocery Tools. Instacart acquired Wynshop on May 1, 2025, to improve online tools for grocers like Wakefern. Wynshop will stay independent while its tech joins Instacart’s platform, with no deal value shared. 👉 TechCrunch

🇬🇧 DoorDash Offers £2.7B to Buy Deliveroo. DoorDash bid £2.7B ($3.6B) for Deliveroo on April 5, 2025, with a May 23 deadline. Deliveroo’s CEO Will Shu advises no shareholder action yet as talks continue. 👉 Campaign Asia

🇪🇺 Just Eat Tests In-Car Ordering Apps. Just Eat Takeaway.com is set to launch in-car ordering in Europe by mid-2024 with an unnamed carmaker. The app lets drivers order when stopped, tapping a market growing 15% yearly. 👉 Pymnts

🇨🇳 JD.com to Hire 100K Couriers for Delivery. JD.com’s food delivery arm will hire 100K couriers across 130+ Chinese cities, starting April 28, 2025. New hires get 5K yuan ($690) monthly and benefits like insurance. 👉 Technode

🇷🇴 Wolt Launches in 35 Romanian Cities. Wolt starts operations in Romania across 35 cities in May 2025, after buying Tazz. It supports €19B in economic activity and serves 30+ countries. 👉 MoneyBuzz

🇮🇳 Zomato Ends 15-Minute Delivery Service. Zomato shut down its Zomato Quick service on May 1, 2025, due to profitability issues, says CEO Deepinder Goyal. Launched in January, it struggled with restaurant density. 👉 CNBCTV18

🇮🇳 Swiggy’s Bolt Hits 500+ Cities. Swiggy expanded its 10-minute Bolt delivery to 500+ cities by May 2, 2025, handling 10% of food orders. CEO Rohit Kapoor says it fits fast-paced lifestyles. 👉 Business Standard

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