Want to expand your e-commerce business and reach new customers? Find out how to sell on BackMarket to maximize your success by exploiting the marketplace’s unique opportunities, and our tips for growing your business on the platform. We give you THE guide to selling on BackMarket.
BackMarket stands out as one of the best-known platforms for reselling refurbished products. Since its creation in 2014, this French marketplace has experienced phenomenal growth, and is now used all over the world, including in the United States.
However, selling on BackMarket can be difficult, as there are many selection criteria to meet. In this article, discover the different steps involved in selling on this marketplace, its advantages and some tips for maximizing your logistics KPIs.
BackMarket: What is it?
BackMarket is a French platform dedicated to the sale of refurbished electronic and electrical products. These include smartphones, computers and tablets, as well as household appliances, a category that is increasingly developing on this platform. As a marketplace, it puts private individuals in touch with refurbishing professionals, guaranteeing products of impeccable quality.
It has quickly established itself as a key figure in the world of alternative consumption, particularly in the fields of electronics, high-tech and household appliances.
BackMarket gives you the opportunity to offer appliances that are not only durable, but also meticulously refurbished by qualified experts to give them a second life.
What makes Back Market so special is its diversified offering, bringing together appliances from a variety of sources: second-hand equipment recycled by professional reconditioners, products from second-hand stores, cash converters and hypermarket returns.
If you’re interested in BackMarket, here are a few things to consider: access to the platform requires a monthly subscription of €50 . What’s more, a 10% commission is charged for each sale made, regardless of the nature of the product sold.
As you can imagine, one of Back Market’s major strengths is its rigorous verification process. Thanks to a demanding quality charter, only the best reconditioners have the privilege of selling on the site. This process guarantees that every appliance offered for sale has been thoroughly tested and restored to optimal working order.
We’re going to give you the keys to selling successfully on this platform, which has a very powerful algorithm based on selective criteria.
What are the steps involved in selling on BackMarket, and what are our tips?
Are you planning to sell on BackMarket, the essential marketplace for refurbished products? To ensure a successful presence on this platform, here are the key steps:
Regulatory audit: Are you legally ready?
First and foremost, make sure you comply with the legal basics. To do business on BackMarket, you need to be duly registered with the RCS des entreprises and meet your VAT obligations. Once you’ve fulfilled these regulatory requirements, you’ll be able to meet the marketplace’s specific conditions.
The “Back Label” route: Your guarantee of quality
Going through the Back Label is a crucial step. This rigorous selection process, set up by BackMarket, assesses your compliance with legal prerequisites, and focuses above all on your quality standards.
Expect to answer a series of detailed questions about the product (appearance, features, accessories, etc.) and your service (delivery time, quality of after-sales service, etc.).
It’s important to note that only 1 in 3 sellers has passed this filter. And even after that, BackMarket’s vigilance remains important. In fact, the platform continues to evaluate your processes thanks to customer feedback and opinions.
It doesn’t hesitate to use fake orders to check the quality of the offer you are making to the platform’s users, and to make sure that everything is up to their standards.
Product Strategy : From Buy Box to Presentation
The “buy box” is BackMarket’s Holy Grail. It determines which offer is highlighted on a product page. To obtain it, align yourself with BackMarket’s recommendations and adjust your offers accordingly.
In addition, be meticulous in the presentation of your products. Clearly define the warranty, usually at least 6 months, and personalize your ads to offer potential customers all the necessary details, such as accessories included or not.
Pricing strategy: Play the value-for-money game
BackMarket’s success is undoubtedly due to its excellent value for money.
Here are our tips to help you get there:
- Product condition assessment : BackMarket offers different categories, from “Stallone”, where the product is the most deteriorated, to “Like new”, which means that the product shows no signs of wear or defects. It’s up to you to classify your product correctly, as the price varies according to this classification.
- Competitor price analysis: Once you’ve determined the product’s status, analyze the prices charged by other sellers for a similar category, so you can offer prices that match what’s already available on the platform.
- Setting your price: As a general rule, your price should not exceed the lowest amount offered for similar products. However, keep in mind that your price should reflect the quality of your product.
Our best advice? Offer products in perfect or near-perfect condition, but at a lower price than the competition, to be sure of selling your products.
Understanding the “Security Deposit” mechanism
BackMarket requires a security deposit to protect itself against potential problems. This is a crucial security measure, both for the platform and for sellers.
When you start out as a seller on BackMarket, you’ll be asked to pay this deposit, which will be retained by the platform – a form of security. This sum is not a mere administrative formality; it has direct practical implications for your business activity.
In the event of a refund to a buyer, whether for a product problem or delivery failure, and if your current revenue on the platform is not sufficient to cover this refund, BackMarket will then use this deposit to pay the amount due.
It’s essential to understand that this deposit is not a lost cost, but rather a form of guarantee. In the normal course of your operations, as long as you respect the sales conditions and transactions run smoothly, this deposit remains intact. It serves only as a safety net, for you and for BackMarket, in exceptional situations.
This mechanism also serves to maintain high standards among vendors. By having a financial guarantee at stake, sellers are encouraged to scrupulously adhere to BackMarket’s quality and service standards. This contributes to the marketplace’s reputation as a reliable place to buy quality refurbished products.
Finally, it’s important to bear in mind that this security deposit is a standard feature of online marketplaces, especially those dealing with refurbished products. It’s a common practice that protects the interests of consumers, the platform and the sellers themselves.
Understanding BackMarket’s Algorithm to Optimize Your Sales
An in-depth understanding of BackMarket’s algorithm is crucial to optimizing your sales. This algorithm favors not only value for money, but also other factors such as customer reviews, speed of delivery and quality of after-sales service. To make the most of this algorithm, focus on continuous improvement in these areas.
An effective strategy can include actively collecting positive customer reviews, ensuring fast and reliable delivery logistics, and providing responsive and helpful customer service.
With all these steps in mind, your launch on BackMarket can only be a success. You’ve got the keys to knowing how to position yourself on this marketplace against your competitors in terms of price and legislation. Once all these steps have been taken into account and you’ve met the marketplace’s criteria, you’ll enjoy a host of advantages in being present on BackMarket.
The benefits of BackMarket for your refurbished sales
The emergence of the refurbished business is undeniable, and among the platforms available, BackMarket stands out for several notable advantages. If you’re a merchant looking to sell on this thriving marketplace, here are the various advantages it offers:
1. A global presence: in just a few years, BackMarket has expanded its influence not only in Europe, but also in the United States. Its footprint in the refurbishing world enables it to claim tens of millions of visitors every month, allowing you to reach a wider audience without investing heavily in marketing.
2. Quality-based visibility: where many platforms focus on volume-driven algorithms, BackMarket emphasizes quality. Thanks to their unique approach, if your offer offers excellent value for money, it will benefit from greater visibility. However, such a model requires constant vigilance to maintain and improve product quality.
3. Clear, transparent pricing: one of BackMarket’s greatest strengths is its simplicity when it comes to pricing. Unlike other marketplaces with complex, variable pricing structures, BackMarket takes a straightforward approach: a fixed commission and a single subscription fee. This clarity allows you to accurately forecast your expenses.
4. Strategic information to optimize your sales: the platform offers you valuable insights, from information on current trends to the most profitable niches.
5. A comprehensive logistics offering: logistics can be a challenge, especially if you operate on a large scale. BackMarket understands this and offers a range of services to simplify this crucial step. Whether it’s shipping, multilingual customer service management or product storage and dispatch, everything is designed to make your business easier.
When you choose BackMarket, you’re partnering with a platform that not only has a strong reputation, but is also resolutely forward-looking. It offers a host of advantages that can propel your refurbished business to new heights.
Sell on BackMarket with Shippingbo
Your success on BackMarket will depend on your preparation, your understanding of the platform and your ability to adapt to the demands of the refurbished market. By following the tips and strategies outlined in this guide, and using tools like Shippingbo to optimize your logistics, you’ll ideally position your business to maximize sales on this dynamic and fast-growing marketplace. For sellers looking to diversify their online presence, our guide to Marketplace France can help you explore other lucrative platforms.
Shippingbo OMS has integrations with over 120 sales channels, including BackMarket. This will enable you to manage your orders and inventory in a unified way, optimize order picking and ship all your orders the same day. If you’re looking to expand your sales on other popular marketplaces, consider selling on Veepee to access an audience targeting event sales, or selling on the Cdiscount marketplace to reach a wide audience in various product categories.
Don’t wait any longer – find out how Shippingbo can optimize your sales on BackMarket!
