Opinion

Second-hand shopping easier than ever before? I have tested marko.ch

18.12.2023

Translation: machine translated

Switzerland has a new second-hand platform. And it wants to make buying and selling secondhand clothes, furnishings and electronic gadgets child's play thanks to AI and a deal with the post office.

Browsing through second-hand and vintage clothing, filtering out the coolest pieces and finally getting hold of something that probably hardly anyone else but me will wear is one of my greatest passions. Both offline and online. I love going through my own wardrobe almost as much, which makes me nervous when it threatens to get too full. That's why I regularly sort out and send these pieces on their journey to the second, third or fourth hand.

So it's clear that I was snapped out of my absent-minded scrolling when the first brightly coloured ad from marko.ch popped up on Instagram. A new second-hand platform in Switzerland? Easy shipping? Yes, please!

"We wanted to make noise with our campaign. 'Excite Gen Z, piss off Boomers' was in our briefing. We really want to target young people," marko co-founder Alexander Sutter will soon explain to me in his office in Zurich's Kreis 5 district. Now, I'm neither Gen Z (too old) nor a boomer (too young), but simply a second-hand-loving millennial - but I was still excited.

Not only is shipping very easy - more on that later - but also creating an account and uploading my pictures. I'm a member in no time. Part of the Community.

Shooting the photos takes a little effort, then everything goes very quickly and my account is up and running.
Source: Laura Scholz

That's what makes second-hand shopping so special. In our experience, sustainability is no longer the only factor. For many, it's also about individuality and the Community aspect.

Alexander Sutter

I emailed Alexander Sutter because I wanted to find out more. About what he and his co-founder Luca Mausberg want to achieve with the platform, which went live in September 2023, and what they are doing differently to others. A few days later, I'm sitting in the still small, but fine marko headquarters.

Until now, I've sold my second-hand items via Tutti, Ricardo, Galaxus or Depop, for example. What makes marko different?
Alexander Sutter: We have an integrated AI. As soon as you upload your images, they are analysed and suitable suggestions are made for category, colour and brand. This makes it very easy for you to create an advert, which is usually very tedious. You can also opt for 'marko Easy Shipping' for collection or dispatch.

What exactly does that mean?
We work together with Swiss Post. The moment you sell an item, both an e-mail notification and a letter are sent to you. This should arrive the next day: It contains a ready-made adhesive label with the buyer's address. Gen Z no longer has a printer at home.

I've honestly never had one either. So that plays very much into my hands.
You see. In addition to the label, our marko tab is also in the envelope. You hang it on your letterbox so that the postman or postwoman knows that you have a parcel to take away. So: pack the item you're selling, stick the label on and put it in your milk crate. Attach the marko tab and you're done. That's all you have to do with Easy Shipping.

No printing, no manual writing or sticking - the ready-made label makes shipping very easy.
Source: Laura Scholz

The marko tab is the signal for the post office: There's something to pick up here. — No printing, no manual writing or sticking - the ready-made label makes shipping very easy.
Source: Laura Scholz

I can now say from experience: the system works! I've sold a jacket via marko so far, and the next day the letter arrived with the address label and the marko tab. I didn't have to worry about printing out a dispatch note, finding the buyer's address, writing it down and sticking it on with adhesive tape or running to the nearest post office to post the parcel. Everything is very easy from home. Wrap it up, put the label on it, hang the flap on the letterbox and it's gone. 10 out of 10, gladly again!

My jacket goes on its journey from home in a recycled parcel.
Source: Laura Scholz

What about larger products or even furnishings, which I can also sell with you?Unfortunately, Easy Shipping does not yet work for this. In this case, it's best to choose collection or custom shipping.

Fair enough. What other advantages does marko offer me?
Our focus is clearly on the sellers. After all, they have to put in the effort - getting rid of cool pieces, making an effort to present the items well, etc. At the same time, however, we also offer buyers security and a right of return. As payment is handled by us, it never happens that the product and the money are in the hands of one party at the same time. You only get your product when you have paid and, conversely, you only get your money when you have sent the product.

What does this security cost the sellers and buyers?
We charge the buyer 5 per cent and the seller 1 francs plus 1.9 per cent of the purchase price. If you want to return a purchased item, you will be refunded the full price, excluding shipping. We deliberately don't want to offer this for free so that parcels aren't sent back and forth. After all, this would also jeopardise the sustainability aspect.

Do you have any tips for me on how I can become a particularly successful seller?
There is a little picture guide with tips. But I would say the most important thing is to present your style well. Show the pieces on and in combination with other clothes. As styling inspiration, so to speak. Information about yourself, such as your size, will certainly help to get the best picture. Or you can photograph the pieces on a hanger in front of a neutral background. And very important: be honest. Even if there is a small hole or stain, take a photo of it. That builds trust.

I would say the most important thing is that you present your style well. As styling inspiration, so to speak.

Alexander Sutter

And as a buyer, what is the best thing to look out for?
Better not make any external deals. Then we won't be able to help you afterwards if the parcel doesn't arrive or the product doesn't meet your expectations.

Do you actually like buying second-hand yourself?
Sure, I've lived in the USA and the UK, where the range has been brilliant for a long time. That's why we founded marko; we were still missing a service that was perfectly tailored to Switzerland for second-hand fans.

Thank you for your time and the interview, Alexander.

Cover photo: Laura Scholz

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Laura Scholz

Senior Editor

Laura.Scholz@digitecgalaxus.ch

Always in the mood for good hits, great trips and clinking drinks.

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