On one hand, Alibaba says that the luxury sector is experiencing a crisis because fakes are better-made. On the other, it states that it wants to activate solutions and strategies to combat the counterfeiting that floods its web sites. And in the middle, we hear the news that Alibaba, the colossal digital company created by billionaire Jack Ma, will open a web site specialising in second-hand luxury accessories. Via its Xianyu web platform, launched in 2014, Alibaba has signed an agreement with the China Certification & Inspection Group Luxury Identification Center, in a bid to guarantee to its customers the authenticity and quality of the second-hand luxury products posted for sale online. According to the Shanghai study centre CBND, this year, the second-hand luxury market in China will be worth 400 billion yuan, equal to 54 billion euro. The China Certification & Inspection Group Luxury Identification Center, based in Beijing, is the very first independent official body with the task of certifying the quality and authenticity of luxury items. (ap)
Alibaba and luxury: now it also wants to sell it second-hand. The business is (obviously) worth billions
