UAE's Thriving Resale Market: Is There Room for More Fashion Apps?

In the United Arab Emirates, a quick glance at any fashion-conscious resident's phone will likely reveal multiple second-hand shopping applications, often nestled among popular food delivery and ride-hailing services. The digital landscape mirrors this trend, with sponsored posts on local fashion groups showcasing Vinted-like platforms and hybrid models combining online browsing with physical pop-up events. The UAE's resale market, once primarily reliant on informal channels like WhatsApp and Facebook groups, alongside occasional flea markets, has rapidly transformed into a dynamic retail sector. This shift signifies that pre-loved fashion is no longer considered a secondary option for UAE shoppers.

The proliferation of these platforms has raised questions about market saturation. Randi Comrie, a resale enthusiast who uses several apps, notes, "The amount of companies that have thought that they're the first ones to think of this is a bit concerning." Despite the increasing competition, founders in the space believe there is still significant potential.

Federica Bonnometti, founder of Revyn, observes, "It's definitely become more competitive, but I think that's a sign of how much potential the market has." She recalls a time when the resale market in Dubai felt fragmented, with valuable items languishing in closets while buyers struggled to find them across various informal platforms. Bonnometti's vision for Revyn was to bridge this gap, connecting existing supply with demand more efficiently.

This realization spurred a wave of new ventures. Roanne El Alaili, after years in the fashion and luxury industry, launched &Again, aiming to provide an elegant solution for recirculating the UAE's extensive wardrobes. "We have incredible wardrobes, a huge appetite for fashion and so many hidden treasures waiting to be rediscovered," El Alaili states. "But buying and selling pre-loved still felt unnecessarily complicated and uninspiring."

From a different perspective, Jerome Viricel, a circular economy specialist, co-founded Hiiba in Sharjah. Hiiba operates on a unique model centered around giving and adopting, eliminating pricing and negotiation to reduce the stress often associated with marketplaces. "Hiiba is built around a different behaviour: giving and adopting – no pricing, no negotiation, no 'marketplace stress'," Viricel explains. The platform uses an Eco Rewards system to encourage reuse, aiming to make it a more habitual and effortless practice.

The variety of these approaches highlights the diverse nature of the secondhand category. However, for consumers like Comrie, the growing number of apps can lead to customer diffusion rather than strong loyalty. "It does feel like every other week there's like a new secondhand app that's been launched," she says. "I do think that it diffuses customers rather than building any strong customer loyalty."

Founders acknowledge the fragmentation concern. El Alaili remains optimistic, stating, "I don't think anyone has fully cracked the market yet, and that's what makes it so exciting." She emphasizes the collaborative effort in building a young ecosystem where different platforms contribute to raising awareness and normalizing second-hand fashion. Citing Europe's established resale culture as an example, El Alaili sees immense potential for the UAE.

Bonnometti agrees, viewing the UAE market as being in its early stages. "The UAE has an incredibly strong fashion market, a very international population and a huge amount of fashion already circulating in people's wardrobes. The opportunity is to create more places to buy and sell, and to make resale a more established part of the fashion economy."

The founders identify the primary challenge as shifting consumer habits away from the constant desire to buy new. "It's with the habit of always buying new," says El Alaili. Bonnometti echoes this, stating, "For me, the real competition isn't necessarily another resale business. It's the mindset that buying new is always the default." Viricel adds, "We wish more people saw it less as 'secondhand shopping' and more as 'keeping useful things useful.'"

Platforms that incorporate physical touchpoints, such as pop-ups and community events, appear to be gaining traction. These events attract consumers who might not typically browse resale apps and help build essential trust. Comrie finds the hybrid approach beneficial, noting that "giving people opportunity to test the waters a little bit in physical spaces is a nice bridge."

El Alaili, who hosts pop-ups at Gooder in Alserkal Avenue, highlights the importance of tactile experiences in fashion. "Fashion is incredibly tactile and emotional," she says. "People love touching fabrics, trying things on, discovering unexpected pieces and connecting with others who share their style." The integration of physical and digital retail is seen as the future, with several platforms planning physical expansions.

Bonnometti views pop-ups and events as complementary to their digital platforms. The sector continues its growth trajectory, with founders actively cultivating a second-hand culture in a fashion-forward city. El Alaili believes the Middle East can forge its own unique circular fashion ecosystem. "We're only scratching the surface," she concludes.