S9 Ep38 EBAY: Renée Morin, Chief Sustainability Officer - on eBay's fifth annual Recommerce Report, where recommerce has been and where it's headed next.

On today's show, we're chatting with Renée Morin, Chief Sustainability Officer at eBay. eBay has been in the resale game since 1995 – long before 'recommerce' was even a term. Today, as Chief Sustainability Officer, Renée leads eBay's environmental programs and sustainability strategy.

In this episode, Renée shares her journey from being the kid who petitioned her school to stop using styrofoam plates to leading sustainability efforts at one of the world's largest recommerce platforms. She shares how her time in the Peace Corps brought environmental concerns into sharp focus, and how she found her way to the perfect career at the intersection of sustainability and business at eBay.

Plus, she breaks down eBay's fifth annual Recommerce Report, which has just been released – revealing that nine in ten consumers plan to maintain or increase their secondhand spending, with Gen Z leading the charge. 

We dive into how tech is revolutionizing the search and listing experience, why Renée thinks "thrill of the find" is replacing "thrill of the hunt," and what policy changes could accelerate the circular economy. It's an eye-opening conversation about where recommerce has been and where it's headed next, so let's dive right in!

DISCUSSED IN THE EPISODE:

• eBay's 2025 Recommerce Report
• [3:24] Renée grew up thrifting and crafting with her mom.
• [5:39] How her time in the Peace Corps brought environmental concerns into sharp focus.
• [12:45] Where the recommerce space is going next, headed into 2026.
• [16:24] In 2025, shopping secondhand is officially mainstream.
• [23:27] Why buyers and sellers consider themselves part of a recommerce community.
• [31:08] 78% of consumers globally (82% in the U.S.) are more likely to purchase a secondhand gift this year compared to last.
• [32:57]  What policy changes could accelerate the circular economy.
• [37:40] Why eBay brings sellers to Capitol Hill 
• [40:28] Why fashion might be the gateway into recommerce, but it's expanding to all categories.
• [42:53] The special secondhand pieces in Renée's closet

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