Swiss Secondhand Platforms at a Glance

Secondhand is booming - but not in just one way. In Switzerland, there are several platforms, including Ricardo, Depop, Marko, Circlin and tutti, all aiming to give pre-owned items a second life. While the goal may sound similar, the way these platforms work in practice differs significantly. Some feel like classic marketplaces, others like social networks - and some more like a feed of short videos.

The key question therefore isn't "Which platform is the best?" but rather: Which platform fits the way you want to buy or sell? That's exactly what this overview is about.

The Most Relevant Secondhand Platforms in Switzerland

Among the best-known and most widely used secondhand platforms in Switzerland are Ricardo, Depop and Marko. Circlin is a recent market entry and positions itself with a different approach within the existing landscape. The platforms differ less in popularity than in how they are used and experienced.

• Depop is an international, social-first platform with a strong focus on fashion, style and community. Many sellers are based abroad.
• Ricardo is an established Swiss online marketplace with auctions and instant-buy options, covering far more than just fashion.
• Marko positions itself as a mobile-first secondhand platform with integrated purchasing, payment and shipping.
• Circlin follows a video-first approach and aims to make the selling process as simple and efficient as possible for sellers.

tutti is not part of this direct comparison. As a free classifieds platform without integrated payment or protection mechanisms, it follows a fundamentally different logic than the secondhand marketplaces discussed here.

All four platforms work - but they feel very different to use.

Listing Items: How Much Effort Does Selling Take?

For many people, secondhand doesn't fail because of a lack of intention, but because of the effort involved. Taking photos, writing descriptions, entering details, answering questions - this is often where listings lose momentum.

Traditional platforms rely on text and images. The rule is simple: the more precise the listing, the fewer follow-up questions later. On social-first platforms like Depop, visual presentation and personal style play an even bigger role.

Circlin takes a different approach. Listings start with a video. Condition, material, fit or small flaws are immediately visible. In addition, the video captures not only visual but also audio information: sellers can verbally describe product details, which are automatically incorporated into the listing. An AI extracts relevant information from both image and sound and fills in the product details. This reduces manual input, minimizes follow-up questions and lowers the overall effort for sellers - especially when listing multiple items.

In short: the more a listing shows and explains upfront, the less work comes later.

Buying: How Different Secondhand Can Feel

The buying experience also varies significantly across platforms.

On Ricardo, price comparison often takes center stage - frequently through auctions. Depop is more about discovery, scrolling and following specific styles. Marko combines classic browsing with a clearly structured checkout process.

Video-based listings, as used on Circlin, change how items are perceived. Buyers see products in motion. Details that are hard to capture in photos become clearer much faster. This can build trust without lengthy back-and-forth messages - especially when you're still browsing or unsure. The Secondhand Shopping Tips address exactly these kinds of questions.

Safety & Buyer Protection

In general, platforms are considered safer when payment, shipping and dispute resolution are handled directly within the platform. The more integrated these processes are, the less buyers have to organize themselves if something goes wrong.

Marko uses platform-based payment processing with protection mechanisms, where payments are released only after successful completion. Circlin integrates buyer protection directly into the payment flow and uses an escrow model, holding funds until the transaction is completed.

On Depop, buyer protection is not fully integrated platform-wide, as the platform integrates only with PayPal in Switzerland. Ricardo offers its own buyer protection and dispute rules, but does not operate with a classic escrow model.

The clearer these differences are, the easier it is to decide which platform is suitable for which purchase - especially for higher-priced items.

Fees & Earnings: Who Pays for What?

A common question is: Which platforms offer free listings for secondhand clothing? The short answer: many do.

The main differences appear once a transaction is successful. Some platforms charge sellers a sales fee, while others split fees between buyers and sellers. Circlin does not charge sellers a selling fee and shifts transaction and buyer protection costs to buyers. Optional services such as boosts only apply when an item is actually sold.

This fee logic influences how attractive it is to list multiple items - and how much sellers ultimately keep.

Speed & Everyday Usability

In everyday life, it's often not the principle that matters, but the feeling: How fast is an item online? How much coordination is required? Does it fit between university, work and free time?

Ricardo is particularly suitable when reach and market mechanics are the priority. Depop excels in community, style and discovery. Marko focuses on a clearly guided, structured flow. Circlin aligns with social media habits and transfers them to the selling process: record, let it be described, publish.

The closer a platform is to existing user habits, the more likely it is that items will actually be resold instead of staying unused.

Which Platform Fits Which Type?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer - but there are clear patterns:

• You want to compare prices, bid or reach a broad audience → classic marketplace logic like Ricardo.
• You want to show style, discover looks and get inspired → Depop.
• You want to buy and sell quickly with minimal setup → Marko.
• You want to list multiple items efficiently, feel inspired and be part of a growing community → Circlin with its video-first approach.

Secondhand works best when the platform fits how you actually want to use it - not the other way around.

Platforms Compared at a Glance

Platform	Core Focus	Listing	Buying Experience	Payment & Protection Logic	Typical Use Case
Ricardo	Classic marketplace	Text & photos, auctions possible	Price comparison, bidding	Own buyer protection rules, no escrow model	Reach & market mechanics
Depop	Social fashion & community	Photos, strongly community-driven	Scrolling, discovering, following	Protection depends on payment provider (not fully integrated in CH)	Inspiration & self-expression
Marko	Mobile secondhand	Classic listings	Guided checkout	Platform-based payments with protection mechanisms	Fast transactions
Circlin	Video-first & community	Video + audio, AI-supported	Seeing, experiencing, discovering	Integrated escrow payment with buyer protection	Efficient & inspired selling

In Closing

Today, secondhand is less about conviction and more about habit. Platforms shape how easy or frustrating it feels to pass things on in everyday life. When buying and selling are intuitive, show rather than explain, and feel natural, fewer items stay unused - and more actually find their way back into circulation.

Trademark notice: The Ricardo logo is owned by Ricardo AG. The Depop logo is owned by Depop Limited. The marko logo is owned by Marko Switzerland AG. All trademarks and logos belong to their respective owners and are used for identification purposes only; no affiliation or endorsement is implied.