Peak Design has launched a peer-to-peer online marketplace for shoppers to buy and sell used Peak Design gear, which is guaranteed for life regardless of the owner.
The San Francisco head-quartered brand designs and sells everyday carry solutions for photographers and travelers, from differently sized bags, organizers, and straps, to clips and tripods. The company was founded by Peter Dering, who created a camera carry device Capture, which attracted large support on Kickstarter, and from there on the brand grew into a company that is proudly 100% crowdfunded and employee-owned and offers a variety of products.
To help facilitate buyers’ access to second-hand Peak Design gear, the company has announced the launch of its Peak Design Marketplace, which is a brand-guaranteed online marketplace where customers can buy and sell Peak Design gear. It is currently in its beta version and limited to U.S. customers only, but the brand plans to expand to other countries soon.
Peak Design claims that it has removed the middleman from used gear transactions and has thus created a streamlined customer experience as it directly connects buyers with sellers, which also eliminates unnecessary and wasteful repackaging and additional shipping.
The company explains that “traditional used gear platforms often rely on intermediaries to facilitate transactions and to inspect, certify, repackage and reship gear,” which is a method that “creates inefficiencies and waste, leading to a subpar experience for buyers, sellers, and the planet.”
The company’s mission is heavily linked to reducing its environmental impact, which is explained in detail in its 2020 sustainability report and is also incorporated in its latest online marketplace venture.
“If you make quality products that can have second and third lives, then their footprint on the world is divided by two or three,” the company states.
Equally, Dering is proud to have customers “that are both intelligent and sustainably-minded,” which means that customers are able to complete all aspects of the transaction and, as noted, streamline the process. Also, the brand claims that all sales made on the platform are 100-percent carbon neutral.
The marketplace utilizes a streamlined three-step process to post, ship, and collect payment. The platform automatically adds a flat shipping fee based on the product listed, which is included in the sale price that is shown to buyers while they are browsing. Once a user sells their second-hand product, Peak Design emails the seller a pre-paid shipping label and upon the receipt from the buyer, the seller will then be paid for the transaction.
A seller can choose payment either as cash or as store credit. If a user prefers a cash payment, Peak Design takes a 25% fee which goes towards third-party service Recurate, which maintains the Peak Design Marketplace. If a user chooses a store credit payout, there is no associated fee.
Regardless of how many times a product has been exchanged, Peak says that it is protected by the company’s lifetime product guarantee. Also, both parties have access to Peak Design’s customer support because the brand believes that regardless of how many times the product has changed hands, it doesn’t change how the company fosters the product through its lifespan, giving all of its product users access to customer support if required.
Visit the Peak Design Marketplace to browse currently available items or list a new one.