Buyers will soon be able to purchase products directly from Marktplaats, without contacting the seller

With Buy Direct, Marktplaats users can make a deal for the asking price without communicating with each other. After the purchase, the product is immediately reserved, after which the buyer must complete the transaction via iDeal. The product can then be sent via DHL or PostNL. Only private sellers can use the new feature.

That makes it easier for buyers and sellers, but certainly also for Marktplaats. Since this year, second-hand sales sites such as Marktplaats have to report to the tax authorities who have made additional income through their platforms. This is only possible on the basis of purchases and sales made via our own payment systems. Private payments between buyer and seller outside the platform remain hidden from view. If users opt for the new function en masse, it will become a lot easier for Marktplaats to report their additional income to the tax authorities.

Development into a regular online store

Anyone who wants to use the new function as a buyer must also always pay 5 percent of the purchase amount to Marktplaats as buyer protection. An independent party manages the purchase amount until the buyer has indicated that he has received the product. Only then will the seller receive payment.

The feature is currently in a testing phase. A select number of users have been able to check the option since April 29. In two weeks, the function will also be available to all private users. For enthusiasts who consider negotiations indispensable, bids remain allowed on the platform.

In the Netherlands, Marktplaats is still the largest online trading place in the Netherlands, with around 8 million unique visitors per month. However, with this step, Marktplaats seems to be developing more towards a regular online store. “Dutch consumers have become accustomed to being able to buy something online at the touch of a button,” Marktplaats said in a statement.

Competition from other suppliers of second-hand items may also be a factor, sales of which are currently on the rise. The Lithuanian Vinted made a profit for the first time, it was announced this week. It went from a loss of more than 20 million euros in 2022 to a 17.8 million euro profit last year.