25 Years of Ricardo: 110 Million Items Sold for Sustainability

Since its establishment in 1999 as an auction platform for new electronics and sports goods, Ricardo has been a pioneer in e-commerce. With 5 million members, Ricardo is now one of Switzerland’s most popular marketplaces for second-hand goods. Over the past 25 years, more than 110 million items have been successfully sold on Ricardo. Currently, nearly 20,000 items are sold daily – equivalent to one sale every 5 seconds. The share of second-hand items has steadily increased over the years and now stands at 71%. This development highlights Ricardo’s commitment to promoting a circular economy and reflects the growing demand among Swiss consumers for sustainable consumption through second-hand goods.

A Digital Hub for the Everyday, Unique, and Quirky
With 3.3 million listings currently available, Ricardo is a vibrant digital hub where second-hand enthusiasts, collectors, athletes, bargain hunters, DIYers, tech lovers, sustainable fashionistas, and parents can find everything they need. Ricardo is not only a marketplace for everyday goods but also a platform for unique and quirky items that are hard to find elsewhere. From Ferraris starting at one franc to entire ski resorts, cufflinks worn by Joe Biden, or even snowmen, Ricardo has hosted many surprising and one-of-a-kind offers since its inception.

Investing in Technology to Boost Circular Economy
Over the past 25 years, Ricardo has been a digital pioneer in Switzerland, consistently investing in new technologies and innovations to make buying and selling as simple and secure as possible. A technological milestone was the launch of the first Ricardo app in 2011, offering easy mobile access to the platform. More recently, the integration of free AI technology marks another milestone, making the user experience even simpler, faster, and more intuitive.

“We proudly look back on 25 years of Ricardo’s success while eagerly looking to the future,” says Francesco Vass, Managing Director of Ricardo. “Our goal is to make sustainable trade as simple and secure as possible for the Swiss population so that it becomes as natural as buying new goods. We will continue investing in new technologies and optimizing our platform to actively strengthen the circular economy in Switzerland.”

Exclusive Charity Auctions as a Thank You for the Anniversary
As a thank-you to its community, Ricardo is supporting a series of exclusive auctions through its RicardoForGood initiative. Starting November 18, 2024, unique fan items and experiences from renowned Swiss personalities like Marco Odermatt, Valtteri Bottas, and the ZSC Lions will be auctioned. Among the items, Ricardo is donating its iconic orange VW T2 bus used at events. All proceeds from these auctions will go to charitable organizations including Pink Ribbon, Save The Children, A Million Dreams, Little Big Hero, myclimate, Bergwaldprojekt, and Pro Natura.