Xupes
Xupes is a UK-based, privately held retailer founded in 2009 that sells authenticated pre-owned luxury handbags, jewellery, and accessories through a global e-commerce platform, a Hertfordshire showroom, and virtual appointments, serving affluent buyers, collectors, and individual sellers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersBishops Stortford, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Xupes does
Xupes is a UK-based retailer of authenticated pre-owned luxury goods, founded in 2009 and operating from a converted 17th-century barn showroom in Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire. Its catalogue covers pre-loved handbags (Hermès Birkin and Kelly, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Saint Laurent, Fendi), fine and fashion jewellery (Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Bulgari, Hermès, Chopard), and accessories, typically holding 500+ items at any time across price points from roughly £300 to over £149,999. The company also offers consignment, outright purchase, part-exchange, and specialist sourcing services for buyers and sellers.
The platform is built around an e-commerce storefront (supporting GBP, EUR, and USD with global express delivery) complemented by appointment-based in-person and virtual viewings. Authentication is delivered through a five-point in-house process augmented by AI and machine-learning models that analyse microscopic images of materials, branding, and hardware against a proprietary database of millions of archived items. Purchases are backed by a money-back authenticity guarantee and an industry-leading 30-day returns policy. Distribution is supported by content marketing, SEO, press coverage, and a Channel 4 documentary feature.
Xupes monetises through one-off product sales with unit-based pricing, plus consignment and part-exchange transactions that generate commission or trade-in economics. It serves three primary personas: luxury goods buyers seeking authenticated pre-owned items at sub-retail prices, collectors sourcing rare Hermès, Chanel, and limited-edition pieces, and individual sellers using consignment or part-exchange services. The company is privately held, with a single disclosed 2017 funding round from Downing Ventures of approximately $3.75M and no reported institutional backers since.
Xupes firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Xupes
- Legal name
- Xupes
- Website
- https://xupes.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Xupes is a UK-based, privately held retailer founded in 2009 that sells authenticated pre-owned luxury handbags, jewellery, and accessories through a global e-commerce platform, a Hertfordshire showroom, and virtual appointments, serving affluent buyers, collectors, and individual sellers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Xupes industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Pre-Owned Luxury Resale
- NAICS
- Jewelry, Luggage, and Leather Goods Retailers (4583), Used Merchandise Retailers (459510), Luggage and Leather Goods Retailers (45832)
- SIC
- Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Retail-Jewelry Stores (5944)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Authenticated Luxury Resale Marketplaces (CRAKAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Luxury Consignment Boutiques (Online/Offline) (CRAKAKAE), Luxury Leather Goods & Handbags (CRAKAFAB), Leather Travel Goods & Luggage (CRAKAEAC)
Keywords
Where Xupes is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bishops Stortford
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Xupes business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Product Sales: Xupes earns margin on the sale of authenticated pre-loved luxury handbags, jewellery, and accessories purchased through their e-commerce platform or in-store.
- Consignment: Xupes handles the sale of items on behalf of sellers, deducting their commission once the item sells. They cover professional photography, marketing, and insurance with no upfront costs to sellers.
- Part-Exchange: Customers trade in pre-loved items for credit towards pieces from Xupes' current collection, enabling them to upgrade their luxury collections.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Individual product pricing - no tiered model |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Xupes product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Xupes buys, authenticates, and resells pre-owned luxury handbags, jewellery, and accessories from prestigious designer brands such as Hermès, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Cartier, and Tiffany & Co. The company supplements its retail catalog with consignment, part-exchange, outright purchase, specialist sourcing, and virtual viewing services, operating through a proprietary e-commerce site and a single Hertfordshire showroom.
Product overview
Xupes operates as a pre-loved luxury goods marketplace offering authenticated second-hand bags, jewellery, and accessories from prestigious luxury brands. The core product portfolio consists of three main categories: pre-loved luxury bags (including Hermès Birkin and Kelly, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Gucci), pre-loved luxury jewellery (Cartier, Tiffany & Co., Bulgari, Chanel, Hermès), and pre-loved luxury accessories. The company supplements its retail offering with service products including consignment, part-exchange, and outright sale services for sellers, plus specialist sourcing services for customers seeking specific items not in inventory. All items are authenticated through a five-point in-house process that includes AI-powered verification, and purchases are backed by a 30-day return policy and money-back authenticity guarantee.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Pre-Loved Luxury Bags
Quantifiable outcome
- Money-back authenticity guarantee on all purchases
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Xupes
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Xupes technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
AI capability2 records
Feature2 records
Xupes partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Xupes competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Vestiaire Collective: Vestiaire Collective is a global authenticated luxury resale marketplace offering pre-owned designer fashion, bags, jewellery, and accessories. It is the most direct global comparable to Xupes, operating at much larger scale with a similar authenticity-gated marketplace model.
- The RealReal: The RealReal is the largest US-based authenticated luxury consignment marketplace covering bags, jewellery, watches, and fashion. It mirrors Xupes's authentication-first model and consignment-led supply, and represents the category's scaled benchmark.
- Fashionphile: Fashionphile is a US-focused authenticated pre-owned luxury handbag and accessories resale platform. It competes head-to-head with Xupes in the core handbag category, with a similar emphasis on high-value designer handbags and authentication quality.
- Rebag: Rebag is a US-based authenticated pre-owned luxury handbag specialist offering buy, sell, and trade-in. It is closely comparable to Xupes on the handbag-vertical specialisation and the part-exchange/tra de-in mechanic.
- Watchfinder & Co. Watchfinder (owned by Richemont) is a UK-based authenticated pre-owned luxury watch retailer with both e-commerce and showroom presence. It is a direct comparable on the authenticated pre-owned model and the UK showroom footprint, complementing Xupes's watches category.
- 1stDibs: 1stDibs is a global online marketplace for authenticated luxury including jewellery, watches, and fashion. While broader in category, it overlaps with Xupes on authenticated high-value luxury items and a similar global seller network.
Broad incumbents
- Sotheby's: Sotheby's is a global auction house that sells authenticated luxury jewellery, watches, bags, and art. It is a broader incumbent in the authenticated high-value luxury secondary market, competing for some of the same consignment supply and collector buyers as Xupes.
- Christie's: Christie's is a global auction house operating across jewellery, watches, handbags, and luxury accessories. As a scaled incumbent in authenticated luxury resale, it is comparable on the consignment-supply side and the buyer demographic for high-end pieces.
- Bonhams: Bonhams is a global auction house with strong UK presence and a luxury jewellery and watches secondary market. Comparable to Xupes as a UK-rooted incumbent competing for authenticated luxury consignment supply and affluent collectors.
Regional players
- Collector Square: Collector Square is a Paris-based authenticated pre-owned luxury marketplace specialising in second-hand Hermès, Chanel, and Louis Vuitton bags and accessories. It is a regional comparable to Xupes focused on Continental Europe with a similar authentication-led resale model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Xupes social profiles
Digital presenceXupes financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Xupes leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Xupes funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Xupes M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Xupes
What does Xupes do?
Xupes buys, authenticates, and resells pre-owned luxury handbags, jewellery, and accessories from prestigious designer brands such as Hermès, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Cartier, and Tiffany & Co. The company supplements its retail catalog with consignment, part-exchange, outright purchase, specialist sourcing, and virtual viewing services, operating through a proprietary e-commerce site and a single Hertfordshire showroom.
Is Xupes a public or private company?
Xupes is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Xupes founded?
Xupes was founded in 2009. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Xupes based?
Xupes is headquartered in Bishops Stortford, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Xupes make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Product Sales are the primary driver. The others are consignment and part-Exchange.
Who are Xupes's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Vestiaire Collective, The RealReal, Fashionphile, Rebag, Watchfinder & Co. and 1stDibs. Broad incumbents are Sotheby's, Christie's and Bonhams. Collector Square is listed as a regional player.
Does Xupes have an API?
No public API is recorded for Xupes.
What industry is Xupes in?
Xupes's product category is Pre-Owned Luxury Resale. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAKAKAA, Authenticated Luxury Resale Marketplaces, with a secondary code of CRAKAKAE, Luxury Consignment Boutiques (Online/Offline). Its NAICS code is 4583 and its SIC code is 5600.