Positive changes always start small
Then they gain traction and grow. First we make a small change. Then you do. And together we’ll make a huge difference for our planet. That’s because whether you mean to or not, you’re making the sustainable choice when you buy and sell on Ricardo.
How? Because Ricardo is your local site for second-hand shopping. Our mission is to join forces with our four million members to make Ricardo the most trusted and convenient marketplace for sustainable shopping. This keeps products in circulation for longer, saves resources and cuts greenhouse gas emissions.
And that puts a smile on our face – and hopefully on yours, too. On Ricardo you can find common as well as unique items that you’ve been wanting for a while at prices you can afford. Got something collecting dust on your shelf? If you sell it, you’ll earn some extra money and make someone’s day. Plus you’ll save another unused item from landfill. That’s what we’re all about.
Do you fit in with our mission? Then join our team!
Our way of doing things
Learn about what makes us socially and environmentally responsible.
First:
We’re going round in circles. But in a good way.
Our motto is ‘secondhand first’ because our business model promotes the circular economy concept and is built around it. ‘Circular economy’ is a catch-all term covering all the ways in which we try – and manage to – keep materials and products in active use for as long as possible.
To support us in our endeavours, we have a select group of partners who – like us – believe in making consumer behaviour more sustainable and seek to achieve this through joint initiatives.
Our initiatives and partners
Secondhand Day
Initiative
National Secondhand Day is an annual campaign in Switzerland to promote sustainable shopping habits. The initiative was launched by us, myclimate, Circular Economy Switzerland and 20 Minuten.
myclimate
Partner
Ricardo and myclimate are natural allies and we’ve teamed up to create fact-based campaigns and make our business climate neutral.
Climathon
Initiative
We were involved in organising the 2021 Geneva Climathon as one of the project’s Challenge Partners. The event saw professionals from all different sectors sketch out creative solutions to fight climate change.
Secondhand first
Initiative
We began taking steps to reduce the number of new items for sale on Ricardo in 2019. As of 2020, one in two listings and around 67% of sales were for pre-loved products. And the trend continues to grow.
CES
Partner
Circular Economy Switzerland (CES) gives us the opportunity to get involved in a network of companies that is working on Switzerland’s transition from a linear economy to a circular one.
Making CO₂ visible
Initiative
Most of the pre-owned products on Ricardo indicate the carbon emissions savings if users chose them instead of buying similar items new.
Second:
We’ve been climate neutral since 2020.
We worked with our partner myclimate to calculate our precise CO₂e* emissions for 2020, which came in at 120 tonnes. Yet our emissions are still net zero – zilch, nada, nothing. How, you ask? Like this:
Step 1:
Calculate
We team up with myclimate every year to work out our CO₂e footprint as a total of our emissions as a business. This data gives us a pretty accurate picture of how much CO₂e we Ricardos and Ricardas emit.
Step 2:
Reduce
Analysing our CO₂e emissions shows us where we still need to do better. That’s why in 2021 we decided to sell our unused office equipment, stop taking business flights whenever possible and encourage staff to work from home to help ease rush-hour traffic.
Step 3:
Offset
We completely offset any CO₂e emissions that we can’t reduce or avoid every year, and this myclimate project in Grisons is currently helping us to do so.
… and back to step 1.
*CO₂ equivalent (CO₂e) is a unit of measurement that is used to standardise the impact of various greenhouse gases on the climate (e.g. nitrous oxide, methane and hydrofluorocarbons). Read more
Third:
We achieve more together.
With our #RicardoForGood initiative, our marketplace gives you the opportunity to bid on unique, personal items from famous people and once-in-a-lifetime experiences with Swiss and international stars – and all for a good cause. Discover #RicardoForGood
Meet & greet with Divertimento
In favour of UNICEF
CHF 3,004 donated
Live showcase Diane Tell
In favour of UNICEF
CHF 1,514 donated
Live showcase Bastian Baker
In favour of UNICEF
CHF 3,551 donated
Meet & greet with Manuela Frey
In favour of Pink Ribbon Schweiz
CHF 1,501 donated
Ski day with Tina Weirather
In favour of UNICEF
CHF 8,000 donated
Private show by Linda Fäh
In favour of Pink Ribbon Schweiz
CHF 2,016 donated
Live showcase The Two
In favour of UNICEF
CHF 754 donated
Dancing with Curtis Burger
In favour of UNICEF
CHF 906 donated
Martina Hingis' tennis racket
In favour of UNICEF
CHF 753 donated
Are there other reasons to join?
Of course! Whether you’re buying, selling, browsing or looking for inspiration, everyone is welcome to become a Ricardo member.
Swiss through and through
We’re Swiss born and bred, so we speak all of our users’ languages. Plus, our customer care team is based locally.
Strict security
Security is our top priority. We’ve made sure your experience with Ricardo is secure from start to finish. You can shop with confidence: our sellers have had their identities verified, and our security team is always active. If something does go wrong, you are covered by our buyer and seller protection.
A bargain-hunter’s paradise
With Ricardo, you can shop for the best deals all year round! There are over 100,000 auctions a day for you to explore, with bids starting from CHF 1. There’s something for everybody!
A treasure trove for collectors
If a collector has a smile on their face, chances are Ricardo was involved. Whether you’re looking to start, expand or complete a collection, you’ll find all sorts of rare and unique items on Ricardo.
No listing fees
Listing items on Ricardo is both fee and risk free. If you make a sale, you pay 9% of the sale price (min. CHF 0.10, max. CHF 190.00). Read more
Thumbs up
The possibilities are endless with the Ricardo app. Browse our listings and find something that brings you joy – all it takes is a swipe of your thumb. Download our app now
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