Managed vs Peer-to-Peer Platforms
The core operating split in resale, compared.
Managed and peer-to-peer platforms represent the fundamental operating choice in resale. Managed operators take the goods and do the work. Peer-to-peer platforms provide the marketplace and let sellers handle everything themselves.
Managed models control quality and command higher-value supply but carry warehouses, labor, and slower scaling. Peer-to-peer models scale fast and cheaply but sacrifice control over authenticity and condition.
Most large operators now borrow from both, adding managed services onto marketplaces or offering direct selling alongside consignment, chasing the balance of quality, cost, and scale that pure models cannot reach alone.