Influencers and Resellers Profit from Selling Empty Luxury Packaging
Empty boxes and bottles from high-profile brands are being listed on resale platforms for thousands of dollars, driven by creators who use them as props and by collectors seeking original packaging.
Resale sites are filled with vacant packaging from popular franchises and luxury brands, with some items listed for several thousand dollars. The market includes everything from collectible series like Pokémon to high-end goods such as a Bottega Stardust Rosé bottle, a 1980s Rolex Explorer 1016 and a rare Hermes Bolide box. Sellers claim that having the original box can raise the price of a second-hand item, and creators use the containers as visual props to convey affluence on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. eBay hosts more than 160,000 such listings, while Vinted hosts sellers who label boxes as “great for room staging” or “#instagram.”
Influencer-focused set-rental services are reported to be bulk buyers of these empty packages. The practice also aids counterfeit operations that ship fake products in genuine boxes, and some buyers acquire the boxes simply to fabricate a luxurious image online.
Why it matters
It shows how visual branding fuels a niche resale market and influences influencer culture.
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