Indian secondhand luxury startup Ziniosa has secured an undisclosed amount of funding from Inflection Point Ventures (IPV).

The investment will support the company’s efforts to expand its team, enhance technology, increase brand visibility, and establish a physical store.

Founded in 2020 by Ashri Jaiswal and Varun Ramani, Ziniosa facilitates the buying and selling of authenticated secondhand luxury fashion items.

The platform currently features over 10,000 products from brands such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, and Chanel.

Ziniosa operates on a zero-inventory acquisition cost model and reports a year-on-year growth rate of 40%.

India’s secondhand market is estimated at US$3 billion, while the global preloved fashion market is projected to reach US$350 billion by 2027.

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🔗 Source: Ziniosa

🧠 Food for thought

1️⃣ India’s pre-loved luxury market hitting an inflection point amid broader sustainability shift

Ziniosa’s funding comes at a strategic moment as India’s pre-owned luxury market is projected to grow from $555 million in 2022 to $1 billion by 2028, representing a 12% CAGR 1.

This growth significantly outpaces traditional retail, mirroring global trends where the resale segment is growing 24 times faster than new retail sales 2.

The expansion beyond India’s major metros into Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities indicates a broadening consumer base for pre-loved luxury goods, creating a larger addressable market 1.

This market evolution coincides with shifting consumer values as sustainability has become a defining trend in Indian fashion for 2025, with eco-friendly practices and circular fashion concepts gaining mainstream acceptance 3, 4.

The timing appears particularly favorable as 71% of global consumers have indicated plans to increase their spending on second-hand clothing, suggesting Ziniosa is riding a robust consumer behavior shift 2.

2️⃣ Zero-inventory models represent the evolving economics of fashion resale platforms

Ziniosa’s zero-inventory acquisition cost model highlights a key advantage of fashion resale platforms, allowing for higher margins and reduced financial risk compared to traditional retail 5.

This approach has enabled Ziniosa to maintain profitability while holding ₹15 crore worth of inventory at zero cost, a significant efficiency factor in the capital-intensive fashion industry 5, 6.

The business model has demonstrated effectiveness through Ziniosa’s 80% sell-through rate, which stands among the highest in the industry and suggests strong inventory turnover despite not owning the goods 5.

This contrasts with traditional Indian retail, where inventory management remains challenging with modern retail accounting for only 8% of total sales and e-commerce just 2.3% as of 2018 7.

The zero-inventory approach also aligns with circular economy principles gaining traction in India’s fashion sector, where reuse and extended product lifecycles are becoming central to sustainable business practices 4, 8.

3️⃣ Authentication remains the critical value proposition in luxury resale

Ziniosa’s emphasis on authentication addresses the fundamental challenge in luxury resale: trust and authenticity verification, which determines whether consumers will accept pre-owned luxury items 9, 1.

The integration of advanced authentication systems mirrors broader industry trends, with some global platforms now implementing blockchain technology to provide immutable verification records for luxury goods 1.

Ziniosa’s partnership with Tata CLiQ Luxury represents a significant trust endorsement from an established retail brand, potentially accelerating market acceptance of pre-loved luxury items among hesitant Indian consumers 10.

This focus on authentication is especially critical in the Indian context, where the luxury market valued at approximately $10 billion faces persistent challenges from counterfeits that undermine consumer confidence 5.

The planned physical store opening by Ziniosa further supports this authentication strategy by providing tangible touchpoints for consumers who may require additional reassurance before purchasing high-value pre-owned luxury items 5, 6.

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