In episode 403 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Mari Corella, general manager of home and hard goods at eBay, a global commerce leader that connects millions of buyers and sellers in more than 190 markets around the world. Corella discusses her role and career history in e-commerce (0:44), the eBay Refurbished program (2:35), and the company's commitment to sustainability across the organization (5:07). She shares how sustainability plays a big role in consumers' refurbished purchase decisions (6:15), as well as how brands selling items through eBay Refurbished are gaining a second chance to profit and be sustainable (8:15).
Furthermore, Corella discusses the consumer experience when shopping for refurbished items on eBay and how items are vetted for quality (11:35), and the growing number of product categories offered within the refurbished program (15:35). Lastly, she shares how her team is measuring success in "recommerce," and how eBay can help brands give product a second life (16:45).
As general manager, Home and Hard Goods, Mari Corella leads eBay’s strategic vision to become the world’s most recognized and trusted destination to buy and sell high-quality refurbished products. With a 15-year track record in retail e-commerce and online merchandising for major brands, including LVMH, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Gap, Corella is focused on defining, building and scaling eBay’s action plan to reimagine and ignite widescale adoption of refurbished products through partnerships, inventory and experiences that combine the trust and convenience of "new" with the value and sustainability of refurbished.
Corella holds a MBA from the University of Michigan and a B.A. in Art History from the University of California, Berkeley. Her passion for elevating refurbished as an initial purchase consideration and commitment to furthering the circular economy extends outside of the workplace to her spare time, when she enjoys shopping at thrift stores, visiting antique fairs, and checking out museum fashion exhibitions.
