Selling shares · Back Market

How to sell your Back Market shares

Hold vested shares or options in Back Market (marketplace, France)? Here's how a private secondary sale works, the rules that apply in France, who buys, and what to expect.

Back Market is a private marketplace company headquartered in France. If you hold vested shares or options in Back Market and want to turn part of that into cash before an IPO or acquisition, this is a plain-English guide to how a private secondary sale actually works — and what's specific to Back Market and to France.

Independent guide. PrivateTechShares is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Back Market. This is general educational information for people who already hold Back Market shares or options. Always check your own share/option agreements and take professional advice.

Can you sell Back Market shares before an exit?

Often, yes. Selling existing shares you own in a private company to a private buyer, before the company is sold or lists, is called a secondary sale. It's possible for Back Market shares if they're vested and transferable, and once you've cleared Back Market's transfer rules. There's no public market for a private company, so a sale is a private, negotiated transfer — not a click of a button.

What you probably hold

First, pin down what you actually have. In France, startup equity is usually held as BSPCE or other instruments, which you exercise into shares in the SAS. You can generally only sell shares, so if you hold options you typically exercise them (pay the strike price to convert them into shares) before you can sell. Check your grant documents for your vested amount, strike price and any deadlines.

The rules that apply in France

How a sale works, and how it's taxed, depends on the rules in France — transfer formalities, any right of first refusal, and the tax on a gain. We've written a dedicated plain-English guide: selling startup shares in France. Read it alongside this page.

Who buys Back Market shares

There are four realistic buyers, roughly in order: Back Market itself (if it runs a buyback or tender), existing investors or shareholders (often via a right of first refusal), the investor in Back Market's next funding round, and — when those don't apply — a private individual investor who wants exposure to Back Market. Recognisable names like Back Market tend to attract private-investor interest; the hard part is finding that buyer discreetly, which is the gap we fill.

What to expect on price

A private, minority, all-cash secondary usually happens at a discount to Back Market's last headline valuation — because the buyer takes an illiquid stake with no guaranteed exit, and because you likely hold common shares, which are worth less than investors' preferred shares. That's normal, not a trick. See what discount is fair for a realistic range.

Thinking about selling your Back Market shares?

You can list them privately — you stay anonymous until an investor signs an NDA, and you only pay a fee if a deal actually closes. We focus on exactly these small European secondaries (€10k–€750k).

List your shares →

Hold options and weighing whether to exercise first? The exercise & tax calculators (US) and the valuation estimator can help you put a number on it.

Questions people ask

Can I sell my Back Market shares before an exit?

Often yes. If you hold vested, transferable shares in Back Market you can sell them to a private buyer in a secondary before an IPO or acquisition, subject to Back Market's transfer rules — typically a right of first refusal and board or company approval. If you hold options rather than shares, you generally exercise them into shares first. Back Market is a private company, so there is no public market; a sale is a private, negotiated transfer.

How much are my Back Market shares worth?

There is no live price for a private company like Back Market. A rough estimate starts from the price per share at its most recent funding round, adjusted for your share class (common shares are usually worth less than the preferred shares investors hold) and a discount for selling a private, minority, illiquid stake. Use our free valuation estimator as a starting point, and remember it is only an estimate.

Who buys Back Market shares?

Four types of buyer: Back Market itself (via a buyback or tender, if it runs one), existing investors or shareholders (often via a right of first refusal), the investor in an upcoming funding round, or a private individual investor seeking exposure to Back Market. Well-known names often attract private-investor interest, which is where an introductions-only marketplace helps.