We heard your feedback, so we’ve made some changes to selling on eBay UK
Eve Williams, General Manager, eBay UK
You said, we did: How we acted on your feedback in 2023
As we wave goodbye to another year, I’d like to thank you for everything you’ve done to support your customers - at a time when it’s so desperately needed. Since taking over the role of General Manager of eBay UK, I’ve been able to spend more time with sellers and hear firsthand what’s working, and not working for you on eBay. The way eBay is structured means we’re only successful when you are. So we’re committed to acting on your feedback, to make selling on eBay simpler, safer and more successful for you.
I know we’ve still got more to do. But I’m pleased to share some of the progress we’ve made in 2023, covering key areas such as:
- Getting you paid faster and making selling on eBay simpler.
- Giving you more tools and knowledge to support your growth.
- Enabling you and your buyers to sell and shop with confidence.
- Getting your items in front of more buyers around the world.
As always, thank you for selling on eBay.
Eve Williams, General Manager of eBay UK
Faster Payments, Simpler Selling
You said…
You’re fed up of buyers sending you offers, then ghosting you when it comes to paying
So we...
Rolled out improvements to reduce unpaid items for Buy It Now and Best Offer sales
- We've increased the price threshold for Buy It Now items that require immediate payment. This allows you to sell higher-priced Buy It Now items and ensures buyers are required to provide a payment method during checkout to secure their item.
- Buyers are now also required to add a payment method when making offers on Best Offer listings. After you accept the offer, we’ll automatically charge the buyer’s chosen payment method so they won’t have to return to eBay to complete their purchase.
- We’re also planning to launch similar changes for: send offer to buyers, buyer counter offers and auctions, to further improve the experience for sellers.
You said…
It’s taking me too long to list my items
So we…
Launched new AI-powered tools to simplify the listing experience
- AI-generated item descriptions are now available in the majority of categories on the eBay app and desktop. This new feature can save you time by suggesting an item description at the touch of a button. You can use the suggested description as-is, or easily customise it to add more detail, adjust for accuracy, or fit your business’ unique style.
- Our improved background removal tool makes it easier than ever to showcase your item on a white background and increase your listing’s chances of standing out. With just one tap, our improved tool seamlessly creates a white background for your item image, without the need for any manual editing or touching up.
Support + Education
You said…
You want more opportunities to meet and learn from other sellers
So we…
Brought thousands of sellers together at our Roadshows and largest eBay Open UK to date!
- Since the launch of our Business Roadshow back in 2022, we’ve visited 13 towns and cities, meeting more than 3,000 sellers and awarding more than £1,000,000 in grants and support packages. This epic tour of the UK concluded with a visit to Bristol, Belfast, Cardiff and Brighton in 2023.
- Back in September, eBay Open UK returned for its biggest instalment to date, as well over 1,000 attendees joined our free flagship events for business sellers that took place in Manchester and London. If you weren’t able to make it, fear not! Recordings of the sessions can be watched on our eBay for Business UK YouTube channel.
You said…
You want more one-to-one support to talk about specific challenges you’re facing
So we…
Ramped up our Pro-Trader and Start-up Scale-up programmes
- Pro-Trader continues to go from strength to strength, with over 13,000 business sellers having now graduated from the programme.
- Start-up Scale-up has also helped more than 1,000 businesses and social enterprises start their eBay journey off on the front foot.
- Our Marketplace Advisors were also able to meet many of you for one-to-one sessions at eBay events (see left). In 2024, we hope to be able to bring these services to even more of you - in-person and online - so as many sellers as possible can benefit from their expertise.
You said…
You want more ways to learn, where and when it suits you
So we…
Launched our eBay Elevate webinar series and ‘Prepare for Peak’ tutorial video on YouTube
- Earlier in the year, we launched our eBay Elevate webinar series in partnership with Small Business Britain. In the 16 webinars, specialists in their field shared actionable advice for you to grow your business. Give them a watch on demand to discover top tips on everything from how to build a business plan, to mastering social media marketing, and so much more.
- It never hurts to brush up on the essentials, even for seasoned sellers. So, to help you maximise your sales over the peak trading season, our eBay experts shared some top tips covering everything from listing optimisation, to maximising eBay’s promotional tools.
You said…
You want us to do more to support and celebrate small businesses selling on eBay
So we…
Hosted our 7th annual eBay for Business Awards and celebrated the winners at Westminster
- Small businesses are the beating heart of eBay. So, we were proud to celebrate this year’s eBay for Business Awards winners at a ceremony in Westminster. The worthy winners were all much deserved recipients of the £10,000 top prize, as well as a tailored business support package.
- Discover the inspirational stories of Found So Pretty, Fro Seeds, Isabel Hospice, Jon-Luc, Luxury Designer Bag, Phil Comics, PreLoved Tech, Travelruss GB Stamps & Vintage Honey Pots.
Protection + Security
You said…
You want you and your buyers to be able to sell and shop with confidence
So we…
Extended Authenticity Guarantee to more categories and launched eBay Assured Fit
- Authenticity Guarantee has been expanded to even more categories, enabling buyers to shop sneakers, handbags, watches, and now jewellery, with assurance. We’ve also extended Authenticity Guarantee to include kid’s sneakers and certain in-demand models and brands for price points under £100.
- In our Parts & Accessories category, it’s important that both buyers and sellers trust that parts will fit vehicles as intended. That’s why we launched eBay Assured Fit: a programme designed to protect buyers and sellers from fitment issues, to help you build trust - and (hopefully) increase conversion.
Boosting Sales
You said…
You want us to help you drive more customers to your eBay business
So we…
Launched a series of programmes and partnerships to support the health of the planet
- Earlier this year, we launched the Circular Change Council in partnership with WRAP. The industry-first collective of major homeware retailers aims to increase circularity and reduce the 22 million furniture items that are thrown away in the UK each year, while encouraging more buyers to shop non-new.
- Over in fashion, our pre-loved partner programme was rolled out to shine a light on sellers and their unique inventory, while helping buyers to shop second-hand items with confidence. We also relaunched the Circular Fashion Fund, to support innovative businesses that are using technology to change customer behaviour within the fashion industry.
- Our Refurbished on eBay programme was also launched to allow pre-qualified eBay sellers exclusive use of up to 4 item conditions. In doing so, buyers can shop with confidence knowing they can find fully functional refurbished products in a range of conditions at great prices, all while helping the planet.
- Thanks to our customers buying refurbished tech in 2022, we saved 13,000 tonnes of greenhouse emissions - the equivalent to 200,000 new phones. Over 400,000 kg of waste was saved, or the same weight as over 3.4 million phones being made.
Thank you, valued Sellers
Thank you for all of your amazing work in 2023. To keep up to date with new product changes, upcoming events and top selling tips in 2024, don't forget to visit the eBay Community, follow us on Facebook and subscribe to our eBay for Business UK YouTube channel.