eBay enhances marketplace as it accelerates growth initiative
eBay has introduced a set of new features that make browsing and buying on the site a more personalized experience. The company is also accelerating its efforts in local commerce and plans to extend its eBay Now delivery service to 25 markets by the end of 2014, including Chicago.
“eBay is a technology company; we understand that retailers, brands and sellers of all sizes need a new set of solutions to deliver the kinds of experiences consumers expect in today’s environment,” said Devin Wenig, president of eBay Marketplaces. “We’re making fundamental changes to our business that put us in a position to be the right partner for merchants and the best place for people to shop — anytime, anywhere and on any device.”
eBay is introducing the following features:
- Collections: groups of products that have been hand-selected from eBay’s more than 500 million listed items by expert curators, eBay buyers and sellers
- Curators: top trendsetters across a variety of interest areas, who create beautiful collections on eBay to help easily connect you with items you’ll love
- Follow: a simple, one-click way for you to personalize your feed by following the collections, curators, eBay users and interests that inspire you
- Profiles: a customizable page — for both buyers and sellers — where you can share information about yourself, the collections you’ve created, and the interests, collections and people you follow
- eBay Today: a new page on eBay that helps you easily discover the very best collections of items on eBay, selected daily by eBay’s chief curator and editorial director
Michael Phillips Moskowitz, eBay’s new chief curator and editorial director, will oversee the eBay Today destination. His feedback will be available alongside a roster of more than 200 curators across a wide range of interests — from Pharrell Williams and Solange Knowles to Todd Selby and Kelly Oxford.
eBay’s 200 curators include Alexandra Cousteau, Andrea Linett, Ashley Avignon, Benjamin Clymer, Billy Farrell, Brian Walton, Cecilia Dean, Chris Benz, Chrissie Miller, Darcy Miller, Eddie Borgo, Graham Hill, Janie Bryant, Jauretsi, Jen Atkin, Jeremiah Brent, Jon Rose, Justin Bell, Kelly Oxford, Lucy Sykes, Pharrell Williams, Richard Rawlings, Ryan Block, Solange Knowles, Tenzin Wild, Todd Selby, Veronica Belmont and Zem Joaquin.
Last October, eBay introduced eBay Now, a service available through iPhone, Android and desktop Web that allows shoppers to have products from local stores delivered in as little as an hour. eBay Now is one element in a larger strategy to advance eBay’s capabilities in local commerce, and help retailers take advantage of technology to reach more customers and increase sales.
“Today, approximately 75% of what people buy is local, found within 15 miles from their home,” said Wenig. “Traditional retail isn’t going away. But it is transforming, and that creates enormous opportunity within the $10 trillion total commerce market.”
Along with eBay Now, the company’s new local commerce initiatives include:
- Shutl: the company has announced its agreement to acquire Shutl, a marketplace that uses a network of couriers to deliver local goods that same day. The company believes that the acquisition of Shutl’s technology, talent and expertise will help eBay to reach its goal of expanding its local delivery capabilities.
- In-store pickup: in keeping with eBay’s commitment to enable shoppers to choose how, where and when they receive purchases, customers can also now buy online at eBay.com and pick-up in local stores. This service is available today for Toys “R” Us and Best Buy, with more retailers coming soon.
- Scheduled delivery: soon, eBay will be releasing scheduled delivery for eBay Now, enabling customers to buy something on their mobile phone, pick a time that works for their schedule, and have their items delivered to them then.
- Now on eBay.com: the company also plans to offer eBay Now same-day delivery for local goods on eBay.com, bringing the speed and convenience of eBay Now to cities where the eBay Now service is live.