eBay makes new speedy delivery play

Determined to fight back against online rival Amazon, eBay made a strategic move in the competitive online delivery game.



Beginning this summer, the e-commerce retailer will launch a new program, called “Guaranteed Delivery,” that will offer U.S. shoppers guaranteed delivery on 20 million eligible products in three days or less — with millions of the items offering free shipping.



In addition, shoppers will also be able to search for and filter items by one- and two day delivery.



Currently, 67% of eBay transactions already ship for free, and 63% of eBay packages are delivered within 3 days or less.



"While the majority of items on eBay already ship within three days or less, as well as for free, Guaranteed Delivery will give shoppers even faster delivery options and the confidence that their items will arrive on time," said Hal Lawton, senior VP of North America at eBay.



The program will be free to both buyer and sellers, however, sellers must meet a required set of shipping standards to participate, the company said.



The program directly competes with Amazon and the benefits — such as free shipping — connected to its annual Prime membership program. Recently, the online giant even lowered its free shipping threshold to orders of $35 for non-Prime members.



To ensure the program runs smooth, eBay is doing some early troubleshooting against unexpected snafus. For example, if a guaranteed item arrives late, the buyer will receive a coupon to be used towards their next eBay purchase. The buyer can also choose to return the item at no cost, eBay said.