eBay Germany has released figures suggesting positive private sales growth on the German marketplace following the introduction of zero fees for private sellers on March 1, 2023.
According to the data, the number of items listed by private individuals on eBay.de has increased by 26%, and the number of individuals selling items has risen by over 29%. Interestingly, the success rate of items listed by private sellers has either remained stable or even increased after the fee change. This stat indicates a positive trend that eBay and its community of sellers will welcome.
These positive developments are evident across various product categories, particularly in electronics and collectables.
The entire marketplace ecosystem has also experienced positive effects, with a 14% increase in the number of individuals using eBay.de for both buying and selling and the introduction of free private sales.
Awakening The Desire to Trade
Highlighting the initiative’s success, Oliver Klinck, eBay Germany’s Managing Director, said (translated by Google), “We want to awaken the Germans’ desire to trade, inspire people to trade and motivate them to sell things themselves. The figures show that we have created the right incentives and that our marketplace has become more attractive as a result. At the same time, I am convinced that there is still huge untapped potential in Germany. The “gross private product”, i.e. the volume of private trade, can be significantly higher. I firmly believe in the future of the digital circular economy in Germany.”
Why Is This Important to UK and US Sellers?
While there is no suggestion that other global eBay markets will be introducing free private sales, it’s a trend international offices will be keeping a close eye on.
Although many professional sellers will be highly cynical of the move, few will fail to be impressed by the 14% increase in individuals using the platform. In addition, international retailers that sell into eBay Germany via eBay’s Global Shipping Programme may already be seeing positive results from the growth of the marketplace.
Long before the Amazonification of eBay, the marketplace was built on the back of private sales. Essentially, private sales created the platform for professional sellers to trade on.
In many ways, eBay Germany is returning to its roots, when eBay was an eclectic, and perhaps even an eccentric sales venue, and not just a catalogue of the same old products you can get anywhere else. As buyers and sellers, That’s what initially attracted many of us to eBay, as buyers and as sellers
Competition – Be Better
The eCommerce landscape is evolving, and while maybe ten years ago, eBay was 100% focused on competing with Amazon, today is a different story.
Countless eCommerce marketplaces are joining eBay and Amazon in the race today. While many of these marketplaces welcome private sellers, eBay has a first-mover advantage, and it certainly has a much broader spread of categories than competitors like Depop and Vinted.
Professional sellers also have many advantages over private sellers. These advantages include access to professional seller and promotional tools (eBay ads), better branding and reputation management opportunities, and the ability to optimise your listings using carefully honed eBay listing best practices. eBay listing templates can also be used by business sellers to give their listings a professional polish and promote their brand.
Learn More
To learn more about how Frooition can help you stand out on eBay as a professional seller, schedule a free 15-minute call with one of our eBay experts today.
