eBay is launching a new shopping and selling experience in Germany for everyone who wants to buy and sell products in their own area, which will be known as eBay Lokal.
To achieve this, eBay has greatly increased the visibility and discoverability of items available in its area in eBay search and across the eBay site, including through a new central site for local search and browsing. In addition, a variety of processes have been revised and product changes introduced to make selling, buying and collecting locally via eBay.de as easy as possible.
To make local shopping even more attractive, eBay will also start a test phase for a map-based local browsing experience in a few weeks. Users can then see on a map where which items are available in their area. The first details of an article will be visible directly on the map via mouse-over, and there will also be the option to adjust your own location and search radius.
This is an interesting move and doubtless one to counter the growing trade on social media, such as Facebook Marketplace, and Classified Ads sites.
With eBay Lokal, we address the need of many buyers and sellers to buy and sell products locally online. We are continuing to invest in our important German business: by eliminating fees for private selling since March 2023, we have successfully boosted private-to-private trading on our online marketplace. With the launch of eBay Lokal, we are now taking another significant step to make eBay even more relevant for consumers, because: Being able to purchase products in their own area and supporting local dealers and communities is important to many consumers important. We want to strengthen neighborhood trade and the desire to trade in general.
– Oliver Klinck, Managing Director, eBay Germany
Hear from eBay UK GM at ChannelX World
At ChannelX World, taking place on the 11th of October, UK GM Eve Williams will be on stage and you can hear her thoughts on the blueprint to maintain a healthy marketplace ecosystem. Get the latest insights on effective inventory management, proactive communication with sellers, demand forecasting, and fostering a balance between supply and demand.
B2B eBay Lokal Selling
Commercial retailers can achieve more visibility via eBay Lokal and give consumers the opportunity to buy locally from them online, thus participating in the local retail trend and thereby increasing their sales chances.
Retailers who operate a local store can attract more customers to their store and benefit from cross-selling and up-selling opportunities through online purchasing with local pickup.
Retailers also save shipping costs when customers pick up the items – this is particularly worthwhile for products that require a lot of delivery. By being able to view and try out items on site, retailers can also have a positive influence on their return rate.
C2C eBay Lokal Selling
Unlike other online platforms, as is usual on eBay, the price for an item is bindingly agreed upon when the purchase is completed via the eBay platform, even in local stores with collection, and the item is paid for directly online – without any renegotiation or back and forth Buyers and sellers also have access to an infrastructure with integrated payment processing, comprehensive customer service, buyer and seller protection and secure communication options that ensures a high level of security and trust in local trading.
For buyers, eBay Lokal offers the usual wide eBay variety in their own area – used, refurbished or new items as well as products from private or commercial sellers. In total, there are already more than 20 million items on the German eBay marketplace that are offered with the “pickup” option. The advantage over a purchase with shipping: With local pickup, buyers can save shipping costs and they usually receive the item particularly quickly.
Private sellers not only benefit from the fact that selling on eBay Germany is free for them. You can also save time and effort by eliminating the need for packing and going to the post office.
Private online trading is an important part of eBay’s business and is deeply anchored in our DNA. With the elimination of fees, we removed the biggest hurdle for private selling on eBay.de in March. Now with eBay Lokal we also offer the opportunity to save time and effort when selling, so that in the future more products will change hands between private households in the spirit of the multi-hand economy.
– Jenny Schmaler, private selling, eBay Germany
