Editor-Curated Robotics Industry Briefing - RobotToday

eBay Expands Live Shopping Following Record Growth in Gross Merchandise Volume

eBay is intensifying its focus on live shopping after reporting a significant increase in gross merchandise volume (GMV) during its second-quarter earnings call. The company's live shopping platform, eBay Live, experienced an eightfold year-over-year growth in GMV across seven markets, alongside rising viewer engagement and sales. CEO Jamie Iannone emphasized that these results highlight the potential of live shopping to enhance user engagement and broaden product discovery. The importance of this growth is underscored by eBay's strategy to expand its live shopping offerings internationally in the coming months. Although the exact GMV figures were not disclosed, eBay noted that over 90% of sellers who regularly stream have seen their GMV increase, with live sellers achieving sales three times higher than non-live sellers. Additionally, first-time buyers in the collectibles category are spending significantly more when engaging in live shopping. Looking ahead, eBay's commitment to live shopping is evident as it moves beyond an invite-only model to a self-service onboarding process for sellers. The company has also made improvements to its platform to enhance user experience, including better event discovery and management features. No further timeline was disclosed at the time of publication.