EBay is repositioning itself more in-line with traditional e-commerce businesses in an attempt to attract more retailers to its site.
The auction site now trades about 43 per cent of its goods at a fixed price rather than through a bidding process. Fixed-price sales have soared 60 per cent year on year.
An eBay spokeswoman said: “Buyers are increasingly coming to eBay looking for new and fixed-price items alongside traditional auctions. This presents fantastic growth opportunities for sellers large and small. We’ll continue to innovate to make it ever more attractive for sellers to offer all of their new and fixed-price inventory on eBay.”
Ebay declined to give projections for its fixed-price element, but said that it is an important part of its future strategy.
In autumn, eBay will add elements to its offer to make it easier for retailers to sell online. Many retailers use the site to sell excess stock at present and retailers such as Schuh run their own shops on the site.
Two years ago, eBay launched eBay Express on its US site, where customers can pick fixed-price goods from sellers. A UK launch followed at the end of 2006, but it was shut down earlier this year when it reportedly failed to attract enough traffic. However, eBay said many of the Express elements have been incorporated into its main UK site.
Hitwise research director Robin Goad said establishing a presence on eBay could benefit retailers – particularly the less established names. “About a quarter of all online retail visitors will go onto eBay, so it is a great place to gain recognition,” he said.
He added that, as eBay strives to become a more conventional e-tailer, other big online names are focusing more on market place selling in the tradition of eBay.
Third-party seller sites include Amazon’s Marketplace, Play.com’s PlayTrade and Asos’s Marketplace, which will launch as a platform for customers to sell clothes to each other next year.
An eBay spokeswoman said: “Buyers are increasingly coming to eBay looking for new and fixed-price items alongside traditional auctions. This presents fantastic growth opportunities for sellers large and small. We’ll continue to innovate to make it ever more attractive for sellers to offer all of their new and fixed-price inventory on eBay.”
Ebay declined to give projections for its fixed-price element, but said that it is an important part of its future strategy.
In autumn, eBay will add elements to its offer to make it easier for retailers to sell online. Many retailers use the site to sell excess stock at present and retailers such as Schuh run their own shops on the site.
Two years ago, eBay launched eBay Express on its US site, where customers can pick fixed-price goods from sellers. A UK launch followed at the end of 2006, but it was shut down earlier this year when it reportedly failed to attract enough traffic. However, eBay said many of the Express elements have been incorporated into its main UK site.
Hitwise research director Robin Goad said establishing a presence on eBay could benefit retailers – particularly the less established names. “About a quarter of all online retail visitors will go onto eBay, so it is a great place to gain recognition,” he said.
He added that, as eBay strives to become a more conventional e-tailer, other big online names are focusing more on market place selling in the tradition of eBay.
Third-party seller sites include Amazon’s Marketplace, Play.com’s PlayTrade and Asos’s Marketplace, which will launch as a platform for customers to sell clothes to each other next year.
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