eBay has predicted that small businesses are likely to benefit from consumer uncertainty about stock and supply chain problems during Black Friday and the festive season.
Last year, 40 items per second were sold on eBay, and 90% were bought from small businesses. eBay expects the trend to continue this year with 66% of UK shoppers planning to purchase gifts from local businesses.
eBay reported that 93% of items sold on the site in the past seven weeks have been from small and medium-sized UK businesses, and more than 300,000 companies now sell on the platform.
As well as shopping locally, consumers are also seeking to save money over the festive season amid ongoing uncertainty and concerns over the increased cost of living. Twenty-four per cent of shoppers will work extra hours to cover the cost of presents, while 30% will sell unwanted items at home, eBay said.
Items for the home will be in strong demand and vacuum cleaners – new and refurbished – are among the most sought-after products. Searches for cooking appliances have increased as the festive season approaches, with Ninja air fryer searches up 44%.
Refurbished smartphones are also expected to be popular over Black Friday, while athleisure products and sports shoes from brands such as Adidas, Nike and Puma are frequent in pre-Black Friday searches.
eBay has also recorded a 121% increase in searches for ‘stocking fillers’ compared to 2020 and 77% of eBay shoppers plan to do their Christmas shopping on Black Friday this year.
eBay UK general manager Murray Lambell said: “In a time where there is uncertainty around stock and supply, what eBay can offer to shoppers is our secret weapon – a diversity of over 300,000 agile UK small business sellers with a distributed supply chain that can give them more choice – whether they are looking for the new, the refurbished, the coveted, or the hard to find this festive season.
“With the rising cost of living pressures, we are also seeing that people are getting savvier by selling items they have lying around the home to help fund Black Friday and Christmas; this comes with a bonus that they also feel good that they are doing their bit for the planet by keeping things in circulation.”
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