eBay Sees 8x Growth in Live Shopping GMV, Expands Internationally

eBay is bolstering its live shopping feature, eBay Live, after witnessing an eightfold year-over-year increase in gross merchandise volume (GMV) across seven markets. This growth, announced during the company’s second-quarter earnings call, also saw rises in viewer numbers, watch time, and items sold. CEO Jamie Iannone expressed confidence that live shopping would enhance user engagement and broaden product discovery across the platform. While the exact GMV figure was not disclosed, the company highlighted promising feedback from both sellers and buyers. Regular sellers on the platform reported a GMV increase of over 90%, with those utilizing live shopping selling three times more than their non-live counterparts. First-time buyers in the collectibles category spent around 70% more than those not using the live feature.

eBay initially launched eBay Live in the U.S. in 2022 on an invite-only basis before expanding to the U.K. in 2024 and subsequently to Germany, Australia, France, Italy, and Canada. Recently, the company shifted from an invite-only model to self-service onboarding for eligible sellers across over 300 categories, including electronics, fashion, and collectibles. Product enhancements aimed at improving discovery, such as features on the homepage and mobile app, and streamlined event management for sellers, were also highlighted. Iannone noted improvements in bidding responsiveness for smoother livestreams.

The international expansion of eBay Live is slated for the coming weeks and months, signaling the company’s strategic push into the competitive live shopping space dominated by rivals like Whatnot and TikTok Shop.