eBay, the renowned online marketplace, has revolutionized how people buy and sell goods worldwide. Since its launch in 1995, eBay has grown into a thriving platform connecting millions of buyers and sellers across various industries.
The platform’s success comes from its wide reach, easy-to-use interface, and strong statistical data that supports smart decision-making. In today’s world of e-commerce, looking into eBay statistics offers important insights into the platform’s large scale, transaction volume, and economic influence, showing its importance in the global online market.
eBay Key Statistics
- eBay has a worldwide market cap of $23.3 billion as of June 2022.
- eBay has 133 million active buyers worldwide.
- eBay is available in 180 countries.
- The top-performing product category is eBay’s Motors.
- There are 1.5 billion active listings on eBay as of June 2023.
Investment Statistics
With a total funding amount of $1.2 billion raised over three rounds, eBay has successfully attracted investments to fuel its development.
As of June 2023, eBay’s 2 notable investors include Maveron and Benchmark.
During a venture round on June 7th, 1997, AuctionWeb – as eBay was known – secured its first funding of $6.7 million from Benchmark.
This investment set a remarkable milestone as the best-performing Silicon Valley investment ever, with its value soaring to $5 billion by the spring of 1999.
On September 24, 1998, eBay went public.
Under the symbol EBAY on NASDAQ, the stock surpassed expectations by closing at $53.50 per share, significantly higher than the initial anticipated price of $18.00.
The e-commerce platform has demonstrated an active investment strategy, participating in 51 investments thus far.
In addition, it has made 71 acquisitions and 16 exits.
In July 1998, eBay made its first acquisition for an undisclosed sum.
The Jump Inc. acquisition included the purchase of its online trading platform Up4Sale.
eBay bought Half.com for $350 million on June 13th, 2000.
The transaction simplified the process of selling movies, music, books, and games online.
eBay unveiled its acquisition of iBazar in February 2001, a European auction website, signaling its expansion into the European market.
For complete ownership of iBazar, eBay issued 2.25 million shares of common stock, valued between $66 million and $112 million, determined by the closing value of eBay’s stock.
On July 8th, 2002, eBay announced its purchase of PayPal.
The valuation of the $1.5 billion deal was calculated using eBay’s average closing stock price before and after the announcement, along with a fixed exchange ratio of 0.39 eBay shares for every PayPal share.
eBay acquired Rent.com for $415 million on December 17th, 2004.
The U.S. rental housing platform was eventually sold to Primedia in 2012.
In March 2005, eBay introduced Kijiji, a local classified advertising site catering to Canadian users. Additionally, in May, eBay expanded its classifieds portfolio by acquiring Gumtree, a leading platform, for an undisclosed amount.
eBay purchased Skype in October 2005 for $2.6 billion.
In 2009, eBay went on to sell Skype to a group of investors for around $2.75 billion, while retaining a 30% ownership stake in the company. This was the largest investment made by eBay in its company history.
eBay announced its $310 million acquisition of StubHub in January 2007.
The ticket resale company was sold in February 2020 to Viagogo for $4.05 billion.
In October 2008, eBay unveiled Bill Me Later as a new addition to its acquisition portfolio.
The transaction was valued at $820 million in cash and $125 million in outstanding options.
eBay bought Milo.com in December 2010 for $75 million.
The prominent platform for web-based local product search was pivotal in introducing local products to the eBay marketplace.
In March 2011, eBay purchased GSI Commerce, now known as eBay Enterprise, to enhance its expertise in e-commerce.
The deal was finalized at a $29.25 per share valuation, amounting to a total consideration of around $2.4 billion.
eBay acquired a majority stake in Turkey’s top online marketplace, GittiGidiyor, in April 2011.
The acquisition built on eBay’s earlier investment in 2007, resulting in eBay owning approximately 93% of GittiGidiyor’s outstanding shares.
In June 2011, eBay further strengthened its open platforms by acquiring Magento, a top toolset for open-source e-commerce.
Although the specific details of the agreement were not disclosed, various online sources indicate that the total transaction was valued at around $180 million.
eBay strengthened its mobile capabilities in July 2011 by purchasing Zong for an approximate cash consideration of $240 million.
The acquisition of Zong enhances PayPal’s position in mobile payments and digital goods, leveraging complementary technology and talent.
eBay purchased Braintree for $800 million in December 2013.
The transaction encompassed the ownership of the popular mobile app Venmo, which is utilized by companies such as StubHub, OpenTable, Poshmark, and HotelTonight.
In September 2014, eBay announced its split from PayPal, forming two separate entities through an initial public offering (IPO).
The transaction was finalized on July 17, 2015, with eBay shareholders receiving one share of PayPal common stock for each share of eBay they held.
eBay Inc. completed the sale of eBay Enterprise for $925 million in November 2015.
Sterling Partners, Permira Funds, and a consortium of buyers acquire eBay Enterprise businesses.
eBay purchased Expertmaker in May 2016 for an undisclosed amount.
The undertaking of the AI platform and big data analytics firm helped eBay advance its structured data initiative.
In October 2016, eBay completed its acquisition of Corrigon Ltd.
eBay acquired Corrigon to utilize its image recognition technology and improve the shopping experience on the platform. The financial details of the deal were not publicly disclosed.
Flipkart merged with eBay on July 31st, 2017, to address the Indian e-commerce market.
As part of the agreement, eBay invested $500 million in cash and transferred its eBay.in business to Flipkart in exchange for an equity stake in Flipkart.
On November 23rd, 2017, eBay demonstrated its commitment to supporting small businesses by merging with the Kiva marketplace.
Kiva Marketplace, known for its focus on microfinance and lending, brought its expertise and network to eBay, enabling sellers to access capital and grow their businesses more effectively.
On May 2nd, 2018, eBay successfully acquired Giosis’ Japan, encompassing the Qoo10.jp platform.
The agreement entailed a cash payment of $306 million and the transfer of approximately $266 million worth of Giosis shares.
eBay sold StubHub to Viagogo in February 2020, fetching $4.05 billion in cash.
Viagogo’s acquisition of StubHub added flexibility, resources, and opportunities for scale, global reach, and innovation.
In June 2021, eBay’s Classifieds business was transferred to Adevinta for $2.5 billion.
Additionally, eBay acquired a 44% equity stake in Adevinta, corresponding to approximately 540 million shares.
On November 14th, 2021, eBay transferred 80.01% of eBay Korea to Emart, generating approximately $3 billion.
eBay retained a 19.99% ownership stake in the Korean businesses, encompassing G-Market, IAC, and G-9.
eBay announced its acquisition of KnownOrigin, a prominent NFT marketplace, in June 2022 for an undisclosed amount.
The acquisition united eBay’s reach and reputation with KnownOrigin’s technology, creating a vibrant NFT ecosystem.
eBay strengthened its parts and accessories category by acquiring the myFitment Group of Companies in August 2022.
myFitment’s tools aid sellers in optimizing fitment data for their listings, guaranteeing that customers select the appropriate vehicle parts and accessories.
TCGplayer, a collectible card game marketplace, was purchased by eBay in October 2022 for a total deal value of $295 million.
The transaction complemented eBay’s focus category strategy and aimed to bring more selection to trading card enthusiasts.
In May 2023, eBay Ventures took the lead in the series A capital raise for The Volte, an Australian-based luxury dress-sharing platform.
The successful conclusion of the funding round saw The Volte secure $4 million in investment, with eBay Ventures and Better Labs, based in Perth, among the investors.
eBay Statistics on Sales and Revenue Data
In 2022, eBay’s annual net revenue decreased from $10.4 billion to $9.8 billion.
$4.8 billion of eBay’s net revenue was generated from the US market and $4.9 billion from international sales.
eBay’s cost of net revenues amounted to $2.65 billion, slightly lower than the $2.68 billion recorded in 2021.
Consequently, the company’s gross profit stood at $7.1 billion, reflecting a decline from the $7.7 billion achieved in 2021.
However, in Q3 2023, the company reported revenue of $2.5 billion, representing a 1% increase on an as-reported basis and a 3% increase on an FX-neutral basis.
Year | eBay annual net revenue ($ billion) |
2013 | 8.2 |
2014 | 8.8 |
2015 | 8.6 |
2016 | 9.2 |
2017 | 9.9 |
2018 | 8.6 |
2019 | 7.4 |
2020 | 8.9 |
2021 | 10.4 |
2022 | 9.8 |
In 2022, eBay recorded an annual net loss of $1.2 billion, reflecting a significant decline of 109.33% compared to the previous year.
eBay generated a cash flow of $2.6 billion from continuing operating activities in 2022, a decrease from the $3.1 billion generated in 2021.
At the end of the year, eBay held $5.9 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and non-equity investments.
In June 2022, eBay had a worldwide market cap of $23.3 billion, and with a market share of 3.5%, it stood as the fourth largest online retailer in the U.S.
However, eBay’s market share surpassed that of other prominent e-commerce retailers such as Target (2.1%), The Home Depot (2.1%), Best Buy (1.6%), and Costco (1.6%).
eBay Sources of Revenue Data
eBay generates its revenue from fees collected on paid sales, including payment processing and first-party advertising.
The primary source of revenue is the take rate applied to the gross merchandise volume (GMV) of transactions completed on eBay’s Marketplace platforms. The take rate is calculated by dividing net revenues by GMV, a key metric for measuring revenue performance.
eBay recorded a GMV of $74 billion in 2022, which decreased from the previous year’s figure of $87.4 billion.
Year | Gross Merchandise Volume ($ billion) |
2013 | 76.4 |
2014 | 82.7 |
2015 | 81.3 |
2016 | 83.5 |
2017 | 88.5 |
2018 | 89.8 |
2019 | 85.5 |
2020 | 87.6 |
2021 | 87.4 |
2022 | 73.9 |
eBay Advertising and Promoted Listings Revenue Data
eBay’s ad revenue reached $319 million in Q4 2022, with $319 million attributed to first-party advertising – promoted listings -) and $43 million from third-party advertising.
The total annual ad revenue amounted to $1.15 billion, with first-party ads accounting for 85% of the total.
As of April 2023, eBay had generated $285 million from first-party advertising revenue, which primarily comes from:
- Promoted listings
- Display advertisements
Selling Fees on eBay Data
There are two primary types of selling fees on eBay:
- An insertion fee is charged when a user creates a listing.
- A final value fee is incurred when an item is successfully sold.
Every month, eBay grants sellers up to 250 zero-insertion fee listings.
Those who own an eBay Store have the potential to access up to 25,000 free-fixed price listings.
eBay applies a one-final value fee upon the successful sale of an item, with the advantage of no additional third-party payment processing fees.
This fee is calculated as a percentage of the total sale amount plus a fixed charge of $0.30 per order.
The total sale amount comprises the item price, handling charges (if any), the buyer’s chosen shipping service, applicable sales tax, and any other relevant fees.
eBay Subscription Fees Data
eBay Store subscriptions offer sellers enhanced features and benefits for a monthly fee.
The fees charged to eBay Store subscribers are determined based on the following factors:
- Item price
- Category
- Format
- Optional listing upgrades
- Subscription level
- Seller level and seller performance
eBay Product Data
eBay had a total of 701.7 million desktop and mobile visits in May 2023.
Users spend nearly 7 minutes on eBay, making an average of 6.91-page visits during browsing sessions. eBay is the second most visited e-commerce and shopping website in the U.S. after Amazon.
In April 2023, eBay’s mobile app was downloaded 2.1 million times globally.
The eBay marketplace app on Google Play has accumulated over 100 billion lifetime downloads.
Among mobile users, eBay had over 7 million downloads in the Google Play and Apple Store in 2021.
eBay’s shopping app ranks among the most popular shopping apps, with 3.67 million shoppers in the U.S.
Direct traffic remains the primary traffic source to ebay.com, accounting for 59.53% of desktop visits in May 2023.
Organic search is the second highest traffic source, contributing 23.80% of the total traffic.
There are 1.8 billion listings on eBay as of June 2023.
eBay Motors is the most popular marketplace within eBay, with car & truck parts & accessories being the top-performing category.
On eBay, a car or truck is sold every 3 minutes.
According to a recent survey conducted among car buyers, shoppers on eBay Motors demonstrate a stronger intent to purchase compared to users on other platforms.
In 2021, it was estimated that eBay Motors generated approximately $11.7 billion in revenue.
$8.2 billion attributed to resellers who exclusively operate on the eBay platform.
In February 2023, eBay Motors announced the launch of eBay Guaranteed Fit.
The protection program guarantees buyers a return for items that don’t fit their vehicle.
Selling on eBay Statistics
According to ZipRecruiter, the average annual salary for an eBay Seller in the United States is reported to be $39,555.
The amount depends on the type of products they sell, their pricing strategy, competition, product demand, marketing efforts, and overall sales volume.
eBay Seller Hub
Seller Hub is the centralized hub for managing an eBay business.
It is free to use and conveniently consolidates selling tools into a single, integrated platform.
- Manage listings
- Monitor your business
- View payouts
- Analyze business performance
In the performance tab, sellers have access to the following data:
- Sales by eBay category
- Sales by Seller store category
- Sales by format (fixed or auction price)
- Period over-period growth rates for different categories
- Buyer insights
By utilizing the Research tab in Seller Hub, sellers can now leverage the valuable insights of Terapeak.
- The number of listings and items sold for particular items
- Average sales prices
- The conditions of items sold
- Sell-through rates
- Average shipping costs and the number of listings offering free shipping
- Seller and buyer locations
- Sales trends over time
- Unsold inventory
- Which listing formats are sellers using
Terapeak displays current eBay data on supply, demand, and pricing to help sellers decide what, when, and at what price to sell their products.
Cables dominate the list of best-selling products on eBay, with a sell-through rate of 38,680% and a 96% success rate for listings.
A higher sell-through rate generally indicates better sales performance and demand for the listed items.
Product | Success % | Sell Through % | Avg. Price $ |
Cables | 96 | 38,680 | 6.55 |
Men’s Clothing | 89 | 17,700 | 13.19 |
Fragrances | 93 | 16,213 | 28.12 |
Computers | 83 | 14,525 | 328.19 |
Car Phone Holder | 94 | 12,757 | 7.80 |
Wireless charger | 90 | 9,597 | 12.23 |
Necklaces | 97 | 8,655 | 9.58 |
Supplements | 89 | 8,562 | 18.81 |
Vitamins | 86 | 8,439 | 12.89 |
Socks | 84 | 7,639 | 9.22 |
The sell-through rate on eBay refers to the percentage of successfully sold items out of the total listed items within a specific period.
If 60 items out of 100 listed on eBay are sold, the sell-through rate would be 60%.
eBay Promoted Listings Data
Promoted Listings on eBay function similar to search engine ads, where sellers pay to boost the visibility of their listings in search results.
eBay sellers’ advertisements can appear in several other places, such as:
- Product pages
- Category pages
- Home page
- Other websites
- Search engines within the eBay network
There are three types of promoted listings on eBay:
- Promoted Listings Standard
- Promoted Listings Advanced
- Promoted Listings Express
With Promoted Listings Standard, sellers are only billed when a buyer clicks on their promoted listing ad and purchases any of the promoted items within a 30-day period.
This mean sellers are charged based on the actual performance and success of their promoted listings, ensuring a cost-effective advertising model.
eBay’s Promoted Listed Standard ad fee is based on the chosen ad rate and applied to the total sale amount, including shipping, taxes, and other applicable fees.
Other contributing factors for ad fees are listed below.
Contributing Factors
Fee
Ad Rate Selection
Sellers choose an ad rate between 2% – 100% of the item’s total sale amount.
Dynamic Ad Rates
Daily suggested ad rates are calculated based on factors like item attributes, seasonality, past performance, and competition for each listing.
Billing for Conversions
A seller is only charged when a buyer clicks on their promoted listing and purchases any of the promoted items within 30 days.
Promoted Listings Standard is available through third-party listing tools, including:
- 3DSellers
- Auctiva
- ChannelAdvisor
- Frooition
- InkFrog
- Linnworks
- Sellercloud
- SixBit
- Webinterpret
In Promoted Listings Advanced campaigns, sellers are charged based on a pay-per-click model (PPC) where payment is incurred for each click on advertisements.
Promoted Listings Standard and Advanced are specifically designed for Buy It Now listings.
These campaign types are accessible solely to sellers who have achieved Above Standard or Top Rated status and demonstrate ample account activity.
On the other hand, Promoted Listings Express campaigns enhance the visibility of auction-style listings.
By paying a single flat fee upfront, a listing has the potential to appear in sponsored ads on pages featuring similar listings.
As per eBay, auctions that used Promoted Listings Express got an average of 52% more views when promoted.
The fee varies based on the auction duration and the category you choose when listing your item.
The Promotion Manager within eBay Seller Hub helps sellers set up special offers for buyers.
Products must be listed with Buy It Now Pricing to qualify for listing promotions.
Advertising Dashboard on eBay
While eBay has not officially disclosed specific numbers for key performance indicators, according to multiple sources, sellers aim for the following benchmarks according to the e-commerce industry.
KPI
Average
Cost per click
$1 – $2
Click-through rate (CTR)
1.9%
Conversion rate (CVR)
2.5-3%
Buying on eBay Statistics
There are several eBay programs and features for buyers to enhance their shopping experience.
Notable programs and features that are available to eBay buyers are included below.
eBay handles the shipping and customs process.
Program
Description
eBay Money Back Guarantee
Buyers are protected and can get a refund if they don’t receive an item or if it doesn’t match the seller’s description.
Global Shipping Program
International buyers can purchase items from sellers in the US.
eBay Deals
Buyers can explore eBay Deals, a section featuring discounted products across various categories.
eBay Collections
Buyers can create personalized collections of their favorite items or curated collections based on specific themes.
The eBay Authenticity Guarantee program is one of the most prominent features for buyers on eBay. It helps buyers confidently shop for luxury or collectible items while protecting sellers.
The following items are eligible:
- Sneakers
- Trading cards
- Fine jewelry and watches
- Handbags
Timeline & History of eBay
- 1995: Pierre Omidyar launches an online auction platform called AuctionWeb on September 3. Mark Fraser acquires the first listed item, a broken laser pointer, for $14.83.
- 1996: Omidyar announces the launch of the feedback form in February. AuctionWeb hires its first employee Chris Agarpao as an operations manager in June, and the platform reaches an impressive $7.2 million total value of listed merchandise. The company hires Jeff Skoll as President in July.
- 1997: Auction Web has an explosive surge in Beanie Baby purchases, recording $500 million in sales by May, representing over 6% of the total transaction volume. In September 1997, the platform is officially rebranded as eBay.
- 1998: eBay goes public with $18 per share, and the company reaches $53.50 per share in just one day. Meg Whitman joins the as President and CEO of eBay Inc.
- 1999: eBay experiences its first site outage. It’s back up and running after 20 hours with the help of 50 engineers.
- 2000: In Q2, eBay launches eBay Motors, an online automotive marketplace. It also hosts its first training course via eBay University in June. Additionally, eBay launches “Buy It Now” in November 2000, which enables buyers to acquire items at a set price.
- 2001: Levi Strauss puts up the oldest pair of Levi’s for sale, and they are bought for $46,000. In June, “eBay Stores” launches, allowing people to set up their own online shops for a monthly fee. In Q3 2001, eBay hits a new sales record by selling a Gulfstream jet for $4.9 million and starts Auction for America, raising over $10 million for September 11 victims.
- 2002: eBay purchases payment service PayPal. The company is acquired for $1.5 billion in June.
- 2003: In June, eBay transactions become secure with PayPal Buyers Protection. The same month, eBay claims the 8th spot on Fortune’s 100 Fastest Growing Companies list.
- 2004: “The Dream Big, Save Big” campaign launches in February to support small business buying. Jeff Jordan is named President of PayPal at the end of the year.
- 2005: eBay creates Kijiji. The online classified advertising platform is created for Canadian users in local communities to buy, sell, and trade goods and services.
2006: In February, The Gigayacht becomes the most expensive item sold on eBay, set at an auction price of $168 million. A month later, PayPal launches its first mobile application.
2007: eBay acquires StubHub in January. The online platform evolves into a large online marketplace for ticket purchases.
2008: In Q2 2008, Scott Thompson assumes the role of President at PayPal, while John Donahoe becomes the new President and CEO of eBay Inc. In June, eBay becomes the first company to introduce an iPhone application, gaining prominent exposure during the launch of the Apple App Store. eBay receives the National Medal of Technology & Innovation award in September, making it the first internet company to be honored with this prestigious recognition.
2009: eBay unveils Top-Rated Seller status in July. By November 2009, eBay introduces its eBay Deals app, presenting opportunities for buyers and sellers to enjoy exceptional offers and savings.
2010: eBay is included on the iPad. During Apple’s presentation of the iPad launch, the eBay app gains attention as one of the initial featured applications.
- 2011: In four months, eBay acquires GittiGidiyor, Magento, and Zong, expanding its portfolio and strengthening its presence in various sectors. In September, Devin Wenig joins as President of eBay Marketplaces.
- 2012: eBay reveals a Global Shipping Program in August. The initiative facilitates the growth of U.S. sellers’ businesses by simplifying the shipping process for international buyers.
- 2013: eBay adopts Bloom Energy Servers™ as the primary, on-site power source, bypassing the reliance on the traditional electric utility grid. This innovative approach showcases eBay’s commitment to sustainable energy solutions and reducing its environmental footprint.
- 2014: In March, eBay introduces machine translation tools to enable cross-border commerce. PayPal and eBay become independent companies in September 2015.
- 2015: In July, Devin Wenig assumes the role of eBay CEO. Later in September, eBay celebrates its 20th anniversary.
- 2016: August introduces eBay’s first analytical and performance insights tool, SellerHub. eBay launches ShopBot in October, an AI-powered intelligent personal shopping assistant that can be accessed through Facebook Messenger.
- 2017: In March, eBay unveils its new Personalized Home Page, offering a tailored browsing experience for users. Simultaneously, the company introduces a delivery guarantee of three days or less, reinforcing its commitment to swift and reliable shipping. Other notable launches in 2017 include eBay’s Price Match Guarantee, Authentication Program, Find It on eBay, and Search Go Live.
- 2018: eBay introduces an augmented reality (AR) solution in March 2018 to accommodate millions of sellers and their shipping needs. Additionally, September sees eBay launch eBay@Home, its work-from-home program.
- 2019: Google Pay rolls out on eBay in March. eBay introduces a new managed payments experience in Germany in September, further advancing the company’s payment journey.
- 2020: eBay launches “Up & Running” in April in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The platform pledges up to $100 million to support small businesses in the following three months. Concurrently, Jamie Iannone takes over as eBay CEO. October welcomes eBay Refurbished, featuring refurbished inventory from leading brands.
- 2021: eBay adds NFTs to its open marketplace in May, allowing users to buy and sell digital assets. Then, in June, eBay extends its Authenticity Guarantee service for luxury handbags, ensuring customers receive authentic products.
- 2022: In January, eBay introduces the authenticity guarantee program for trading cards. Then eBay unveils its Vault for Trading Cards in June, a secure 31,000-square-foot facility and digital marketplace. Subsequently, in July, eBay expands the authenticity guarantee program to include fine jewelry, reinforcing its commitment to authenticity and trust.
- 2023: eBay Motors unveils Guaranteed Fit in February, enhancing purchase protection for auto parts and accessories. March witnesses a remarkable milestone, with The eBay Foundation surpassing $100 million in grants since its inception.
eBay Demographics Statistics
In May 2023, the US emerged as the leading country in desktop traffic directed to ebay.com, contributing a significant share of 79.41%.
Other top-performing countries on the top 5 list are:
- Canada – 1.37%
- Mexico – 1.13%
- UK – 0.86%
- Japan – 0.78%
The age group with the highest number of visitors on a desktop for ebay.com in May 2023 was 25 to 34-year-olds.
The gender distribution on both desktop and mobile devices for eBay in May 2023 was predominantly male, accounting for 69.21%.
Females represented 30.79% of the user base.
eBay Buyers Statistics
There were 133 million active buyers on eBay worldwide as of June 2023.
In 2022, eBay achieved a gross merchandise volume of $74 billion, with approximately 51% of that amount being generated from international sources outside the United States.
In 2021, the average buyer in the U.S. spent around $700.00.
However, buyers who specifically purchased sneakers with a minimum value of $100, had an average spend of approximately $2,400.
eBay is available in 190 countries.
However, eBay is not accessible in the following countries and regions due to restrictions:
- Cuba
- Crimea, Donetsk People’s Republic (DNR), and Luhansk People’s Republic (LNR) regions of Ukraine
- Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea)
- Iran
- Syria
As of March 2023, most mobile eBay shoppers in the United States were men, accounting for 61.7% of the mobile audience.
Conversely, women constituted 38.3 percent of eBay’s mobile user base.
eBay Sellers Statistics
eBay’s 2022 Small Business Report reveals that eBay plays a crucial role for small businesses.
- 95% of sellers rely on eBay for their business success.
- 71% agreed eBay helped them start their business.
- 83% believe eBay is a unique marketplace for small businesses.
According to the latest statistics, the US accounted for 31% of the top sellers.
The U.K. accounted for 29% and Germany for 15%.
In the US, California had the largest portion of sellers, comprising 15% of all sellers on eBay.
Florida and New York followed closely behind, with both states representing 8 % of US-based eBay sellers each.
With eBay International Shipping, sellers can reach buyers in more than 200 countries. eBay’s Global Shipping program eliminates the need to handle overseas shipping, customs procedures, or returns.
Both new and used items can be listed on 7 international eBay listing sites.
- eBay.com
- eBay.co.uk
- eBay.de
- eBay.fr
- eBay.it
- eBay.es
- eBay.ca
- eBay.com/au
Top eBay Sellers
Based on Top Rated Seller data, second.sale has earned the distinction of being the most trusted seller on eBay, ranked 1st overall as of June 2023.
The seller rank is determined by the number of seller ratings received within the last thirty days.
The books and magazines category dominates the top-5 sellers list, with four out of the five sellers operate within this category.
On the other hand, the leading seller in the Music and Entertainment category has achieved the highest sales volume, with a total of 38.7 million items sold.
Seller
Country
# of Items Sold
# of Shoppers
Rating
Category
second.sale
U.S.
18.9 million
4 million
98%
Books and Magazines
worldofbooks08
U.K.
31.2 million
10 million
99%
Books & Magazines
musicmagpie
U.K.
38.7 million
10 million
99%
Music & Entertainment
seller thrift.books
U.S.
16 million
4 million
99%
Books & Magazines
dcsports87
U.S
2.9 million
1 million
100%
Sports Cards
eBay Business Data
eBay is an online marketplace that connects a global network of buyers and sellers, and is committed to:
- Help sellers reach new customers and grow their business.
- Provide a vast inventory and unique selection to its buyers.
As of June 2023, eBay’s corporate headquarters were in San Jose, California.
There are 38 worldwide locations across North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific.
Jamie Iannone has served as eBay’s CEO since 2020.
Under his leadership, eBay’s shares have notably grown from $29.41 to $44.70 as of June 2023. The shares peaked at $80.59 in October 2021, indicating a significant surge in value during that period.
In 2022, eBay had 11,600 company employees.
There are 15 different job category departments.
In 2022, eBay had a total of $4.8 billion in operational costs.
- Sales and marketing – $2.1 billion
- Product development – $1.3 billion
- General and administrative – $963 million
- Provision for transaction losses – $332 million
- Amortization of acquired intangible assets – $4 million
eBay has 3 data centers in the U.S. that are used to minimalize latency between sites.
- South Jordan Topaz, Utah
- Sandy, Utah
- Phoenix, Arizona
There is a possibility that eBay operates undisclosed data centers whose locations have not been made public.
eBay has garnered numerous awards and recognition, showcasing its excellence and leadership in the e-commerce industry.
eBay Payments and PayPal Data
After acquiring PayPal for $1.5 billion in 2002, eBay integrated the electronic payment and money transfer platform into its operations.
By 2010, PayPal’s active membership base had exceeded 100 million users across nearly 200 markets.
During the third quarter of 2012, PayPal accounted for approximately 40% of eBay’s revenue, which amounted to around $1.37 billion.
In 2015, eBay separated from PayPal.
eBay stakeholders received one share of PayPal for each share of eBay they possessed.
PayPal experienced a notable surge of over 11%, with its shares reaching $42.55.
PayPal’s valuation amounted to approximately $52 billion, while eBay’s stock witnessed a decline of 4.7%, leading to a company valuation of approximately $32 billion.
Following the split, eBay introduced a new in-house online payment system while maintaining a partnership with PayPal externally, separate from its main website.
eBay Charity and Impact Statistics
In 1998, The eBay Foundation became the first corporate foundation to be endowed with pre-IPO stock.
eBay has actively engaged in philanthropic efforts and demonstrated a strong commitment to charity work.
In March 2023, The eBay Foundation surpassed $100 million in grants since its inception.
More than 1,800 nonprofit organizations have received funding from the eBay Foundation.
In 2022, the eBay Foundation provided grants totaling nearly $23 million.
These grants were primarily awarded to non-profit organizations that promote inclusive entrepreneurship and through eBay’s employee matching gifts program.
eBay generated $4.6 billion in positive economic impact by selling pre-loved and refurbished goods in 2022.
This initiative helped avoid 1.6 million metric tons of carbon emissions and diverted 73,000 metric tons of waste from landfills.
As of June 2023, The eBay Foundation has 20 strategic partners and supports over 30 non-profit organizations worldwide.
eBay Competitor Statistics
As the pioneer of online marketplace platforms, eBay has paved the way for e-commerce, but it now faces strong competition from other prominent players in the industry.
With a total of 701.7 million desktop and mobile visits in May 2023, eBay secured second position among its competitors, reaffirming its significant presence in the online marketplace industry.
Despite its focus on handmade, vintage, and craft items, Etsy ranked third on the list with 470.5 million monthly visits.
Based on a survey conducted across 40 countries in October 2022, 9% of global shoppers made their latest cross-border purchase with eBay.
Amazon was the top choice with 27% of respondents, followed by Alibaba/AliExpress at 17%.
As of June 2022, eBay accounted for 3.5% of the U.S. e-commerce market.
By capturing 37.8 percent of the U.S. e-commerce market, Amazon solidified its position as the dominant online retailer in the country.
As the major e-commerce giants in the U.S., eBay and Amazon are direct competitors in the online shopping landscape.
In terms of revenue in 2021, Amazon achieved an impressive total of nearly $470 billion, while eBay’s revenue surpassed $10.4 billion.
This makes Amazon approximately 45 times larger than eBay when comparing their revenues.
The age and gender groups of Amazon and eBay users exhibit striking similarities.
The age group of 25-34 is the most prevalent among users on both Amazon and eBay, and both platforms have a higher proportion of male users than female users.
According to research by Epsilon, Amazon shoppers demonstrated a spending power that is twice that of the average consumer across various retailers and channels in 2019.
This can be attributed to an Amazon shopper’s average annual household income of $84,449 in the same year.
On the contrary, some sources refer to eBay buyers are often referred to as “enthusiast buyers” and “value seekers” who appreciate the worth of older product models.
They are price-conscious buyers and savvy bidders, actively seeking unique collectibles and both new and used items not found on other channels.
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Resources
- eBay
- Crunchbase
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- U.S Securities & Exchange Commission
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- The Guardian
- Archives.org
- Crunchbase
- eBay 2018 Annual Report
- Australia Financial Review
- eBay 2022 Annual Report
- Statista
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- Similar Web
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- Google Play Store
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- Blogging Wizard via Zik Analytics
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- Statista
- Epsilon
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- Ecommerce Bytes