We connect people and build communities to create economic opportunity for all.
Our purpose is to fuel our sellers’ success. We don’t compete with our sellers. We are partners to them. Whether it’s a small business in rural Michigan that wants to sell overseas, a main street shop in Germany expanding its reach to online sales or a store in Japan that caters to trading card enthusiasts — we empower small businesses around the world with our tools, support, advocacy and outreach to build their brands to perfectly fit their unique personalities and inventory.
We’re creating relevant experiences that are tailored around customer needs, interests and expectations. With 190 markets around the globe, we are leveraging our scale to create solutions for our customers. And we’re doing it all through magical innovations that set a new bar for ecommerce experiences.
Our second annual Small Business Report examines how our sellers start their businesses, the ways eBay supports their success and their optimistic outlook for the future, sharing insights from a survey of 4,334 sellers in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Japan and Australia.
Our sellers are dedicated, passionate and knowledgeable, and this is what makes the eBay community so special. We are committed to maintaining a marketplace where small businesses can thrive, and I am proud of how eBay supports our sellers at every stage of their entrepreneurial journey.
Highlights From Our 2023 Report
Our 2023 study reveals how our marketplace helps sellers start and grow their businesses while offering them opportunity even in economically uncertain times.
2023 HIGHLIGHTS
eBay is Essential to Small Businesses
From the very first day when sellers open their virtual doors, we are there with them — to enable, support and encourage their success every step of the way.
How well, if at all, do each of the following statements help describe your eBay story?
About this chart
Two charts illustrate how surveyed sellers responded to the question “How well, if at all, do each of the following statements help describe your eBay story?” The first chart shows that 68% percent of sellers said the statement “eBay helped me start my business” described them “extremely well” (25%), “very well” (23%) or “moderately well” (20%). The second chart shows that 76% of sellers said the statement “eBay helped me grow my business” described them “extremely well” (23%), “very well” (28%) or “moderately well” (25%).
2023 HIGHLIGHTS
94% of sellers rely on eBay for success
Our marketplace isn’t just a “nice to have” for our sellers; eBay is essential to their success. Nearly a third report their businesses would not exist without eBay.
Which of the following best describes your business’ connection to eBay?
About this chart
A graphic visualization displays seller responses to the survey question “Which of the following best describes your business’ connection to eBay?” Twenty-nine percent said “My business would not be able to exist without eBay.” Thirty-six percent said “My business relies a lot on eBay.” And 29% said “My business is helped by eBay.” In total, 94% of eBay sellers say that eBay is important to their business.
2023 HIGHLIGHTS
Sellers are optimistic about growth
Despite uncertainty about the economy, at both a global and national level, most eBay sellers expect their business to grow in the next 12 months. Moreover, 68% expect their business on eBay to increase over the next five years.
Over the next 12 months, do you expect the following to improve, stay the same or decline?
About this chart
A chart shows that most sellers expect their business revenue to improve during the next 12 months. Twenty-one percent say it will “Improve a lot,” 34% say it will “Improve a little,” and 24% say it will “Stay the same.” Only 14% expect business revenue to “Decline a little,” and 7% expect it to “Decline a lot.”
Creating Economic Empowerment for All
We enable entrepreneurs to build and grow thriving businesses.
My business wouldn’t be where it is today if it wasn’t for eBay.
ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT
Being Your Own Boss
Our marketplace gives sellers something priceless – the opportunity to determine their own path forward while securing their financial independence.
How well, if at all, do each of the following statements describe you?
About this chart
A chart shows 91% of surveyed sellers say “Being my own boss is important to me.” Among those sellers, 52% say that statement describes them “extremely well,” 28% say it describes them “very well” and 12% say it describes them “moderately well."
ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT
A Partner to Sellers
90% of sellers say eBay wins when its sellers win. Success for us happens together. We don’t compete with our sellers. This simple fact defines our relationship with small businesses and entrepreneurs – and sets us apart from other online marketplaces.
How much, if at all, do each of the following statements describe eBay from your experience?
About this chart
Three charts illustrate sellers’ responses when asked “How much, if at all, do each of the following statements describe eBay from your experience?” The first chart shows that, in total, 86% said the statement “eBay enables opportunities for SMBs and entrepreneurs” described eBay “extremely well” (26%) “very well” (33%) or “moderately well” (27%). The second chart shows that, in total, 76% said the statement “eBay is a champion of SMBs and entrepreneurs” described eBay “extremely well” (20%), “very well” (27%) or “moderately well” (29%). The third chart shows that, in total, 79% said the statement “eBay helps SMBs and entrepreneurs to thrive” described eBay “extremely well” (21%), “very well” (29%) or “moderately well” (29%).
ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT
Inclusive Entrepreneurship in Action
eBay is a model of universal, inclusive entrepreneurship – a place where anyone, anywhere in the world can sell and succeed online.
How much, if at all, do each of the following statements describe eBay from your experience?
About this chart
A chart shows that, in total, 92% percent of surveyed sellers say “eBay is accessible to all,” with 40% saying that statement describes eBay “extremely well,” 33% “very well” and 19% “moderately well.”
How important, if at all, are each of the following to you as a seller on eBay?
About this chart
A chart shows that, in total, 94% say “The diversity of the customers who shop on eBay is important to me,” with 42% saying that diversity is “essential,” 38% “very important” and 14% calling it “fairly important.”
AUTHENTICITY GUARANTEE
Expert Authentication for Your Peace of Mind
Our Authenticity Guarantee helps you sell and buy items with confidence, from handbags to trading cards to streetwear. Millions of buyers have received exactly what they’ve ordered — and we’ve protected every seller on those sales to ensure when they offer returns, the item coming back is the same item they shipped.
EBAY ACADEMY
A Platform for Learning the Ins and Outs of Selling
Our online learning platform offers new topics on various tools and best practices to help sellers grow their business, from international shipping to delegating tasks to employees.
Turning Passions into Professions
We’re reinventing the future of ecommerce for enthusiasts.
eBay has changed me in that I now see myself as a businesswoman and an entrepreneur instead of a hobbyist. When I first got started, I didn't know what I was doing, but the success and the consistency and the steadiness of eBay has really calmed me.
PASSIONS INTO PROFESSIONS
Collectors and Enthusiasts
How much, if at all, do each of the following statements describe eBay from your experience?
About this chart
A chart shows that, in total, 92% of sellers responded that the statement “eBay is a home for collectors and enthusiasts” described their experience “extremely well” (35%), “very well” (35%) or “moderately well” (22%).
PASSIONS INTO PROFESSIONS
Empowering Accidental Entrepreneurs
Buyers become sellers and create small businesses of their own, uniting their enthusiasm for their hobbies and interests with their entrepreneurial spirit.
More than six in ten sellers say that “accidental entrepreneur” describes them well. These self-reported accidental entrepreneurs told us that eBay…
About this chart
More than six in ten sellers say the term “accidental entrepreneur” describes them well. In total, 91% of these “accidental entrepreneurs” say the statement “eBay makes it easy to turn a passion into a business” describes eBay, with 30% saying “extremely well”, 36% saying “very well” and 25% saying “moderately well.” A total of 86% say the statement “eBay is unique among online marketplaces” describes their experience “extremely well” (29%), “very well” (33%) or “moderately well” (24%). And a total of 79% say the statement “eBay helps me connect with and sell to unique groups” describes their story “extremely well” (24%), “very well” (29%) or “moderately well” (26%).
PASSIONS INTO PROFESSIONS
eBay Pioneered Recommerce
Sellers realize there is value in pre-owned goods, and they come to eBay to find customers for those items. Pre-loved items become new treasures for buyers. Recommerce is central to who we are and enables a more sustainable future for us all.
Unlocking Global Scale
We help entrepreneurs reach customers and build communities across the globe.
As experts for woodwind and brass instruments, we serve a large clientele throughout Germany. With our eBay store, we can sell our products, both new and used, even across national borders.
68% of sellers say eBay’s global marketplace is essential or very important to them.
GLOBAL SCALE
Expanding Reach
eBay’s worldwide community of enthusiasts helps fuel business growth for our sellers.
How well, if at all, do each of the following statements help describe your eBay story?
About this chart
A chart shows that a total of 76% of sellers felt the statement “eBay helped me sell to new markets” described their story “extremely well” (26%), “very well” (28%) or “moderately well” (22%). A second chart shows that a total of 77% of sellers felt the statement “eBay helped me identify new customers” described their story “extremely well” (24%), “very well” (29%) or “moderately well” (24%).
GLOBAL SCALE
A Diverse Global Community
Being your own boss means you can work from just about anywhere. Our sellers live all over – and most of their businesses sell to more than three countries.
Which of the following best describes the area where your business is based?
About this chart
A bar chart illustrates the diversity of locales where sellers say their businesses are based: 24% are in a suburb, 32% are in a city or urban environment, 26% are in a small town, and 17% are in a rural area, according to their survey responses.
Including your own country, how many countries did you sell to in the past 12 months?
About this chart
A bar chart shows the global reach of surveyed sellers, most of whom say they sell in three or more countries. In the last 12 months, 36% sold to between one and two countries, 26% sold to between three and five countries, 14% sold to between six and nine countries, and 24% sold to 10 or more countries.
Small businesses are the backbone of eBay, and our platform exists to power their success at every stage of their journeys. eBay sellers bring incredibly diverse inventory to our marketplace — united by a shared passion and expertise for the communities they serve.
UP & RUNNING
How We’re Helping to Accelerate Small Businesses
Our Up & Running program helps sellers jumpstart their ecommerce experience, providing dedicated support and mentoring so they learn how to supercharge their listing and marketing strategies; create a dynamic digital storefront; leverage powerful data analysis tools to fuel their performance; and more.
eBay gives a sparkle to my life, and I am very happy to be a seller.
Methodology
We partnered with GlobeScan, a global insights and advisory consultancy, to conduct a survey of 4,334 eBay small business sellers in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Japan and Australia. Our goal was to assess small business seller sentiment and opinions toward eBay as they started and grew their business.
