eBay sellers are up in arms because of the controversy surrounding the recent price hike. Strangely enough, eBay said the revenue will go towards its marketing campaigns to attract new buyers, and they plan to provide incentives to sellers that participate in its advertising program.
Platforms & Marketplaces
eBay Raises Fees in Spring Seller Update
eBay seems to be punishing its best sellers. Effective May 1st, seller fees will go up for Store subscribers and Top Rated Sellers (TRS). TRS Plus discounts will also drop from 20% to 10%. There are no fee changes for non-Store or “Above Average” sellers, but fees will increase for sellers that fall “Below Average.” via EcommerceBytes
eBay Expands Local Pickup Option
eBay sellers can now go omnichannel by offering local pickup as a convenient delivery option for their buyers. Offering local pickup is an easy way to avoid costly shipping charges, especially on large, bulky items. via eBay News
Rakuten Scales Down in the US and Terminates Many Sellers
Marketplace-operator Rakuten, formerly known as Buy.com, recently trimmed down the number of sellers listing on their marketplace. "We have made a tough decision to scale back and focus our efforts on a very limited assortment of products and merchants in the near term," announced Rakuten. via Marketplace Pulse
Retail By The Numbers
Amazon Shoppers Love Prime and Lower Prices, But Many Think Walmart Is Cheaper
Roughly 45% of US consumers now live in a household that has an Amazon Prime membership. But in a recent survey of 1,000 Amazon shoppers, 66% said they were willing to buy from other retailers if they offered lower prices, and 60% would buy from another retailer if they offered free two-day shipping. What’s more, 37% of non-Prime Amazon shoppers believe that Walmart is cheaper. via Digital Commerce 360
84% of Women Rely on Product Reviews for Shopping Decisions
Product reviews really matter, according to a nationwide survey of 11,266 women. More than half of women surveyed said they need to see a minimum of 50 reviews on a product review page before considering the site to be reliable and trustworthy. Similarly, 72% of those women trust a page based on the total number of reviews on the page, and 44% of women spend at least 20 minutes researching a product before making a purchase. via The All Time Report
69% of Generation Z Wants to Purchase Within Social Media
In a recent survey of 10,000 across 13 countries, more than two-thirds (69%) of Gen Z shoppers said they are interested in purchasing products directly from social media. Additionally, 44% of the respondents look to social media as a source for product inspiration, and 37% have increased their use of social media for shopping decisions in the past year. via Fierce Retail
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