International selling is one way you can make your products available to buyers from all over the world. eBay is one of the biggest and most used international marketplaces globally, having about 183 million active buyers from different countries. Selling your products on eBay guarantees your access to a global marketplace, where you can reach new customers, sell at higher prices and ultimately, grow your business.
There are several eBay international sites you can make your listings, the most popular ones being eBay USA, eBay UK, eBay Canada and eBay France. It is important to note that each country's site has different user base, requirements, fees, etc.
Important Statistics About eBay That You Should Know
As earlier said, eBay is one of the biggest and most popular online marketplaces in the world. It was founded in 1995 by Pierre Omidyar, making it one of the first online marketplaces. Though it has been around for so long, eBay has never lost its place as one of the leading international marketplaces. As a retailer, there are so many online marketplaces open to you. You may be considering eBay, but just before diving into this platform, look at the statistics below as they will help you prepare the best eBay strategy for your store.
1. eBay users
How many people use eBay? This is one of the questions you must ask yourself before venturing into this marketplace. eBay recorded 182 million users worldwide in mid-2019, and these users cut across 190 different countries. This record showed an increase from the previous year by 4%. Of all the 190 different countries, the United States creates most of eBay's traffic by over 70%.
After the United States, the next strongest market is China, and it increases eBay's traffic by 1.93%. Canada follows this with a 1.84% increase and Russia next with about 1.75%. These statistics clearly show that eBay users are more in the United States.
2. Number of active buyers
Not all users of eBay are buyers, and not all shoppers buy often. In 2017, 16% of shoppers said that they purchase products at least once every week or more. However, eBay recorded 109 million visitors in 2018 during the holiday shopping season; it is obvious they came in to shop.
3. Downloads and usage of eBay apps
The eBay app has been downloaded about 476 million times, particularly by United States users. About 34.9% of mobile users in the US have downloaded this app, and nearly 66 million people use the app every month. The eBay app is rated the third-most famous mobile shopping app, following Amazon's and Walmart's.
4. Age range of eBay's audience
Approximately 61% of eBay's audience ranges from 35-64 years old. Users below 25 years or 25-34 years old are not so many on this platform compared to the older generation. Statistics show that eBay's second-largest age group are those from 50-64 years old.
5. eBay's listing
In 2019, eBay recorded a total of 1.3 billion listings. Comparing the number of listings to the number of buyers, it is obvious that the competition on this platform is very high. To know the best products to sell and how to go about its, eBay offers a list of products with selling tips on its website to guide new sellers.
6. Top-selling product category
The top-selling product category on eBay is electronics and accessories. The most sold products on eBay fall into this sector (16.4 percent of all products sold on eBay). The next trending category is clothing and accessories as 16% of all products sold on the platform fall into this sector. Following these are the automotive category, followed by the health and beauty sector, and the sports and outdoors niches.
12 Most Popular eBay Sites for International Selling
1. eBay USA
Ranked the 10th most visited website in the United States, eBay USA offers many niches with top active categories from electronics, health & beauty, and video games & consoles. The top-selling items on the site include wristwatches, diamond earrings, electronic devices and coaches jacket collections. eBay USA has total visits of 1.04 billion in the last 6 months with 78.42% from the United States, and the average visit duration is 6mins 38secs.
2. eBay UK
Rated among the top 10 websites in the United Kingdom, eBay UK recorded a total of 360.40 million visits in the last 6 months. Of all the visits, 87.24% come from UK-based users. This traffic is generated particularly from the Direct channel with 67.08%, followed by Search with 27.10%. Categories featured on this site are; antiques, baby, electronics and cameras & photography.
3. eBay Germany
This site has a total of 264.17 million visits in the last 6 months, making it the next most popular eBay site after eBay UK. 91.15 percent of these visitors come from Germany and 1.28 percent from Austria. The top-selling category on this site includes fashion, electronics and home & garden. And the average visit duration is 8mins, 32secs.
Ranked the 7th website in Australia, eBay Australia has a total of 86.52 million visits, with 92.69% of this traffic generated by Australia residents. The top-selling categories on this site include; alcohol & food, book & magazines, crafts and coins.
5. eBay France
This site displays its categories, deals and other pages in French. It is ranked the 25th website in France. In the last 6 months, the site recorded 54.17 million visits, most of them coming from France (88/90%) and 1.81% from Belgium. The average visit duration on the eBay France site is 7mins, 25secs.
6. eBay Italy
This eBay site is rated the 11th website in Italy, having 85.47 million visits in the last 6 months. The majority of these visits are from Italy with 94.35%. Internet search (42%) and direct channel (53.32%) contributed to most traffic generated on eBay Italy. Among the most featured categories here include clothing & accessories, creative hobbies, musical instruments and beauty & health.
7. eBay Canada
The Canadian eBay site is ranked the 30th high-traffic website in Canada. Categories featured on this site include tech, home & garden, sports and automotive. Being the third most searched site after eBay UK, eBay Canada has total visits of 38.84 million in the last 6 months (82.64% of the total visits come from Canada).
8. eBay Spain
In the last 6 months, eBay spain site recorded 30.03 million visits with 85.75% of the traffic generated from Spain. The average visit duration on this site is 5mins, 39secs. Selling categories here include babes, video and games consoles, phones & accessories and camera & photography.
9. eBay Austria
The selling categories of this site include music, sport, electronics and baby. The site is ranked the 30th website in Austria with a total visit of 6.24 million in the last 6 months. Of all these visits, 71.63 percent of them come from Austria while 19.13 percent come from Germany. The average visit duration on this site is 5mins, 40secs.
10. eBay Netherlands
Some of the selling categories on this site are; cars and motorcycles, sound and vision, do-it-yourself and animals. This eBay site has a total of 2.78 million visits in the last 6 months. The average visit duration in the site is 4mins, 53secs.
11. eBay Philippines
In the last 6 months, this eBay Philippines site recorded 1.03 million visits with 60.37% of them coming from the Philippines and 15.23% from the United States. Top-selling categories on this site include cameras & photo, cell phones & accessories and clothing, shoes & accessories. The highest traffic source of this site is by Search with 62.10%.
12. eBay Hong Kong
This Chinese eBay site doesn't drive much traffic like other sites listed above. In the last 6 months, the site recorded 988.42 thousand visits with an average visit duration of 5mins, 32secs.
Tips for Successful International Selling on eBay
Although international selling on eBay is a fast and efficient way to grow your business, you must still consider some factors to get the best result out of this platform. Below are 10 tips to help you on this journey (selling on eBay):
1. Do your homework
You need the best strategy to succeed on eBay, but how will you create one if you don't know everything you need to know about the site, the products to sell, your target audience, and the risks involved. Before you list your product, take time to browse the eBay site, research the products you plan to sell and acquire all the knowledge you need to start selling on the site.
2. Create professional looking and easy to read listings
When writing listings, consider the international buyers who may not be fluent in English. So, your product description should be direct, written in simple English, easy to read and understand. Also, maintain facts and avoid using filler words. Your listings should look as professional as possible. Usually, listings formated with HTML have that professional look. Lastly, ensure that you state all your terms and conditions, return policy, warranty and guarantee policies.
3. Make use of eBay's international tools
eBay offers tools that make selling to international buyers easy. These tools include a currency converter, USPS's postage price calculator and time zone calculator. The currency converter can be used directly on the site while the time calculator enables you to know your international client's local time. Endeavour to use the tools provided to have a smooth and successful journey on eBay.
4. Check international regulations carefully
As a seller, it is your job to check if the local law permits the import and export of an item before sending it. Since prohibited items are different for different countries, it is vital that you cross-check the regulations before sending any item.
5. Treat your customers right
Always remember that the customers are the kings in this business, just like any other. Treat your customers well by answering all their questions politely and promptly, provide positive feedback always and respond to complaints the best way you can. Ensure that you create a positive experience for all customers. You can send a "thank you" note alongside the item, and they will be glad that you did.
6. Get shipping insurance
With shipping insurance, you can get your money back as a seller if the item sent gets damaged or missing. Particularly for valuable items and long-distance shipping, shipping insurance is critical to get reimbursements for your missing or damaged goods. You can buy insurance from mail carriers like Royal mail and USPS.
7. Consider regional differences
Some items may be limited to a particular region. Not all international buyers know this, but you as the seller have to be aware of all the regional differences. For instance, DVDs are locked to some areas, while shoe and clothing sizes are different for different regions. So, when making a listing, confirm all the regional differences.
8. Keep track of expenses
Every penny counts when you are selling on eBay. Ensure that you keep track of all your expenses, from the difference in listing fees to the hidden costs like postage and shipping items. You don't want to be running at a loss, so do all you can to monitor your expenses.
Look for those offering the same products on eBay, check out their prices, what they do and try improving yours or adopting their best practices. For instance, if your competition offers similar products at the same rate, you can improve customer experience or offer free shipping for a particular location. You can do whatever you feel will drive customers to buy your products instead of the competitor's, but this can only be possible if you watch them closely.
10. Track your inventory and finances
This is achievable with QuickBooks or other accounting software. With QuickBooks, you can add your inventory, track items sold per week, and the app also helps to accumulate reports on your profit for each item.
Final Words
eBay is a recommendable international marketplace for individuals starting a new business or those who want to grow their already existing business. Yes, there are many global marketplaces globally, but the best choice is one that you have good knowledge about. Now that you are a bit familiar with eBay, including the best international eBay sites, essential strategies, and the tips needed for your success on the platform. Visit any eBay site of your choice and sign up to be a seller now!
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