In the digital resale world, launched into mainstream consciousness in 1995 by eBay, the prevailing mission is often making selling as easy as shopping. And as customers continue to eschew desktop buying and selling in favor of mobile phones, streamlining this process becomes crucial.
Today, eBay — no longer a teenager at 20 — launches updates to its app that work to do that. The changes, referred to as “eBay 4.0,” offer a more customized, personalized and simplified way for customers to browse, shop and sell, according to eBay chief product officer R.J. Pittman.
According to eBay, about 8.2 million new listings are added via mobile each week, and more than half of eBay’s gross merchandise volume is touched by mobile. In the first half of 2015, eBay generated $16 billion in mobile commerce volume.
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The first iPhone app launched in 2007, and today, new features include a start experience tailored to the user, new activity and shop channels and a simplified selling channel (which integrates eBay Valet).
“EBay 4.0 is a significant step for the company and underscores our commitment to the mobile commerce world we live in today,” Pittman said in a release. “This represents an exciting new starting point from which we aim to drive big innovation across all devices at once.”
EBay is the clear leader in number of users and volume in the online resale market and its evolution is closely watched. It’s also worth noting that making major changes presents a challenge, as there are about 25 million sellers using eBay. To that end, Pittman stated that eBay 4.0 was inspired by customer feedback.
Although eBay is the lead dog, others are nipping at its heels; in 2014, it’s estimated that $100 million was invested in fashion resale businesses, and eBay recently acquired one of them — Twice — for an undisclosed amount.
To mark its 20th anniversary, eBay is also launching a promotion called “20 Days of Deals” starting Sept. 9, complete with a custom Airstream that will visit San Francisco, Denver and New York. The daily deals will focus on fashion, tech and home items, at deeply discounted prices and free shipping.